Travels Along the Road to Independence

Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts are one of the best places to be for any history buff. It was at the North Bridge in Concord where the first shot rang out starting the American Revolutionary War in 1775. We rode our bikes along the Liberty Trail known today as the Battle Road through the countryside between the two cities. 

Biking the road of Paul Revere's midnight ride

 Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode their horses on parts of the same path during their midnight ride to warn the colonists that the British Redcoat Regulars were marching to seize any militia ammunition held in Concord. 

Arriving at the Hartwell Tavern, a costumed interpreter dressed as a militia minuteman was demonstrating how to fire a musket rifle in the field.

The young soldier entered the tavern and sat at a corner table. Seeing a checkerboard on the table, Christa engaged the fellow to join her in a game of checkers.

Checkers with the colonials at the tavern.

 British Redcoat 1775 re-enactors

Many historical taverns and old houses of famous authors branch out around Concord are worth a visit. One is The Orchard House, home of Louisa May Alcott and her family, and setting for the beloved classic Little Women.

The Wayside along Rte 2A nearby was once also home to the Alcotts and later on to Nathaniel Hawthorne.

A tour of the Old Manse proved interesting during our last stop. It was once the parsonage home for Reverend William Emerson, grandfather of Ralph Waldo Emerson, until he died. His widow remarried and stayed in the house. Later in November 1834, Ralph Waldo Emerson moved to the Manse where he lived with his aging step-grandfather Ezira Ripley. While there, Emerson wrote the first draft of “Nature”, a foundational work of the Concord Transcendentalist movement.

A tour revealed the writing room shared by Emerson and Hawthorne and their desks. Later on Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife rented the house. The Old Manse itself seemed a bit dreary, almost depressing, but the etchings in the glass windowpanes made by Mr. and Mrs. Hawthorne with her diamond ring were rather romantic and made up for it.

David Thoreau rented a room in the house as well, but never paid his bills rumor has it. We are having great fun as life long learners traveling along on the coat tails of history.