National Historic Landmark

Orchard House

Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
66000781

About this property

Orchard House is a historic house museum in Concord, Massachusetts, United States, opened to the public on May 27, 1912. It was the longtime home of Amos Bronson Alcott (1799–1888) and his family, including his daughter Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888), who wrote and set her novel Little Women (1868–69) there. The four daughters—Anna (the oldest), Louisa (one year younger), Elizabeth (three years younger than Louisa), and Abigail (the youngest, five years younger than Elizabeth)—lived in Orchard House from 1858 to 1877.

Location

Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.45898, -71.33517

Categories

LITERATURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Orchard House

This page lists Orchard House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Wayside, The
Industrial
0.1 mi
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Listed
0.6 mi
Concord Monument Square-Lexington Road Historic District
Listed
0.7 mi
Wright's Tavern
Early Republic
0.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Skirmish at Hardy's Hill (Concord Retreat)
1775Revolutionary War
0.7 mi
Battle of Concord Apr 19 1775
1775Revolutionary War
0.7 mi
Concord — Barrett's Farm Search
1775Revolutionary War
1.1 mi
North Bridge Concord
1775Revolutionary War
1.2 mi
Battle of Lexington – North Bridge Skirmish Follow-up
1775Revolutionary War
1.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Orchard House listed on the National Register?

Orchard House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Orchard House?

Orchard House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Orchard House a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Orchard House has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Orchard House?

The period of significance for Orchard House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Orchard House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Orchard House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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