National Historic Landmark

Walden Pond

Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
66000790

About this property

Walden Pond is a historic pond in Concord, Massachusetts, in the United States. A good example of a kettle hole, it was formed by retreating glaciers 10,000–12,000 years ago. The pond is protected as part of Walden Pond State Reservation, a 335-acre (136 ha) state park and recreation site managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The reservation was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962 for its association with the writer Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862), whose two years living in a cabin on its shore provided the foundation for his famous 1854 work, Walden; or, Life in the Woods. The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 ensured federal support for the preservation of the pond.

Location

Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.43849, -71.33740

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 Walden Pond

This page lists Walden Pond. 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

Higginson, Henry, House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Woods End Road Historic District
Listed
0.9 mi
Gropius House
Industrial
1 mi
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, House
Industrial
1.3 mi
Pest House
Industrial
1.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Concord Apr 19 1775
1775Revolutionary War
1.7 mi
Skirmish at Hardy's Hill (Concord Retreat)
1775Revolutionary War
1.9 mi
Concord — Barrett's Farm Search
1775Revolutionary War
2 mi
Skirmish at Brooks Hill (Concord Retreat)
1775Revolutionary War
2.1 mi
North Bridge Concord
1775Revolutionary War
2.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Walden Pond listed on the National Register?

Walden Pond was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Walden Pond?

Walden Pond is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Walden Pond a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Walden Pond 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 Walden Pond?

The period of significance for Walden Pond is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Walden Pond?

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 Walden Pond will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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