The Old Manse
The Old Manse is a special place to visit in Concord, MA. It sits on rolling hills next to the Concord River. From the house you can see the North Bridge, where the famous battle of April 19th, 1775 happened. Both Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne called the Old Manse home for a while. Even the vegetable garden, which has been recreated, was planted by Henry David Thoreau in honor of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s wedding.
The Old Manse is a National Historic Landmark and a link in the Bay Circuit Trail. It is open year round and boasts a short network of footpaths that connect it to the North Bridge and boathouse on the Concord River.
It’s a must visit if you’re passing through Concord, MA.
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Reviews
A R October 21, 2024
We did this tour on a Saturday. I believe the guides name was MaryBeth. She was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic we had a great time and learned a ton during our one hour tour. She answered our questions really well and we really enjoyed our time with her. Such a great historic and literary treasure here in New England. There is so much to do in the area and downtown Concord is close by for food or activities before and after you take a tour. This is a must, highly recommend.
Erik October 12, 2024
The Old Manse offers a great tour with plenty of fascinating history, especially about the authors and public figures connected to the house, which I really enjoyed. However, I do wish they had gone more in-depth about the battle, as it felt like that part was only briefly mentioned. That said, it’s still one of the better tours in the area by far, with a lot of interesting insights you won’t get elsewhere. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area!
Matt Reid September 21, 2024
Three for one- North Bridge (shot heard round the world), Emerson wrote “Nature” here, Hawthorne wrote “Mosses on the Old Manse” here. Great tour with Trustees guide.
Alfred Thompson September 5, 2024
A fascinating house with an interesting history. The docents who lead our tour was very knowledgeable. He told the stories of the people who lived there and the times in which they lived in an interesting way. Don't miss the notes cut into some of the windows. Glass cut with diamond.
E L August 19, 2024
I recently had the pleasure of taking a tour at The Old Manse in Concord, MA, and I can't speak highly enough of our guide, Rachel. From the moment we started, Rachel's passion for history and deep knowledge of the site were immediately evident. She brought the stories of The Old Manse to life with a warmth and enthusiasm that made the experience truly unforgettable.
Rachel's ability to weave together the historical significance of the house with engaging anecdotes made the tour both educational and entertaining. She took the time to answer every question with thoughtful detail, ensuring that everyone in our group felt included and engaged.
Her storytelling skills were exceptional, painting vivid pictures of the lives of the people who once lived there. Rachel’s genuine love for the history of Concord and The Old Manse made the tour not just informative, but also deeply inspiring.
I left The Old Manse with a newfound appreciation for this historic gem, and I have Rachel to thank for that. If you're planning a visit, I highly recommend requesting her as your guide—you won't be disappointed!
Chuck Bunting August 15, 2024
Knowledgeable and friendly guide. The house is interesting because it wasn't updated a lot after it was built in 1770.
Lisa Stephenson May 17, 2024
It's a charming building from the Revolutionary War period. There are guided tours, which I didn't take but have heard it's a great tour. There is a small gift shop with books about the area and the role it played in history. Definitely at least stop by the bookstore and look at the area around it. The people who work there are very friendly, helpful and full of information.
Kristy Johnson May 13, 2024
Really appreciated the Trustees putting on an impromptu Mothers Day event! How special!!!
I didn’t tour the home because the bulk of the tour is upstairs and I can’t climb stairs, but I rolled around the bridge and yard and it was lovely to see the home across the street too!!! I had no idea the history of freedmen and women who fought in the revolutionary war! Some of the first black landowners in Concord!
Everett Harman January 7, 2024
The tour was excellent, and the guide had a great depth of knowledge about the families that lived there, and the historical context in which they lived.
Jade Hill November 26, 2023
Very cool place to check out if you're looking to bring young kids to learn something new
Robert M.003 September 24, 2023
Tour of the historic building was great. Tour guide Josh was very knowledgeable. It takes about 1 hour. It covers first and second floors. There is also a small gift shop inside as well.
Wem Nilme August 3, 2023
Great house and property maintained very well by the Trustees, definitely worth the visit if you are at the North Bridge/Concord Battlefield area, as it is only a short walk away. Free to visit, but taking the tour is 20 bucks for an hour if you want to explore the building. If you like Nathaniel Hawthorne, any of the other New England authors, or even colonial architecture the full tour would be worth the price. The gardens leading to the bridge are very beautiful and naturalistic, well kept by the Trustees members.
Rev. Daniel Gregoire June 23, 2023
Lovely historical site with very knowledgeable and enthusiastic docents. I'm looking forward to visiting again. A great spot to connect with Unitarian history and Transcendental American philosophy.
Kay A. June 11, 2023
Great tour of such an important time in America. Thank you to the Trustees who are the stewards of this piece of Concord history. Our tour guide Tim was...
Deb D. May 27, 2023
Do not skip out on visiting the Old Manse! You absolutely need to visit this place! The Old Manse is immersed in history and literature, and I bought a...
Long Zhao October 17, 2022
Our tour guide is absolutely amazing. She is very knowledgeable and respectful, and she tried her best to make sure visitors from all cultures felt inclusive. I also appreciated the efforts she made to tell HERstory, not just history. Very grateful for such a wonderful experience. Free for Trustee members.
Jason Macey October 2, 2022
The Old Manse is packed with both literary and revolutionary history, making it one of the more important historical homes in the US. If you're a fan of US history, Emerson, Hawthorne, and even (to a lesser extent) Thoreau, the Old Manse is a place worth visiting.
Sharon Richardson-O'Connell August 21, 2022
Great the your was done very well. And she share a lot of knowledge. He tour brought all the characters alive. I would love e to here a lot more of the homes woman in their own stories. Bur all and a great experience
Mike “BasilHaydens” August 1, 2022
Really enjoyed the tour. It was great to hear the history of this home. There were 2 things that kept me from giving it a 5 star rating, the first was that tours only started at the top of every hour so we had to wait around for it to start (thankfully there was a lot of other things to explore). The other negative was that it would have been great to see the entire house but we didn't get to go in the attic or another one of the bedrooms. I would not allow these negatives to deter me from recommending the tour though. Definitely a great way to spend an afternoon.
Y Y July 6, 2022
The tour was very informative. The tour guide was very engaging. She even invited my group to play on the antique piano, and sit in the reproduced desk of Emerson. Most of the furniture was original, and you can see sentences carved by Hawthorne and his wife on the window glasses. It is definitely much more interesting having a guided tour than just looking at the house by yourself.
Kimberly R. June 25, 2022
Wow, I loved this tour. We had been to the grounds after walking up from the Old Bridge, but this was our first time inside. Our tour guide, Richard, was...
Deirdre O'Brien June 12, 2022
Had an amazing tour with Rich. He brought history to life and made everything seem very personal and super interesting. I cannot recommend this tour enough. The house was exceptional, with all the original antiques, but the stories of the inhabitants really breathe life into the surroundings. One of the best tours I have taken ever. And I have taken a lot.
Maggie M. May 15, 2022
Pretty cool place with nice views. If you go inside the staff are all very nice. You also can just walk around and enjoy the views there is benches to sit...
dan english May 14, 2022
The tour was excellent, a well told measure of words to give the sense of time. It's clearly a history to be thankful for, and an offering for ongoing hope. Demand independence, and achieve equality. We have wonderful opportunities.
C L May 3, 2022
Incredibly preserved historic house next to the Old North Bridge. We had an excellent guide for our visit. Well worth it!
Sarah Lajeunesse April 23, 2022
Great stop on a little literary tour of Massachusetts. The tour guide was very informative, and I enjoyed seeing little hints of the people who lived there. (The etchings in the glass are so slight you could miss them.) Worth a stop.
Bella J. April 2, 2022
very attentive staff. good for families and seems to be dog-friendly as well. nice short walk.
Michael F. March 29, 2022
This guided tour of the home is a must if you are in the area of Concord and Lexington. We had an excellent tour guide who really knew his history. The...
Brian Cary March 13, 2022
I just happened to arrive as the tour was about to begin and I am glad I did! The tour has many points of interest that will appeal to literary and revolutionary war history buffs. Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the historical tenants of the house and the impact they had on national and literary history. I highly recommend this tour!
Jacqueline Schillinger February 5, 2022
Very neat to see the house from the outside, see the bookstore, and explore the grounds. We didn’t pay for a tour though.
Robert Paul January 2, 2022
Had a great tour with Leslie; very entertaining and knowledgeable about this amazing property. Entire staff was very welcoming.
V Ml November 14, 2021
Lovely experience. The tour guides and story tellers were incredibly good spirited!
Nathalie L. October 31, 2021
Stumbled upon this and only had a few minutes but we just had to get out of the car and check it out because it looked so beautiful. And it really was! Will definitely be back on our next visit to the area to really take our time and explore.
Faith Gill October 30, 2021
wonderful place to visit! Evan was great getting us all checked in and ready to go:)
Madeline Holcomb September 21, 2021
What a beautiful and historical setting. We were there during the week so we weren’t able to go inside. A gentleman named Robert who is the caretaker, on his way to eat lunch, stopped voluntarily in his tracks and gave us a full outside tour and history of the home. We learned so much about the home and its inhabitants, as well as the property and it’s beautiful garden and orchard. The apples were especially yummy. Thank you, Robert for your time and knowledge! You made our trip to the Old Manse a memorable one. The Holcomb Family - Austin TX
Jill Stewart September 13, 2021
A must to go through if you enjoy history. Being in the room where Hawthorne did some of his writing and playing the piano in the formal parlor is a dream come true
Caryl Fox July 30, 2021
Interesting tour and beautiful grounds.
Tim Phelps June 10, 2021
It's amazing to walk in the same areas that literary giants did. I wish the tour was open, which would have made it better.
Bob Porter May 6, 2021
Excellent historical landmark. From there over the Old North Bridge and into history!
Joseph McQuaid November 15, 2020
Get a lunch at Concord Market and sit outside along the stone wall to enjoy it.
P G March 2, 2020
Had a museum so you can go inside. Pretty nice place
Angelina Camacho (Angie C) December 22, 2019
Interesting place... you have to experience it for yourself. Hard to describe. Better during the day.
Angelina Camacho December 22, 2019
Interesting place... you have to experience it for yourself. Hard to describe. Better during the day.
Natalie Ball November 14, 2019
We really enjoyed this tour, our tour guide was knowledgeable young lady. Interesting history, and nice little gift shop.
Ted McMichael October 17, 2019
It is awesome to visit a place where well known people lived their lives in times that were pivotal to our nation's history. The docents at the Old Manse make history come alive with details regarding the lives of the various people who lived there. It was a valuable visit that we will remember!
Bea T. September 3, 2019
Fantastic history given by the Trustees of the Reservation. Learned a lot about the Emerson and Ripley's who owned the place and the history of the...
Rebekah Elkins August 29, 2019
We went on the 30-minute Emerson and Hawthorne centered tour with Victor. It was great! Only $5 and we got to see where Emerson wrote Nature and where both authors' careers set off! Victor was very patient with us while we took pictures and explored really more than we should have. He is very knowledgeable about the house and its residents! Loved it! Its inspiring to be there.
Johnathan Farrington August 15, 2019
A really cool view of the bridge and some unique history with several authors. For sure worth a checkout. But don't bring young kids as they will want to play in the water off of the wobbly dock.
Anthony G. August 9, 2019
I was excited to visit a home with such a rich history. This home built by a Rev. William Emerson, is right next to the North Bridge, which saw the Battle...
Amy Mathison-Start July 8, 2019
Amazing to step back in history and to hear about all the famous people who lived and visited here.
Brian Cummings July 8, 2019
Beautiful setting, great Trustees property! Enjoyed the history and enthusiastic interpreters.
Dayna Titus May 26, 2019
Great historic site. Very friendly knowledgeable staff.
Lori F. October 27, 2018
We stopped in for the house tour before which was fabulous.
Yesterday while looking at a newsletter I receive I found they were doing "Spirit if the Manse...
Timothy Kelley July 19, 2018
A very interesting tour of a house that's more than 200 years old. It was really neat seeing original furniture pieces from the house, too. I really learned a lot about Concord here.
