CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT

FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

MINUTE MAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

SITE HISTORY, EXISTING CONDITIONS, ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT

i

CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT

for the 

WAYSIDE UNIT

MINUTE MAN 

NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS 

SITE HISTORY

__________________________________________________________ 

EXISTING CONDITIONS

__________________________________________________________ 

ANALYSIS

__________________________________________________________ 

TREATMENT

Prepared by 

Deborah Dietrich-Smith, Historical Landscape Architect 

Jacob Tisinger, Conservation Associate 

Margie Coffin Brown, Senior Project Manager 

Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation 

National Park Service, Boston, Massachusetts, 2008 

The Wayside, as long as it 

is unchanged, has much 

to tell ... 

Margaret Lothrop, 1968 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

ii 

The Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation promotes the stewardship of 

significant landscapes through research, planning, and sustainable preservation 

maintenance. The Center accomplishes its mission in collaboration with a 

network of partners including national parks, universities, government agencies, 

and private nonprofit organizations. Techniques and principles of preservation 

practice are made available through training and publications. 

Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation 

Boston National Historical Park 

Charlestown Navy Yard, Quarters C 

Boston, MA 02129 

www.nps.gov/oclp/ 

Publication Credits: Graphics may not be reproduced without the permission of 

the owners noted in the captions. Other information in this publication may be 

copied and used with the condition that full credit be given to the authors and 

publisher. Appropriate citations and bibliographic credits should be made for 

each use. 

Cover Photo: Looking east at the porch of the Wayside, an unidentified man, and 

the double row of trees extending across the southern edge of the lawn. 

Photograph by Charles Everett, 1905, Landscape Architecture I, Thesis III, 

HMLFP, box 40, folder 1, Minute Man National Historical Park Archives. 

Title Page: Wayside, Home of Hawthorne, c. 1901. The Detroit Publishing 

Company, #53690, c. 1901. From the American Memory Website, Library of 

Congress, accessed July 2008, LOT 12003, p. 41 <P&P>, Digital file ID det 

4a31668 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/det.4a31668.
iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

LIST OF FIGURES IV 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS VII 

INTRODUCTION IX 

Project Scope and Methodology ix 

Historical Overview xi 

Summary of Findings xiii 

CHAPTER 1: SITE HISTORY 1

Colonization and the New Republic, Pre contact to 1845 1 

Bronson and Abba Alcott Ownership, 1845 to1852 3 

Hawthorne Family Ownership, 1852 to 1868 11 

Gray and Pratt Ownership, 1868 to 1879 24 

George and Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, 1879 to 1883 27 

Lothrop Ownership, 1883 to 1965 30 

National Park Service, 1965 to Present 72 

CHAPTER 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS 83

CHAPTER 3: ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION 107

National Register and National Landmark Status 107 

Evaluation of Integrity 108 

Summary of Significance and Integrity 108 

Evaluation of Landscape Characteristics and Features 114 

Summary of Landscape Characteristics and Features 127 

CHAPTER 4: TREATMENT 141

Framework for Treatment 141 

Treatment Philosophy 145 

Treatment Recommendations and Tasks 147 

Summary of Treatment Recommendations 165 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 177
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

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LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES, AND DRAWINGS 

LIST OF FIGURES 

1. Locator map xvi 

2. Wayside Unit property xvii 

3. Land associated with The Wayside, 1845 to 1852 9 

4. Map of The Wayside property, 1846 9 

5. Sketch by Bronson Alcott, 1847 10 

6. Map of land purchased by Hawthorne, 1852 to 1853 22 

7. View east of the house, c. 1860 to 1864 23 

8. View northwest of the house, c. 1860 to 1864 23 

9. View northeast of the house, c. 1880 to 1882 29 

10. View north of the house, c. 1880 to 1882 29 

11. View northeast of lawn and hillside, c. 1890 49 

12. Sketch of Margaret Lothrop on west lawn, 1893 49 

13. View east of lawn and piazza, 1890 50 

14. View east of vines on house, c. 1886 to 1887 50 

15. View northeast of the house, c. 1883 to 1887 51 

16. View northwest of the house, c. 1880 to 1885 51 

17. View west of the Larch Path, prior to 1894 52 

18. View west of path and west lawn, late 1880s 52 

19. Hawthorne’s Path, bottom of hill, c. 1880s 53 

20. View west of from lawn to hillside, c. 1880 to 1902 53 

21. Bench at western end of Hawthorne Path, prior to 1893 54 

22. Bench about halfway up path from lawn to ridge, c. 1890 54 

23. Wooden platform in pine tree, c. 1890 55 

24. View north of house, c. 1890 55 

25. Property plan, 1911 56 

26. View east of house, c. 1895 56 

27. View north of crowd gathered for Hawthorne Centenary, 1904 57 

28. View southeast from path between ridge and lawn, 1904 57 

29. Wooden platform in pine tree, c. 1900 to 1917 58 

30. Trees on ridge, 1904 58 

31. View west of lawn, c. 1905 59 

32. View north of lawn, c. 1905 59 

33. View east of house and front yard, c. 1905 60 

34. View south of lawn and trees along property line, c. 1905 60 

35. View northeast of lilacs and retaining wall, c. 1905 61 

36. View north of house, c. 1900 61 

37. View northwest of entry drive, c. 1903 62 
LIST OF FIGURES

v

38. View northeast of house with wooden boardwalks, c. 1903 to 1910 62 

39. View of boardwalk by bay window, c. 1902 63 

40. View northwest of house and boardwalks, c. 1902 63 

41. Reception on west lawn, 1916 64 

42. View northeast of house, 1916 64 

43. View northeast of house, c. 1922 65 

44. View northwest of house, c. 1922 65 

45. View east from Larch Path after 1938 hurricane 66 

46. View west on Larch Path after 1938 hurricane 66 

47. View northwest of house and hillside, 1939 67 

48. View northeast of house from Hawthorne Lane, c. 1945 67 

49. View southeast of piazza and nearby tree, 1963 68 

50. View east of lilacs along west edge of lawn, c. 1950 68 

51. View east of Norway spruce planted by Lothrops, c. 1967 69 

52. View northeast of ornamental plantings around piazza, 1967 69 

53. View north of ornamental plantings in front of house, 1967 70 

54. View north of front walkway, 1937 70 

55. View southwest of Margaret Lothrop on west lawn 71 

56. View northwest of house and barn, 2008 91 

57. View northwest of steps behind house, 2008 91 

58. View west of path along ridge, 2008 92 

59. View east of Larch Path, 2008 92 

60. View east of Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and lawn, 2008 93 

61. View east of house and front yard, 2008 93 

62. View south of remnant of 8-acre parcel, 2008 94 

63. View south of parking lot, 2008 94 

64. View southwest of remnant 8-acre parcel and parking lot, 2008 95 

65. View east of sidewalk in front of house and signs, 2008 95 

66. View northwest of barn and access ramp, 2008 96 

67. View northeast of Hawthorne Centennial Plaque, 2008 96 

68. View southwest of western end of Hawthorne Path, 2008 97 

69. View north of house, 2008 97 

70. View north of house, boardwalk and barn, 2008 98 

71. View west of piazza, steps in lawn and hillside, 2008 98 

72. View southwest from terrace to lawn and parking lot parcel, 2008 99 

73. View south to Lexington Road, traffic island and parking lot, 2008 99 

74. View east of house, Hawthorne Tree, hedge and signs, 2008 100 

75. View northeast of east lawn, information sign and plaque, 2008 100 

76. View northwest of retaining wall and steps behind house, 2008 101 

77. View west along Larch Path, 2008 101 

78. View east of house and front yard, c. 1905 133 

79. View east of house and front yard, 2008 133 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

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80. View south of lawn and trees along property line, c. 1905 134 

81. View south of lawn and trees along property line, 2008 134 

82. View east of the house, c. 1860 to 1864 135 

83. View northwest of the house, c. 1860 to 1864 135 

84. View northeast of the house, c. 1880 to 1882 136 

85. View north of the house, c. 1880 to 1882 136 

86. Map of land purchased by Hawthorne, 1852 to 1853 137 

87. View east of the house, c. 1860 to 1864 137 

88. View northeast of boulder and lawn, c. 1927 138 

89. View northeast of boulder and lawn, 2008 138 

90. View northeast of boulder, c. 1905 139 

91. View northeast of boulder, 2008 139 

92. View southeast of walks surrounding the piazza, c. 1890 169 

93. View northeast of walks surrounding the piazza, c. 1890 169 

94. View west of steps in the lawn, c. 1900 170 

95. View west of Larch Path, c. 1890 170 

96. View north of steps to terraces, c. 1905 171 

97. View northeast of steps at northeast corner of lawn, c. 1905 171 

98. View southeast of path from steps to back of house, 1937 172 

99. View northeast of plaque and path across to terraces, c. 1930 172 

100. View northeast of elms framing The Wayside, 1945 173 

LIST OF TABLES 

1. Summary of Landscape Integrity 113 

2. Summary of Landscape Characteristics and Features 127 

3. Summary of Treatment Recommendations 165 

LIST OF DRAWINGS 

1. Period Plan, 1904 79 

2. Period Plan Detail, 1904 81 

3. Existing Conditions, 2008 103 

4. Existing Conditions Detail, 2008 105 

5. Treatment Plan, 2008 175 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

vii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The preparation of this report was a collaboration between the Olmsted Center 

for Landscape Preservation and Minute Man National Historical Park, with 

input from a team of cultural resource professionals. At the Olmsted Center, the 

report was authored by Deborah Dietrich-Smith, Historical Landscape Architect, 

Jacob Tisinger, Conservation Associate, and Margie Coffin Brown, Senior Project 

Manager. Former Conservation Associate Dana Spang contributed to the 

narrative and Historical Landscape Architects Chris Stevens and Jeff Killion 

provided review comments. Historical Landscape Architect Tim Layton assisted 

with the site drawings and Robert Page, Director of the Olmsted Center provided 

project oversight. 

At Minute Man National Historical Park, Superintendent Nancy Nelson 

provided overall project guidance and Curator Terrie Wallace served as the 

project coordinator. Museum Technician Steven Neth assisted with historical 

research. Chief of Planning and Communications Lou Sideris and Former Park 

Ranger Robert T. Derry provided review comments. Chief of Maintenance Jeff 

Kangas and Chief of Interpretation and Education Leslie Obleschuk contributed 

to the development of treatment recommendations. 

For the site construction work and landscape rehabilitation, Peter Woodbury, 

Engineer for the National Park Service Northeast Region acted as project 

manager. Jim Harmon, Archeologist with the Northeast Region Archeology 

Program prepared specifications for archeological excavation and oversaw the 

drainage excavation. Elizabeth Igleheart, Historian with the Northeast Region 

History Program assisted with the National Register and National Landmark 

status. Marcia Dolce at Lowell National Historical Park also assisted with the 

project. 

 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

viii 
INTRODUCTION

ix

INTRODUCTION 

The Wayside, also known as the “home of authors,” is located along Lexington 

Road in Concord, Massachusetts, one mile east of the town center and along the 

main road corridor through Minute Man National Historical Park (Figure 1). 

Several notable American authors resided at The Wayside, including Bronson 

Alcott, Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Harriett Lothrop. The 

property is a National Historic Landmark and integral to the park’s mission to 

tell the story of the American Revolution and the later influence of Concord’s 

authors during the nineteenth century American literary renaissance. 

Set amidst a collection of eighteenth and nineteenth century homes, the six-acre 

Wayside Unit consists of the three distinct parcels on the north and south sides of 

Lexington Road, which are portions of larger tracts once owned by the Alcotts, 

Hawthornes, Lothrops and others since the 1840s (Figure 2). The northern 

parcel features the c. 1714 house and barn—relocated in the 1840s and 60s—set 

in a manicured lawn and framed by a hedge, mature evergreens and a long 

retaining wall at the base of a steep ridge with a terraced slope. Vestiges of earlier 

gardens with an assortment of flowering trees, shrubs and perennials ornament 

the yard. Walking paths circulate throughout the property and lead to a 

commemorative plaque and former garden terraces, as well as the ridgeline above 

the home. A small parcel to the southeast is a remnant of an eight-acre 

agricultural parcel that was historically associated with the home, while a larger 

parcel to the southwest contains a visitor parking lot. 

For the past century, the site has been a place of commemoration and education. 

As written by Margaret Lothrop, resident in the house from 1884 to 1965, “The 

Wayside, as long as it is unchanged, has much to tell those who, with the ears and 

the eyes of imagination, can hear the murmurs of the pines and spruces on the 

terraces, the sound of children at play, and the gentle voices of its honored 

authors."1

 Since its inclusion into the National Park System in 1965, The Wayside 

Unit has been a popular destination for park visitors and school groups to learn 

about America’s literary heritage. 

PROJECT SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY 

The purpose of this cultural landscape report (CLR) is to document the physical 

history of the Wayside Unit, with particular attention to the composition of the 

landscape in 1904, the centennial of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birth. This 

information provides a basis for the development of a treatment plan for the 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

x 

rehabilitation of the landscape to c. 1904, which coincides with the rehabilitation 

date identified for the interior of the house. 

The first draft of this report informed a major repair project undertaken in 2006 

to stabilize the terraced hillside in back of the house and divert water runoff from 

the hillside away from the house. It also provided guidance for landscape 

rehabilitation work, including removal of hazardous trees, removal of nonhistoric vegetation and revitalization of the lawn. 

The study area for this report encompasses the three parcels within the 6.11-acre 

Wayside Unit, including the 3.16-acre parcel containing the eighteenth century 

home and barn, a .34 acre parcel east of Hawthorne Lane and a 2.61-acre parcel 

to the west of Hawthorne Lane—based on the acreage in the park’s Geographic 

Information System (GIS) database. The study focuses on The Wayside and the 

steep ridge behind the house to the north. The Wayside Unit is one of three areas 

within Minute Man National Historical, the other two being the North Bridge 

Unit and the Battle Road Unit. The authorized park boundary was amended by 

P.L. 102-488 in 1992 and encompasses 971 acres within the towns of Lexington, 

Lincoln and Concord, Massachusetts. 

The report is organized into four chapters: Site History, Existing Conditions, 

Analysis, and Treatment. The first three chapters document the entire Wayside 

Unit from the seventeenth century to present. An understanding of these 

features provides a basis for the treatment recommendations in the final chapter. 

Chapter 1: Site History documents the history of the landscape from the 1600s 

to present. A narrative of the evolution of the site is supplemented with historic 

maps and photographs. The chapter is subdivided into seven historical periods 

with a c. 1904 period plan accompanying the Lothrop Ownership period. 

Chapter 2: Existing Conditions is organized with a hierarchy of landscape 

characteristics and features. It documents the existing condition of landscape 

characteristics such as topography, circulation, and vegetation. Photographs and 

an existing conditions plan supplement the narrative. 

Chapter 3: Analysis and Evaluation is organized with the same hierarchy as 

Chapter 2. The chapter summarizes existing National Register Documentation 

and analyzes and evaluates the condition of each feature and its contribution to 

the significance of the landscape. Photographs supplement narrative 

descriptions. 
INTRODUCTION

xi

Chapter 4: Treatment follows the hierarchy of the two previous chapters. The 

chapter includes an overarching treatment philosophy and specific treatment 

recommendations for each landscape feature with a c. 1904 period of treatment 

for both the home and surrounding landscape. A treatment plan and 

photographs supplement the narrative. 

Methodology 

Based on a comprehensive level of research, the lead author examined primary 

and secondary sources to document the evolution of the landscape. Compilation 

of the site history for the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries relied on the 

synthesis of secondary source material, including Robert Ronsheim’s “The 

Wayside, Historic Structure Report, Part II, Historical Data Section,” Orville 

Carroll’s Historic Structure Reports for The Wayside and the barn, excerpts of 

Bronson Alcott’s journal and Alcott family correspondence included in Anne 

Coxe Toogood’s “The Wayside, Historic Grounds Report,” Margaret Lothrop’s 

The Wayside, Home of Authors, Rose Hawthorne Lathrop’s Memories of 

Hawthorne, and Julian Hawthorne’s Nathaniel Hawthorne and His Wife. 

Additional information was obtained from research notes compiled by Margaret 

Lothrop and by NPS historical architect Orville Carroll, deeds, and through 

review of historic photographs. 

Material referenced for the Lothrop Ownership period is drawn extensively from 

the Harriett M. Lothrop Family Papers (HMLFP) collection in the Minute Man 

NHP archives. Items in the collection include magazine and newspaper articles, 

correspondence and receipts, and a 1905 existing conditions assessment of The 

Wayside landscape included in a landscape architecture thesis prepared by 

Charles Everett, a Harvard student and a family friend of Harriett and Margaret 

Lothrop. Additional materials referenced from the Minute Man National 

Historical Park (MIMA) Archives include historic photographs and NPS 

interviews with Margaret Lothrop. Also referenced are Harriett Lothrop’s 

(Margaret Sidney) Old Concord, Her Highways and Byways, Margaret Lothrop’s 

The Wayside, Home of Authors, and several period guidebooks. Additional 

information was obtained from deeds, and from photographs and newspaper 

articles (microfilm) located at the Concord Free Public Library. 

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 

The first record of land ownership for The Wayside is from 1666, when 

Nathaniel Ball owned thirteen acres on both sides of the Bay Road, now known 

as Lexington Road. Eliphelet Fox owned the land immediately west (within the 

present-day Wayside Unit) and built a house in 1666. Nathaniel Ball’s property 

changed hands seven times over the next 100 years, and the structure now called 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

xii 

The Wayside was built between 1700 and 1717. In 1769 Samuel Whitney 

purchased the property, which consisted of a house and a warehouse on one-half 

acre of land. 

Whitney was a delegate to the Provincial Congress and the muster master of the 

Concord Minutemen. In April of 1775, when tension was mounting between 

colonists and the British government, the Town of Concord had stored some of 

its ammunitions in Whitney’s barn. The Town received warning of the British 

advancement, and managed to move the stores before the British arrived on April 

19th. The British were met by Colonial resistance in Lexington and again in 

Concord, and were engaged in successive skirmishes along the Bay Road 

(Lexington Road) as they were forced into a retreat back to Boston. These events 

sparked the beginning of the American Revolution. 

In 1845 the Alcott family, consisting of Bronson and Abba Alcott, Anna Bronson, 

Louisa May, Elizabeth Sewall and Abba May, purchased the property and called 

it “Hillside.” Bronson Alcott and his daughter Louisa May Alcott were the first of 

The Wayside’s famous occupants—Bronson was one of the leading thinkers of 

the transcendental movement and Louisa May is best known for her novel Little 

Women. Their friend Ralph Waldo Emerson purchased the eight-acre parcel 

across the road from the house lot and leased it to the Alcotts, who used it for 

farming. Alcott made many changes to his land, most notably moving the barn 

onto the house lot from the eight-acre lot across the street, terracing the hillside 

in back of the house in order to farm it, constructing a stone retaining wall behind 

the house with at least two sets of stone steps, planting trees between the house 

and the road, and creating a network of paths. 

The Alcotts sold the house lot to author Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1852, whose 

works include Tanglewood Tales, The Blithedale Romance, The House of Seven 

Gables, and The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne named the property “The Wayside,” 

the name it is now known by. The most significant alteration to the landscape 

during the Hawthorne’s ownership was the planting of 450 Norway spruce trees, 

which were delivered from England, on the terraces and some other parts of the 

hillside. During Hawthorne’s ownership, he hired Bronson Alcott to look after 

and make improvements to his land. This included the creation of several 

additional paths, including the Larch Path running between The Wayside and 

Orchard House to the west, and the trails connecting to the Hawthorne Path, 

which was a route up and across the top of the ridgeline where Hawthorne would 

pace and think about his writing. Hawthorne also moved the barn from the west 

side of the house to the east side of the house. 

The next famous author to live at The Wayside was Harriett Lothrop, best known 

for her series The Five Little Peppers under the pen name Margaret Sidney. She 
INTRODUCTION

xiii

and her husband Daniel purchased The Wayside in 1883. At that time the 

property consisted of the house and barn on 11 acres 56 rods of land on the north 

side of Lexington Road. The Lothrops were drawn to The Wayside because of its 

association with Hawthorne, and they attempted to preserve the landscape as it 

was during Hawthorne’s ownership. On July 4th of 1904, the Lothrops hosted a 

celebration for the centennial of Hawthorne’s birth at The Wayside, and a 

commemorative plaque was placed on a boulder at the base of the hill, just past 

the western end of the lawn. The Lothrop’s daughter, Margaret Lothrop, 

continued to keep the house up after her parents died, welcoming visitors and 

dealing with the challenges of maintaining property. The most significant of 

these was the Hurricane of 1938, which decimated most of the Norway spruce 

planted by Hawthorne and damaged Bronson Alcott’s stonework. In 1959 

Minute Man National Historical Park was established with the primary intent to 

preserve and interpret the sites, structures, and landscapes of the opening battles 

of the American Revolution on April 19, 1775. The mission of the park was 

expanded to include multiple themes in American history including literature 

when in 1965 Margaret Lothrop sold The Wayside to the National Park Service. 

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 

On December 29, 1962, The Wayside was designated a National Historic 

Landmark for its architectural, social/humanitarian and literary significance as 

the home of the significant nineteenth century authors and scholars Bronson 

Alcott and his daughter Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Harriett 

Lothrop (pen name Margaret Sidney). On February 4, 1985, the property was 

“reaffirmed” as a National Historic Landmark due to a clerical error that resulted 

in the previous designation being overlooked. Minute Man NHP was 

administratively listed in the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 

1966 with the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act. On November 

29, 2002 the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places accepted 

documentation for Minute Man NHP Historic District. The National Register 

documentation, with supplemental listings accepted December 2, 2002 and 

October 25, 2006, identifies the park as nationally significant in the areas of 

military, commemoration and literature and locally significant in the areas of 

architecture, agriculture and archeology. The periods of significance are from 

7,500 to 500 years ago for archeological resources and ca. 1655, the date of the 

oldest extant house in the park, to 1959, the year the park was established. 

Due to the intensive shaping of the landscape by its past owners, The Wayside 

has many features related to its historical significance that survive today. The 

significant landscape characteristics of The Wayside Unit are topography, spatial 

organization, land use, vegetation, circulation, buildings and structures, views 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

xiv 

and vistas, small-scale features, and archeological sites. The extant landscape 

features associated with these characteristics include features present at the time 

of the battle and subsequent commemorative period (site topography, the Battle 

Road, The Wayside house and barn, and the Eliphelet Fox House archeological 

site), features pertaining to The Wayside’s literary and architectural importance 

(the terraces and stone retaining walls, the network of paths, the views from the 

property, patterns of vegetation and specific plant material, the general division 

of land use on the site, and The Wayside house and barn), and features connected 

to its archeological potential and local agricultural history (the barn, the building 

sites, the remnant hillside terraces and drainage systems, and the small piece of 

the once larger field across Lexington Road). 

Based on discussions with the park and findings of this report, rehabilitation, 

with a c. 1904 historic period framework, is the preferred treatment alternative. 

A comparative analysis of the c. 1904 period plan with existing conditions 

allowed a determination of the overall integrity of the site and identification of 

the landscape’s historic features. The 1904 date highlights the commemorative 

activities of the 1904 Hawthorne Centenary celebration held on the property, the 

fact that much of the character of the landscape in 1904 strongly reflected the 

influences of the famous authors who had lived there, and the wealth of 

documentation of the property from that time. A comparison of the c. 1904 

period plan with the existing conditions plan shows a high level of integrity with 

respect to the property’s location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, 

feeling and association. 

Most notable of the surviving features from 1904 are the house and barn, the 

terracing of the hillside, the stone retaining walls and steps, the network of paths, 

and the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque. Extant trees and wooded slopes 

contribute to the character of the historic landscape, but it was these features that 

were most damaged in the 1938 hurricane. Hurricane damage to the stone walls 

was easily repaired, but the loss of most of Hawthorne’s Norway spruce trees on 

the hillside and the line of evergreens between the house and the road, all extant 

in 1904, have altered the feeling of the property. This impact is now somewhat 

mitigated by the deciduous trees that have grown up to reforest the hillside. The 

paths have been jeopardized by the natural growth on the hillside, and several are 

largely overgrown, but maintenance and clearing has proven to be effective in the 

places it has been carried out. The 0.34-acre lot on the south side of Lexington 

Road has been maintained to preserve its open, agricultural quality, but the small 

size of the lot diminishes the overall agricultural landscape feeling. The field is 

flanked on two sides by houses. One of the houses was constructed in 1870, and 

its character complements the historic scene. 
INTRODUCTION

xv

In 2006 the initial phase of the landscape rehabilitation project focused on repairs 

to the site drainage and erosion problems. While these repairs are complete and 

the condition of the landscape is good, additional treatment recommendations 

are included in this report to enhance the historic character of the property and 

maintain its good condition. The house and barn are currently in poor condition 

and in need of extensive rehabilitation work. Treatment recommendations in 

this document focus on the circulation features throughout the property, 

replanting of lost vegetation, enhancement of views and addition of small-scale 

features to enhance visitor use and appreciation of the historical significance of 

the property. 

ENDNOTE 

 

1

 Margaret M. Lothrop, The Wayside: Home of Authors (New York: American Book Company, 1968). 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

xvi

Figure 1. The Wayside Unit is approximately 15 miles west of Boston in Concord, Massachusetts. The Wayside is east of the North Bridge 

Unit and west of the Battle Road Unit of the park (Minuteman National Historical Park maps, hereafter MIMA, with annotations by the 

Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation, hereafter OCLP).
xvii

INTRODUCTION

Figure 2. Map of the Wayside Unit (OCLP).
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

xviii
SITE HISTORY

 1 

CHAPTER ONE: SITE HISTORY 

COLONIZATION AND THE NEW REPUBLIC, PRE CONTACT TO 

1845 

Native Americans and European Colonization, Pre Contact to 1666 

For several thousand years prior to indigenous groups planted crops and fished 

in the Musketequid River (Concord River) area. Archeological studies in the 

Wayside Unit vicinity and toward Meriam’s Corner indicate the area was 

occupied during the Middle and Late Archaic periods (8,000 BP to 3,000 BP).1

 In 

the winters, Native Americans hunted game in the vast woodlands surrounding 

the river. Using fire, they managed the woodlands to promote easier hunting and 

traveling, and to increase production of edible fruits and nuts. By the 1630s, 

diseases introduced by early European settlers had decimated the Native 

American population. 

In 1635, a handful of Puritan families ventured inland sixteen miles to settle 

within the newly established Concord Plantation. The first settlers dug earthen 

burrows into the southern slope of the ridgeline running along the northern side 

of the Bay Road (now Lexington Road) which runs in back of the present-day 

Wayside Unit. By 1636 the town began to distribute land among the inhabitants. 

The first house lots were clustered within a one-half mile radius from the town 

meeting hall, and many of these were located along the north side of the Bay 

Road at the base of the ridgeline. The Meriams were among the first settlers in 

the area. Built in 1655, the Meriam house at Meriams Corner is the oldest extant 

structure within the boundaries of Minute Man National Historical Park. 

Early Landowners, 1666 to 1769 

The first known record of land ownership for The Wayside property dates to 

1666, when Nathaniel Ball owned thirteen acres on both sides of the Bay Road. 

Located immediately west of Nathaniel Ball’s property, on the north side of the 

road and within the present-day Wayside Unit, was land owned by Eliphelet Fox. 

Fox built a house in 1666 and the foundation still exists today.2

 

Two years later, Nathaniel Ball transferred “half my house Lott” to his son 

Nathaniel Ball, Jr., who later transferred it to his son Caleb. The oldest portion of 

the house on the site dates to circa 1714.3

 Caleb Ball constructed or modified the 

house in 1716 and 1717, before selling the property to Samuel Fletcher. At this 

point the property included three acres “on both sides of ye Bay Road with all ye 

Housing Building & fencing thereon standing that part of ye premises w[hi]ch 

Lyeth upon the northerly side of ye Bay Road.” Between 1717 and 1769, the 

property changed ownership five times, passing in 1722 from Samuel Fletcher to 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 2 

Nathaniel Billings, in 1722 or 1723 to Zachariah Parker, in 1722 or 1723 to 

Nathaniel Coleburn, in 1747 to John Breed, and finally in 1769 to Samuel 

Whitney, a shopkeeper. 4 At the time the property transferred to Whitney, the 

house lot included only one-half acre. 

Samuel Whitney Ownership, 1769 to 1778 

In 1771, Whitney was taxed for a house, a warehouse, two “Servants for Life,” a 

horse, 4 oxen, and 150 pounds in stock in trade. 5 Escalating taxes and opposition 

to British rule prompted Colonial leaders to establish a Provincial Congress in 

1774. The following year, Whitney became a delegate to the Provincial Congress 

and was the muster master of the Concord Minutemen. The Congress assumed 

two important government functions: tax collection and organization of the 

Colonial militia. In February 1775, the Provincial Congress ordered stockpiles of 

military arms and provisions to be stored in Worcester and Concord. Concord 

stored a portion of its ammunition supply in the warehouse on Samuel Whitney’s 

property.6

During the early hours of April 19, 1775, in an attempt to suppress the mounting 

colonial rebellion, British troops marched into Concord to seize the town’s 

military arms and provisions. Reportedly, the ammunition stored in Whitney’s 

warehouse had been moved to a safer location prior to British arrival, as had most 

of the town’s military supplies. As the British searched the town for ammunition 

stockpiles, a building was set fire in the center of town. Whether set intentionally 

or by accident, the fire ignited the Battle at the North Bridge, the first forcible 

resistance to British aggression—on the day that marked the beginning of the 

American Revolution.7

Five Successive Owners, 1778 to 1844 

In May 1778, Whitney sold the house lot, which now included 0.75 acres, to 

Daniel Taylor who in turn sold the property two months later to Daniel Hoar, Sr. 

The property remained in the Hoar family until 1827, when Daniel Hoar Jr. sold 

the house lot, which included one acre, to Darius Meriam. In 1832, Meriam sold 

the property to Horatio Cogswell, and in September 1844 Cogswell sold the oneacre parcel and an eight-acre parcel (known today as Emerson Field) to 

Washington C. Allen.8

 In 1845 Allen sold the one-acre parcel on the north side of 

the road, (then known as the County Road, today named Lexington Road), to 

Abba and Bronson Alcott for $850. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a fellow 

transcendentalist and close friend of the Alcotts, purchased the eight-acre parcel 

on the south side of the road for $500 from Allen, and leased it to the Alcotts. 
SITE HISTORY

 3 

BRONSON AND ABBA ALCOTT OWNERSHIP, 1845 TO 1852

Bronson Alcott, an author, philosopher and teacher, was one of the most 

influential men associated with the nineteenth-century transcendental 

movement, which was centered in Concord. Bronson Alcott’s unconventional 

teachings of art, music, nature study, and physical education prompted some 

parents to remove their children from his classrooms, and as a result required 

Alcott to move his family numerous times in pursuit of income. In 1840, with 

the help of close friend and fellow transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson, 

the Alcott family moved to Concord. Three years later, Alcott was a cofounder of Fruitlands, a communal farm in Harvard, Massachusetts. The 

farm failed, and in 1845 the family moved back to Concord, purchasing the 

one-acre parcel on the north side of the old Bay Road, then known as the 

County Road (Lexington Road), from Washington C. Allen for $850 with 

funds inherited by Abba Alcott, Bronson’s wife. 

Several subsequent transactions enabled the Alcotts to use the adjacent land. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson purchased the eight-acre parcel on the south side of the 

road for $500 from Allen, and then leased it to Alcott. On September 1, 1846, 

Abba Alcott’s brother, Samuel J. May, purchased a three-acre parcel from Alcott’s 

neighbor Abel Moore. May paid $90 for the parcel, which adjoined Alcott’s 

parcel to the west and to the north (Figure 3).9

 

In 1845, when Bronson and Abba Alcott moved into The Wayside, they had four 

daughters: Anna Bronson (14), Louisa May (13), Elizabeth Sewall (10), and Abba 

May (5). All four of the girls were the basis of the characters in Louisa May 

Alcott’s book Little Women, published in 1868, and Louisa’s experience growing 

up in this home also served as inspiration for her book.10

The Alcotts called the property “Hillside.” The Alcotts were opposed to slavery 

and the Hillside became a station along the “Underground Railroad” network. 

Accounts in Bronson’s journal and letters written by Abba in 1846 and 1847 

indicate that the Alcotts assisted fugitive slaves, sheltering them in their house for 

as long as two weeks.11

In keeping with his transcendental beliefs of self-reliance and living off of the 

land, Bronson Alcott immediately set about improving Hillside to support his 

family and guests. At the time of purchase, the house was in very poor condition 

and the landscape was little more than sand and gravel—almost totally devoid of 

trees.12 Despite its reported condition, Alcott optimistically described the 

property to his brother Junius Alcott: 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 4 

Under the brow of the hill, lies a very pretty spot – the Boston Road 

[Lexington Road] running between the House and the fertile field of 

eight acres [Emerson Field], every rod of which is adapted to gardening, 

and lies warmly to the sunny south.. . . There are a few Fruit trees . . . 

beginning to bear .13

During the first three years of occupancy, Alcott significantly changed the 

Hillside landscape to provide food for his family and to “mend Nature and the ill 

taste of [his] predecessors.”14 While many of his changes disappeared during 

subsequent ownership periods, a few remain today. 

In addition to altering the existing house, by adding two wings constructed with 

sections of buildings located on the property, and moving the barn from across 

the street to west of the house, Alcott also built several new structures. He 

constructed a conservatory east of the house, a rustic summerhouse on the 

hillside northwest of the house, and a rustic garden house (or bath house) along 

the stream on the eight-acre parcel leased from Emerson. Smaller structures 

included a rustic bridge near the garden house, a beehive above a stone wall, a 

rustic arched gateway at the edge of the lawn, and a number of trellises. He also 

repaired existing wells and installed a pump and a fountain on the eight-acre 

parcel.15

To implement some of his plans it was necessary to alter the base of the hillside 

rising in back of the house. As recorded in his journal from July to November 

1846, Alcott “shaped the hillside beyond the barn . . . altered the slope behind the 

house . . . prepared hillside for wall behind barn . . . [and] wheeled earth from 

behind house to open a wider passage from barn [west of the house] to 

conservatory [east of house].”16 Alcott undertook his most ambitious 

earthmoving project between April 1846 and July 1847, when he “leveled terraces 

behind the house,” and July 5, 1847, when he “completed terracing the hillside.”17 

Alcott laid sod and planted peas, potatoes, melons, and fruit trees on the 

terraces.18 There is some evidence in later writings about the landscape that 

suggests that the terraces Alcott constructed may have extended further west 

than existing conditions indicate. 

From statements in Alcott’s journal, it appears that there were two walls east of 

the house, a retaining wall at the base of the hillside which also served as a 

conservatory wall, and perhaps a north/south wall that divided the Alcott and the 

Bull properties to the east.19 Preparations for construction of a stone wall at the 

base of the hill, behind the barn (as mentioned above) began in early October 

1846. On October 22nd Alcott recorded in his journal “engaged some more lime 

in the village for pointing the wall behind the barn and house” and on November 

1, 1846 he wrote the “bank wall from behind the Barn to the Bee House [just west 
SITE HISTORY

 5 

of the house] is now complete except for a little pointing with the mortar.” It is 

not known when he began construction on the stone wall behind the house, 

however, an August 13, 1846 journal entry mentions stairs behind the house, 

which, if they are the same stone stairs that exist today, may indicate construction 

of this section of the wall began before October 1846. In June the following year, 

Alcott constructed steps near the Bee House, ascending to the first terrace. 

Alcott also notes in his journal on May 23, 1846 that with the help of neighbors he 

constructed a conservatory wall “in slope east of the house.” He also mentions in 

his journal on July 2, 1846 a “wall near conservatory” and near Mr. Bull’s garden. 

Alcott also repaired and constructed a number of fences on his property. He 

repaired a pale (picket) fence near his neighbor Ephraim Bull’s property to the 

east, altered a fence by the stairs behind the house and extended it to the 

conservatory east of the house, constructed a “lawn fence on the roadside to the 

front gate,” and after his brother-in-law purchased the adjoining Moore property 

he reset the fence separating the two parcels along the new boundary line. Alcott 

also constructed several fences that may have been more decorative than 

functional including a rustic fence along a serpentine walk and a rustic fence by 

the arbor.20

In 1845, Alcott began to transplant trees from the hillside in back of the house 

(probably Moore property) to the front of the house, to serve as a screen between 

the house and the road.21 In the spring of 1846, he continued his relocation 

project, transplanting numerous trees from the hillside to the front of the house 

to, as stated in his journal, “protect my eyes from the market dust, the tramp of 

[...], and the roll of wagon wheels.”22 His journal indicates he transplanted trees 

on at least six different days between April and June of 1846. Transplanted 

species mentioned included pines, spruce, larch, hemlock, maple, birch, and 

locust.23 On May 6, 1846 he commented, “if trees survive shall find seclusion 

from the road . . .. Had I chosen I should have sought a place remote from the 

road . . ..” Most of Alcott’s journal entries give vague reference to the location or 

arrangement of the transplanted trees, stating only that the trees were planted 

“before the door . . . in the yard . . . near the house . . . [and] before the house.” 

One entry, from May 13, 1846, states at least a portion of the evergreens were 

planted in rows. On June 20, 1846, Alcott commented, “Nearly all set in April 

and May survive and are quite thrifty.” Only one reference to transplanting trees 

is found in his journal for subsequent years. In mid-May 1847 Alcott wrote “set 

elms by roadside before door.”24

In addition to transplanting trees in the dooryard, Alcott and his wife Abba 

decorated the landscape with flower beds. During the spring of 1846, Alcott 

leveled areas for flower beds near the house, prepared the beds, and helped his 

wife plant flowers in the beds. Later journal entries from 1846 and 1847 mention 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 6 

weeding and raking the beds. A journal entry from April 29, 1846 states Alcott 

transplanted bergamot and roses, and an entry from June 1847 mentions quince 

trees by the study door.25

More is known about the location and types of fruit trees planted at Hillside. 

Alcott’s journal indicates he primarily planted fruit trees in two areas: on the 

terraces in back of the house and in front of the house on the eight-acre parcel. 

He planted peach trees and apples on the terraces, some of which appear to have 

been planted before the terraces were complete as indicated by two journal 

entries: 

. . . cut the highest terrace on the hillside trenching a little way upon the 

Moore lot and opening on the last row of apple trees.26

. . . completed terracing on hillside, the apple and peach trees now stand 

in the terraces, and are all of easy access.27

On October 10, 1846, Alcott “set a score of apple trees in lawn before the House 

in pretty scallops,” and on October 24, 1846 he “selected 100 fine apple trees for 

setting the lawn opposite the house.” In November 17 to 19, 1846, Alcott wrote 

“apple trees stand prettily on my lawn before my House (eight-acre parcel) in 

semicircular rows corresponding to my path and will soon grow into a stately 

orchard”28

Alcott also planted individual and small groups of fruit trees near the house, 

including a couple of apple trees near the house, an apple tree on the slope 

behind the barn, and three “thrifty Pear trees in lawn before house.” Species of 

apples planted included Hubbardston nonesuch, Bell Flower, Baldwin, Greening, 

and Fairman.29

Underlying the fruit trees and covering much of the area within the dooryard was 

sowed grass and clover. Alcott generally referred to these areas as “lawn.” He 

planted various mixes of clover and grasses (timothy and red top) on the hillside, 

which may have included portions of the terraces, under the orchard on the 

eight-acre parcel, near the house, and on the front terrace. In the area bordering 

the “alley” (see below) within the eight-acre plot, Alcott sowed a mix of oats and 

clover. As he did not raise livestock, Alcott probably sold most of the clover and 

grasses grown in these areas, except perhaps a quantity reserved for a horse, if 

they owned one. There are several journal entries stating he sold oats and clover. 

In more ornamental areas Alcott sowed only clover, such as under the evergreen 

rows, into “borders of front door,” on the “hillside by the arbour.”30
SITE HISTORY

 7 

Connecting property features were numerous paths constructed by Alcott. 

These included functional paths through the terraces and within the eight-acre 

parcel (both areas planted as gardens) and pleasure paths winding up the hillside 

to the summerhouse, through ornamental gardens around the house, and to the 

garden house on the eight-acre parcel. Alcott’s journal records the construction 

method for a number of the paths. Alcott “sloped the ground” and “cut foot 

paths” up the hillside and through the terraces. To define paths in the dooryard 

and near the house he laid gravel within the path and sod to define the path. His 

journals provide less information for the paths within the eight-acre parcel, 

generally only recording when and not how he finished a path. Below is a list of 

paths that appear in Figures 4 and 5, and/or are specifically referenced in Alcott’s 

journal.31

Hillside & Terraces 

• path leading from the kitchen door up through the terraces 

• serpentine walk through locust grove (possibly additional walks through 

locust grove) 

• path up the hillside, originating near the conservatory 

• walk on the hillside ending on the western side of the barn 

• footpath on the top of the wall, over the bee house and behind the barn 

(may have been an improvement of the wall mentioned just above) 

Dooryard 

• paths at east side of gate 

• “walk before the door” 

• “paths in garden before door” 

• “alleys in the door yard about the front gates” 

Paths near the House 

• “walks around the house” 

• serpentine walk between house and barn 

• serpentine walk behind house 

• path from great street gate to behind the barn 

• serpentine walks near the wall 

Eight-Acre Parcel 

• north/south path leading from garden gate (opposite the front door of 

the house) to the brook (The “alley,” the “middle alley,” “broad walk,” 

and/or the “central walk” may be names Alcott used when referencing 

this walk) 

• path from the pump to the brook along which Alcott planted willows 

(May have been part of the path above) 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 8 

• additional north/south paths, paralleling both sides of the north/south 

path mentioned above 

• wide cart track from western gate (along Hawthorne Lane) to strawberry 

bed 

• semi-circular path from broad gate to Garden House 

Alcott's journals record a large variety of vegetables and small fruits grown at 

Hillside between 1845 and 1848. Among the most frequently planted crops were 

melons, sweet corn, squash, beets, beans, tomatoes, turnips, potatoes, and peas. 

Other crops known to have been grown for at least two years include lettuce, 

strawberries, radishes, spinach, and cucumbers. The map of Hillside drawn by 

Elizabeth Alcott in 1846 (see Figure 4) indicates her father planted garden crops 

on the western half of the eight-acre parcel (labeled garden). She marked the 

eastern half of the parcel “Field,” probably indicating this is where her father 

planted buckwheat, oats, rye, and possibly additional crops of clover and timothy 

grass. Crops known to have been planted in other locations include peas and 

cucumbers behind the house, melons and peas on the terraces, grapes by the wall 

near the barn, cucumbers in the conservatory, and beans near the conservatory. 32 

By the fall of 1847, Bronson and Abba Alcott’s enthusiasm with Hillside had 

waned; the family was two hundred dollars in debt and Alcott had lost his passion 

for improving the grounds and planting gardens. With thoughts towards selling 

the Hillside, Abba began to set the house in order, and to support the family she 

accepted a position in May 1848 at a water cure spa in Waterford, Maine. Abba 

returned to Concord in July, and by fall both Abba and Bronson were eagerly 

hoping to find housing in Boston. On November 17, 1848 the family left Hillside 

and moved into a leased house on Dedham Street in Boston.33 From November 

1848 to March 1852 the Alcotts leased the Hillside. Very little is known about the 

landscape and gardens during this period. 
9 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 3. Map of land associated with The Wayside, 1845 to 1852. Acreage includes one-acre parcel 

purchased by the Alcotts, eight-acre parcel purchased by Ralph Waldo Emerson and loaned to the 

Alcotts, and land purchased by Abigail May Alcott’s brother, Samuel J. May (OCLP).

Figure 4. Map of The Wayside property (north of the road) and the eight-acre parcel owned by Ralph 

Waldo Emerson by Elizabeth Alcott when she was ten years old, 1846. The map depicts The Wayside 

property prior to Abigail May Alcott’s brother’s (Samuel J. May) purchase of the adjoining three-acre 

parcel, north of Lexington Road. Note the locusts, the terraces, the path from the house up the center 

of the terraces, the barn, the garden and garden paths, the brook, and the fi eld (Elizabeth Alcott 

journal, 1846, A.B. Alcott Family Letters, on microfi lm at MIMA Library).
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

10

Figure 5. Sketch of The Wayside drawn by Bronson Alcott, c. 1847. The drawing depicts the house and barn; a wooden fence separating 

the Alcott property and Bull properties (right); another fence separating the one-acre parcel and parcel purchased by Abigail Alcott’s 

brother (Samuel J. May) (left); and fences bordering Lexington Road and Hawthorne Lane. Also depicted are small trees in front of 

The Wayside (presumably the trees transplanted by Alcott); several small trees south of Lexington Road, within the eight-acre parcel 

(probably fruit trees); and garden paths (Photographic copy located in MIMA library. Original owned by the Louisa May Alcott Memorial 

Association).
SITE HISTORY

 11 

HAWTHORNE FAMILY OWNERSHIP, 1852 TO 1870

This section includes historic context and landscape descriptions of author 

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s residency at the property in 1851 and 1852 prior to his 

departure to Europe; during the occupancy of the families of Dr. Nathaniel 

Peabody, Sophia Hawthorne’s brother and of her sister, Mary Peabody Mann 

from 1852 to 1864; after the Hawthornes returned from Europe in 1860 to 1864; 

and following the death of Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1864 to 1868. 

Hawthorne Occupancy, 1851 to 1852 

On March 10, 1852, Nathaniel Hawthorne purchased the one-acre parcel 

surrounding the house from Bronson and Abba Alcott for one thousand dollars 

and the eight-acre parcel across the street from Ralph Waldo Emerson for five 

hundred dollars (Figure 6).34 The Hillside, renamed The Wayside by Hawthorne, 

was the second home Hawthorne occupied in Concord. Between 1842 and 1845 

Hawthorne and his bride Sophia had leased a house along the Concord River 

owned by the Emerson family, and known after their occupancy as the Old 

Manse. When they moved to Hillside, the Hawthornes had three children: Una, 

(age 8); Julian (age 5); and Rose, a toddler.35

As an author, Hawthorne was already widely known. He wrote several novels 

prior to moving to The Wayside, including Mosses of the Old Manse, The Scarlet 

Letter, The House of Seven Gables, and The Blithedale Romance. In the early years 

at The Wayside he wrote Tanglewood Tales and a biography of presidential 

candidate Franklin Pierce, a Bowdoin College classmate of Hawthorne.36 

Hawthorne family letters and diary entries provide vivid descriptions of The 

Wayside landscape. Writings prior to their departure for England indicate the 

family retained and enjoyed many of the landscape features designed and 

constructed by Bronson Alcott. In a letter to his friend and author George Curtis, 

Hawthorne wrote, “my territory extends some little distance over the brow of the 

hill, and is absolutely good for nothing, in a productive point of view, though very 

good for many other purposes.”37 Hawthorne valued the hillside landscape as a 

thinking space—a place to formulate his novels. This was in contrast to how 

Bronson Alcott valued the landscape for its agricultural production. 

The landscape feature most associated with Nathaniel Hawthorne is the ridgeline 

above the house. While contemplating his writing, Hawthorne paced to and fro 

along the ridgeline creating a “well worn path,” (today known as the Hawthorne 

Path) first noted in a February 1853 letter from Sophia Hawthorne to her father.38

In the letter to George Curtis mentioned above, Hawthorne described the hillside 

vegetation as a “thicket” rather than a “wood.” He noted “the hillside is covered 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 12 

chiefly with locust-trees intermixed with a few young elms and some white-pines 

and infant oaks.” These locust trees are depicted in Elizabeth Alcott’s drawing 

(see Figure 4). The openness of the hillside provided a viewing area of the 

surrounding landscape. As Hawthorne described in the letter to Curtis “there is a 

good view along the extensive level surfaces and gently, hilly outlines, covered 

with wood.” 

An “avenue of locust trees” leading up the hillside to Alcott’s summer house was 

the second path mentioned in early Hawthorne family writings. The location of 

the summer house is more precisely identified in Hawthorne writings than it had 

been in references from the Alcott period. Sophia noted in a letter to her mother 

that the summerhouse was “on top of [the] terrace,” and in his journal in 1853 

Alcott noted his “arbour” was “amidst the locusts and apple trees.”39 Given these 

two statements, and the location of the locust grove as depicted on Elizabeth 

Alcott’s 1846 drawing, the summerhouse probably stood between the locust 

grove and the apple orchard on the hillside above the lawn. These statements 

(and statements made in later years) also may indicate Alcott’s terraces extended 

further west than existing conditions indicate, above the retaining wall along the 

northern edge of the lawn. 

By 1852, the summerhouse was in poor condition. Hawthorne describes the 

summerhouse and arbors in his letter to George Curtis. “They [summerhouse 

and arbors] must have been very pretty in their day, and are still so, although 

much decayed, and shattered more and more by every breeze that blows.” The 

garden house and the water fountain constructed by Alcott on the eight-acre 

parcel were also extant at the time Hawthorne purchased The Wayside.40

The few gardening references found support the assumption that the 

Hawthornes gardened less intensively than the Alcotts. The family enjoyed 

harvesting fruit from the apple and peach trees planted by Alcott and in July 1852 

Sophia Hawthorne wrote to her mother “Mr. Hawthorne has sold the grass for 

thirty dollars.” The grass may have been harvested from the eastern half of the 

eight-acre parcel, the same location used by Alcott to grow grass and grain. In 

journal entries from September 1852, Sophia Hawthorne also mentions the 

children gathered beans and picked peapods. She noted the garden on the eightacre parcel was “a perfect wilderness of weeds” and was “quite a disgrace to us.” 

Of the terraces, she wrote both Julian and Una had gardens which included “one 

hill of corn and [Julian’s] one bean.”41 

Peabody and Mann Occupancy, 1852 to 1860 

After President Franklin Pierce was elected, he appointed Hawthorne to the 

Consulship at Liverpool, England.42 In July 1853, the Hawthornes sailed to 

England, leaving The Wayside in the care of Dr. Nathaniel Peabody, Sophia 
SITE HISTORY

 13 

Hawthorne’s brother. Just prior to leaving the country, Hawthorne purchased 10 

acres 87 rods from John B. Moore for $263.59. The purchase included the crest 

of the ridge and a portion of the north face of the ridge, but was separated from 

the one-acre house lot Hawthorne had purchased from Bronson and Abba by a 

lot remaining in the ownership of Samuel J. May (Abba Alcott’s brother). Five 

months later, while in England, Hawthorne purchased from Samuel J. May the 

three-acre parcel abutting The Wayside to the north and west, thus joining all of 

the lots he had purchased (see Figure 6). In total, Hawthorne owned 

approximately 22 acres 87 rods (22.5 acres). The Peabodys occupied The 

Wayside from July 1853 to July 1859.43 During this time, The Wayside was 

featured in the book Homes of American Authors, which also highlighted the 

homes of Ralph Waldo Emerson, James Russell Lowell, and Walt Whitman, 

among others. 

In 1857, the Alcotts moved back to Concord and during the first week of their 

return they boarded with the Peabodys at The Wayside, until they found housing 

in the center of town.44 In his journal on May 10, 1857, Alcott described The 

Wayside landscape, noting changes that had occurred since his family sold the 

property in 1847. 

. . . very little has been done in the way of improving the place during 

[Hawthorne’s] absence, and fewer traces of my handiwork survive than I 

could wish. My little willow settings by the brookside in the green lane 

[eight-acre parcel] have grown into a tall clump of foliage . . ..The arbour 

[summerhouse] and garden house have disappeared. The paths are 

grass-grown and obscure. . ..45

In a more positive tone, Alcott remarked in the same journal entry “the shrubbery 

thrives around the house.” 

In 1858, the Alcotts purchased the property neighboring The Wayside to the 

west, which they named Orchard House. For several weeks during the spring of 

1858 the Alcotts returned to board with the Peabodys, until renovation of their 

new house was complete. Anticipating the Hawthornes would return to The 

Wayside during the summer of 1859, the Peabodys secured a new home. 

However, because of a serious illness Una could not travel, so the family 

postponed their return until the summer of the following year. From September 

1859 until June 1860 Sophia’s recently widowed sister, Mary Peabody Mann, and 

her children resided at The Wayside.46

While Una recuperated in Europe, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote his friend and 

publisher, William Ticknor, that he was making “arrangements for a gardener” 

and had authorized expenses for “manure, labor, etc.”47 Five months later 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 14 

Bronson Alcott, then Hawthorne’s neighbor, wrote in his journal “at Hillside 

(Wayside) putting things in place.”48 Hawthorne had hired Alcott to oversee 

renovation of the house and landscape improvements. In the same journal entry 

Alcott stated he had “cut a gateway for private passing inside the larch row.” The 

larch row refers to the row of European larches (Larix decidua) that would later 

line the south side of what is known today as the Larch Path. The source for the 

European larch saplings is unknown, but the species is known to self seed from 

plantings.49

Hawthorne Occupancy, 1860 to 1864 

In June 1860 the Hawthorne family returned to The Wayside. Between August 

and September 1860, Alcott oversaw a number of landscape improvements at 

The Wayside, some of which he completed himself.50 On August 8 Alcott wrote 

in his journal, “paths are to be laid [at The Wayside] on hill and about woods,” 

and on August 20, 1860 he wrote “at Hawthorne’s superintending making of 

paths. Gunison finds good treading soil behind the house up the land for 

walks.”51

On August 14 Alcott “superintend[ed] the laying of a walk across to Hawthornes 

 . . . a convenient path [that] brings the two families together in a few minutes 

connecting with our [Alcott] walk.”52 The walk originated at the “cut gateway” 

between the Alcott and the Hawthorne properties and the lawn east of the house. 

Referred to in letters written by Sophia Hawthorne as the Larch Path or the 

Larch Avenue, the path ran parallel to Lexington Road and inside the “larch 

row.”53 Additional paths constructed at The Wayside between August and 

September 1860 included:54

• “walk down to the brook through the willows [eight-acre parcel] across 

the lawn” 

• “paths about the yard” 

• “walk from the barn [west of the house] through the locust grove to the 

hilltop . . . it curves gracefully up the slope under the locusts and pines” 

• “path along front of east Orchard to Hawthornes” 

• “path along the lane to the hot house [conservatory?]” 

• “path over the hill to [Hawthorne’s] seat under the pine [large white 

pine, see below]. 

Alcott’s journal did not mention if any of the paths that he had originally 

constructed in the 1840s were still in use. Nor does the journal entry mention 

the Minot House foundation—a depression still evident at the corner of 

Lexington and Alcott roads, known as the Minot House cellar, which Hawthorne 

believed to have once been the home of Rose Garfield—a patriot during the 

Revolutionary War and a character in Hawthorne’s romance Septimius Felton.55
SITE HISTORY

 15 

Several c. 1860s Wayside paths are described in books written by Hawthorne’s 

children, Julian Hawthorne and Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, in the late 1800s. In 

her book Memories of Hawthorne (1897), Rose noted her father reached the path 

along the ridgeline (Hawthorne Path) by “various pretty climbing paths that crept 

under larches and pines, and scraggy, goat-like apples.”56 One of these paths she 

described as a “winding pine-flanked path.”57 In his book Memoirs (1938) Julian 

Hawthorne wrote the summer house was located “halfway up the slanting 

path.”58

The path most associated with Nathaniel Hawthorne was his “foot-path . . . on 

the summit of the wooden hill above the terraces,” 59 known today as Hawthorne 

Path. As mentioned earlier, Hawthorne created the path as he paced back and 

forward across the ridgeline “to put his mind in the receptive state favorable for 

hearing the voices of imagination.”60 In Hawthorne and His Circle (1903), Julian 

Hawthorne described the path as a “deeply trodden path, in the hard, rootinwoven soil, hardly nine inches wide and about two hundred and fifty yards in 

length.”61 Rose described the landscape bordering the path in her book 

Memories of Hawthorne (1897): 

Along this path in spring huddled pale blue violets, of a blue that held 

sunlight, pure as his [Hawthorne’s] eyes. Masses also of sweet fern grew 

at the side of these abundant bordering violets, and spacious apartments 

of brown-floored pine groves flanked the sweet fern, or receded a little 

before heaps of blackberry branches and simple flowers.”62

In his book The Life and Genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne (1906), Frank P. Sterns, 

family friend and contemporary of Julian Hawthorne, noted the Hawthorne Path 

“descends sharply like a rail-road cut.” He also described the vegetation along 

the northern edge of the trail during Hawthorne’s life-time as “dwarf pines and 

shrub oaks.”63

Bronson Alcott was also responsible for tree removal, trimming and planting. In 

September 1860, Alcott “cut and cleared away the birches from the top of the hill 

east” and “assist[ed] in pruning Hawthorne’s apple trees in lawn by [the] 

house.”64 On October 29, 1860 Alcott wrote in his journal “Next week, I suppose, 

I am to see to transplanting the evergreen about the Hawthornes’ grounds.”65 

This entry referred to an ambitious grounds project undertaken during the fall 

1860, the planting of, according to Sophia Hawthorne, 450 Norway spruce sent 

from England.66 Historic photographs from the early 1900s indicate the spruce 

trees were planted on the terraces in back of the house and on the hillside east of 

the house. It is not known to what extent, if any, the trees were planted north of 

the Hawthorne Path. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 16 

A number of books and magazine articles written in the late 1800s and early 

1900s, including the books written by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s children Julian and 

Rose, describe the 1860s hillside vegetation. In an article that appeared in the 

Critic (c. 1904), Julian Hawthorne remembered tree species on the summit of the 

hill included “white pines and pitch pines, and a mingled irregular array of birch, 

oak, elm, and hickory, all of recent growth; a tangled little woodland.”67 He also 

noted that apple trees and abundant laburnums—also known as golden chain 

tree—grew on the terraces.68

 According to Rose Lathrop Hawthorne, vegetation on the hillside between the 

Larch Path and the Hawthorne Path was sparse enough that her father’s figure 

“could be plainly seen” from below, as he traversed the ridgeline.69 

Specific mention of Norway spruce did not appear in historic descriptions c. 

1860 to 1864, probably because they would have been seedlings, and as such, 

would not have contributed significantly to the character of the landscape during 

Hawthorne’s life. 

Before the Norway spruce grew up, the ridgeline provided views of distant 

landscapes, especially from the more open western brow which, according to 

Rose “sloped rapidly to Lexington Road, and overlook[ed] meadows and distant 

wood-ranges, some of the cottages of humble folks, and the neighboring huge, 

owlet-haunted elms of Alcott’s lawn.”70 At this viewing site, Bronson Alcott 

constructed a seat for Hawthorne of “twisted boughs.”71 The bench may have 

been constructed between two trees. Sophia Hawthorne writes to Mrs. Fields on 

June 29, 1862 “Mr. Hawthorne and I have been up on the hill along the sacra via 

[sic] to see where we can have seats put between brotherly trees.”72 Post 1860s 

references and photographs indicate one or more benches stood between pairs of 

trees on the hillside. 

Alcott is known to have built a second bench along the Hawthorne Path, under a 

large white pine “in back of the house,” which according to his wife Sophia, 

Hawthorne “liked to recline and listen to the seas song in the branches—while in 

May the grass was blue with violets around him.”73 According to Julian 

Hawthorne, his mother often joined his father on the “broad bench under the 

pine tree” to “look out over the meadows.”74

Alcott also constructed a “rustic seat” at the foot of the hill, the exact location 

unknown.75 A “rustic seat” is also known to have stood against the low trunk of a 

mulberry tree near the house, on which, according to Julian Hawthorne, his 

mother and father “often sat in the afternoons, talking over their domestic and 

agricultural plans.”76 Julian Hawthorne stated the “ancient mulberry-tree” stood 
SITE HISTORY

 17 

on the “tiny lawn in front of the library windows.”77 The library (also known as 

the parlor) is located to the left, just inside the front door. 

Also located in front of the library, directly adjacent to the front walk, was a 

hawthorn tree that still exists today. The tree is clearly visible in historic 

photographs dating to the 1860s (Figure 7). In a letter to her mother dated May 

12, 1863, Una Hawthorne writes, “all Rose’s side of the Hawthorne is covered 

with buds.”78 This statement is further explained in a letter Sophia Hawthorne 

wrote to her friend Annie Fields in May 1866: 

I did so want to show you the Hawthorne tree . . . wreaths of merry 

blooms—half double and half single, the single with the rose-tinted 

stamens and the delicious perfume. The double of perfect form with no 

fragrance and all pure white.79

Together, these two statements written by Una and Sophia Hawthorne describe 

the tree as it stands today: the front half blooms double white flowers, and about 

a week later the back half blooms single white flowers with pink stamens. Based 

on the existing bloom schedule, “Rose’s side” of the tree was the half with single 

white flowers with pink stamens while Una’s side was the half with double white 

flowers. The hawthorn tree was planted by Hawthorne and was probably among 

the trees he had sent from England. The size of the tree in the c. 1860-1864 

photographs, the fact that both Sophia and Una referred to it as the Hawthorne 

(vs. hawthorn) tree, and Una’s personal reference to “Rose’s side” of the tree 

supports this assumption. It is not known if the Hawthorne Tree (as it is referred 

to today) was cultivated purposely to exhibit two different bloom types. Existing 

conditions indicate either the tree is actually two trees, whose trunks have fused 

together at the base; or one side of the tree was grafted upon the other, and the 

host cultivar grew along with the intended cultivar. 

Letters written by Sophia Hawthorne indicate several species of ornamental 

plants located around the house c. 1860 to 1864. She wrote of “Papa’s 

[Hawthorne’s] sunflower by the step,” blooming purple fleur de lys “round the 

door in the borders of the lawn,” and woodbine Hawthorne had planted and 

watered, intended to climb the side of the house to his study window.80 

Additional ornamentals mentioned in Sophia’s letters included yellow lilies, 

crocus, portulacia, gillia, sweet pea, mignonette, and purple fleur de lys.81 In her 

book Memories of Hawthorne, Rose noted lilies-of-the-valley were her father’s 

favorite plant.82

Soon after returning from Europe, Hawthorne moved the barn from the western 

to the eastern side of the house. In doing so, he expanded the lawn between the 

house and the hillside. In Memories of Hawthorne (1897), Rose remembered it as 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 18 

a “large lawn, around which the embowered terraces rose like an 

amphitheater.”83 A letter from Sophia Hawthorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne 

(1861) indicates the lawn was a social space for family and friends: 

After dinner we made a settlement with chairs and table and crickets out 

by the acacia path, in a delicious shade on thick grass, hard by the 

tomato-bed. It was delightful out there, and the air nectar; and we all 

thought how you and Julian would enjoy the fine weather. We had early 

tea, and soon after – it being Wednesday, our reception day – a stream of 

ladies appeared from the Alcott path, - the larch path which gradually 

was resolved into Mrs. Emerson, Mrs. Brown, and Elizabeth. 84

Landscape features paralleling Lexington Road included a hedge bordered by a 

picket fence and tall evergreens. The trees were described by Julian Hawthorne 

in two separate accounts, once as “dark firs standing as a hedge along the 

highway”85 and in the other as “tall spruce” that, together with the hedge, 

protected the “house-enclosure” from the street. These trees were probably 

among the trees planted by Bronson Alcott in the 1840s when he owned The 

Wayside [Hillside]. It is unclear to what extent the evergreens were located 

directly in front of the house, since the only known photograph depicting this 

view from c. 1860 to 1864 does not show a “hedge” of evergreens (Figure 8). 

Clearly evident in the photograph is the picket fence bordering the hedge along 

the north side of the road, and a second hedge bordering the eight-acre parcel on 

the south side of the road. Several small evergreens are depicted in the 

photographs, one or two in the eight-acre parcel, and at least one more near the 

southwest corner of the house. 

Although the Hawthorne’s also planted crops in the eight-acre parcel, they 

apparently did not garden it as rigorously as Alcott. In 1903 Julian Hawthorne 

remembered: 

The level meadow [eight-acre parcel] on the south of the road was laid 

out partly in young fruit-trees, and partially in corn and beans; a straight 

path to the brook was made, and larches were set out on both sides of it. 

A few old apple-trees grew to the west of the area divided by the path; 

and there was one Porter apple-tree that stood close to the fence, on 

which early and delicious fruit appeared in profusion every year.86

The “fruit-trees” were no doubt the same trees planted by Alcott in the 1840s. 

Fruit trees also stood on the terraces in back of the house, as stated earlier. The 

“Porter apple-tree” mentioned by Julian Hawthorne is probably the same mature 

fruit tree depicted in Figure 8, adjacent to the road. 
SITE HISTORY

 19 

In addition to the corn and beans, the Hawthornes are known to have grown 

potatoes, squash, tomatoes, melon, cucumber, radish, grapes, and strawberries.87 

Keeping the gardens weed-free was an arduous task, as evident in several letters 

written by Sophia Hawthorne. On September 9, 1860 she wrote to her husband: 

The weeds in the garden now exceed belief.. . . Such a riot of uninvited 

guests I never imagined. I shall try to do something, but I fear my puny 

might will not affect much against such hordes.88

While the weeds grew in abundance, the crops did not grow to the satisfaction of 

Hawthorne. By 1864, he had decided not to farm the eight-acre parcel. In a note 

to Bronson Alcott he proclaimed: 

They are said to be the best land in Concord, and they made me 

miserable, and would soon have ruined me if I had not determined 

nevermore to attempt raising anything from them. So there they lie 

along the roadside, within their broken fence, an eyesore to me, and a 

laughing-stock to all neighbors.89

In her book, Memories of Hawthorne, Rose Hawthorne Lathrop annotated a 

description of a “straight path” on the eight-acre parcel included in a letter from 

her mother to her father, stating it ran “over the field to the willows, between 

firs.”90 Given both Julian and Roses’ statements and notes from Bronson Alcott’s 

journal, and the double row of mature evergreens currently located within the 

eight-acre, it is possible the “straight path,” present in 1860, is the same as the 

“alley” constructed by Alcott in the 1840s. Julian Hawthorne’s statement that the 

path “was made,” may indicate the path had to be cleared, since it probably had 

become overgrown since the 1840s. 

Descendents of Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1864 to 1868 

Nathaniel Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864 while he was traveling in New 

Hampshire with President Franklin Pierce. He undertook the trip in hopes of 

recovering his strength, as his health had been failing for several years from an 

undiagnosed illness. The family remained at The Wayside for four years 

following Hawthorne’s death. 91

Several landscape descriptions included in letters written by Sophia Hawthorne 

and Alcott’s journals are of note during this period. A few months after 

Hawthorne’s death, Sophia wrote to Una “Rose and I sat in the willow cathedral 

to sew.. . . My cathedral aisle looks like the straight and narrow way that leads to 

life eternal.92 The ‘cathedral aisle’ was probably her name for the “straight path 

to the brook” on the eight-acre parcel and the “willow cathedral” may have been 

an arbor constructed by Bronson Alcott for the Hawthornes in 1862.93 The 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 20 

“cathedral” may have taken the place of the garden house built by Alcott in the 

1840s. 

On November 8, 1864, Bronson Alcott removed an old post-and-rail fence that 

bordered the Alcott and Hawthorne properties. He described the fence as an 

“unsightly line” that ran across the slope. A few weeks later he removed sod from 

the hillside to “smooth footpath along Hawthorne’s line and mine, east of the 

house.” According to Alcott, the footpath replaced the fence as the line dividing 

the two properties.94

In June, 1865, Sophia wrote Una, describing a proposed garden at The Wayside, 

which appeared to be a memorial garden.95 Although the garden was never 

constructed, it is important to note because of Sophia’s intention to plant five 

Hawthorne’ trees in the garden: four white and one pink. Her choice of the trees 

may provide further evidence as to the significance of the hawthorn tree (known 

today as the Hawthorne Tree) located by the front door, and possibly to the 

significance of its blooming habit: one-half double white flowers and one-half 

single white with rose stamens. Ornamental plants that are known to have grown 

around the house during this period include petunias, morning glories, sweet 

peas, woodbine (Virginia creeper), Queen of the Prairies rose, and lilies.96 

In May 1866 Sophia described The Wayside landscape to her friend Annie Fields: 

There is a beauty in May which there is not in July. After these latter 

rains, the glory of tender and deep greens surpasses all words . . . the 

walks – the paths look so nice, and there is no knowing what enormity of 

sauciness the weeds will arrive at by July. 97

Her letter continues with a description of the hillside: 

The young locusts, a quite new growth, are the most delicate soft color, 

and the dark Norway pines [spruce] have put out deep crimson cones on 

light green tips that contrast wonderfully. 

In another passage she describes a view from the terraces down to the lawn: 

On the broad terrace, looking down on the congregation of trees to the 

lowest lawn, while sitting in a favorite seat of my husbands – on which he 

could lean against the bank . . . . 

The location of the “broad terrace” is unclear. One possibility, the “terrace” may 

have been the ridgeline, since it is known that there was a bench under the large 

white pine (mentioned previously) near the Hawthorne Path. But in this location 
SITE HISTORY

 21 

it is doubtful Hawthorne could have leaned against the bank while sitting on the 

bench. Given Sophia could see the “lowest lawn” (lawn west of the house) from 

the broad terrace, the “terrace” would have been located on the hillside west of 

the house, above the stone wall. And the “congregation of trees” may have been 

the hundreds of small Norway spruce planted on the hillside in 1860s. 

By the fall of 1866, the family contemplated moving to Germany, so that Julian 

could study Engineering in Heidelberg. Sophia was emotionally conflicted; she 

wanted to do what was best for her children but was attached to The Wayside. 

However, financial difficulties associated with remaining at The Wayside 

emphasized the need to sell the house and make the move.98 In May, 1868, five 

months before the family sailed to Europe, Sophia wrote to her friend Annie 

Fields of her conflicted feelings towards The Wayside. 

For the first time, yesterday I walked along the paths of The Wayside – 

the larch avenue, and on the lawn, and it seemed an awful thing to resign 

all property in the place where his [Hawthorne’s] feet had trod. But then 

comes the memory of his distastes, not only of Concord, but of this side 

of the water.. . . The knowledge of this unease here ought to make me 

willing to give it up.99

In October 1868, the Hawthornes sailed to Europe.100 The family retained 

ownership of The Wayside until the summer of 1870. It is not known if the house 

was occupied during this period. 
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22

Figure 6. Map of land purchased by Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1852 to 1853 (OCLP).
23 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 7. View east toward the house, c. 1860-1864. 

Depicted in the photographs is Sophia Hawthorne.

Also note the stone wall in back of the house at left, 

the wooden fence separating the Hawthorne and Bull 

properties at left, the sparse vegetation on the hillside 

above the stone wall, the paths through the lawn, and 

the Hawthorne Tree to far right. Possibly depicted 

are the mulberry tree (back of Mrs. Hawthorne) and 

bare woodbine (Virginia creeper) vines growing along 

the corner of the house at right of center window 

(photographic copy at MIMA Library and original in 

Alcott Journal, Houghton Library, Harvard University).

Figure 8. View northeast toward The Wayside, taken from the eight-acre parcel, c. 1860-1864. Depicted in the eight-acre 

parcel are Sophia and Nathaniel Hawthorne, several small evergreens, a large fruit tree (probably the Porter apple tree), 

and a hedge bordering the road. Depicted north of the road are a wooden fence bordered by a hedge, the Hawthorne 

Tree at center left, and a mature evergreen at right. Note the tall evergreens along the ridgeline in back of The Wayside 

and the roof line of the barn at right (photographic copy at MIMA Library and original in Alcott Journal, Houghton 

Library, Harvard University).
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 24 

GRAY AND PRATT OWNERSHIP, 1870 TO 1879 

On July 13, 1870, Sophia, Julian, Una, and Rose Hawthorne, while living in 

Dresden Germany, sold their interests in The Wayside to George and Abby Gray 

for $3001.00. Properties transferred included the 1-acre houselot Nathaniel 

Hawthorne purchased from the trustees of Abba Alcott, the 8-acre parcel (south 

side of road) purchased from Ralph Waldo Emerson, the 3-acre parcel purchased 

from Samuel J. May (Abba Alcott’s brother), and the 10.87-acre parcel purchased 

from John B. Moore. According to the deeds, the Hawthornes sold 11 acres 56 

rods on the north side of Lexington Road and 7 acres 104.5 rods (eight-acre 

parcel) on the south side of the road to the Grays.101 

In March 1871, Mary C. Pratt opened a school for young ladies at The Wayside. 

She apparently leased the house from the Grays, who by then had constructed a 

new house across the street, on the eight-acre parcel.102 Mary Pratt originally 

established the school in Charlestown, New Hampshire in 1866, but moved the 

school to Concord because it offered “better literary advantages.”103 The 

following year, George and Abby Gray sold The Wayside to Mary Pratt. The 

purchase included the 11 acre 56 rod-acre parcel on the north side of Lexington 

Road. The Grays retained the eight-acre parcel (actually 7 acre 104.5-parcel) on 

the south side of the road.104 Mary Pratt operated the “Wayside School for 

Young Ladies” from 1871 to 1879. 

Bronson Alcott’s association with The Wayside continued into the 1870s. During 

this period, he often escorted out-of-town visitors onto The Wayside grounds, 

sharing within them anecdotes related to Nathaniel Hawthorne.105 By the 1870s, 

the importance of The Wayside as Nathaniel Hawthorne’s home had been noted 

in several tour books and at least one magazine article. The earliest appeared in 

1853, during Hawthorne’s life. The house was featured in the book Homes of 

American Authors, which also highlighted the homes of Ralph Waldo Emerson, 

James Russell Lowell, and Walt Whitman, among others. In 1874, The Wayside 

was featured in Samuel Adams Drake’s Historic Fields and Mansions of Middlesex. 

Drake’s narrative includes several descriptions of The Wayside, including: 

The house itself is almost hidden from view among the mass of 

evergreens by which it is surrounded. For some distance a cool walk 

[Larch Path] skirts the street – a row of thickly-set larches next to the 

road, with an inner rank of firs and spruces. 106

Back of the house, and dominating above it, the hill ascends in terraces but so 

densely is it covered with evergreen-trees . . . as to resemble nothing more than a 

young forest of native growth.107
SITE HISTORY

 25 

The passages note the growth of the evergreens brought from Europe by 

Hawthorne and planted for him by Alcott in 1860. By 1874, they were tall enough 

to block views of the house, but not large enough to be considered a mature 

forest. 

Drake also described a view from The Wayside to fields on the south side of 

Lexington Road: 

Towards the road, this retreat overlooks a broad reach of sloping 

meadow in the highest state of tillage. Hill and dale, stream and pool, 

with all those concomitants of New England landscape which the artist 

[Hawthorne] so well knew how to weave into his pen-pictures, are here 

in the charming prospect.108

The description is probably of the field on the south side of Lexington Road, 

west of Hawthorne land [today The Wayside parking lot], which remained under 

cultivation into the twentieth century. 

An article titled “Centennial Concord” appearing in Appleton’s Journal of 

Literature, Science, and Art in 1875 noted Hawthorne’s former home was 

“boarding-school” for “budding misses.” Included in the article was a 

description of a path on the eight-acre parcel: 

The fir-lined path across the meadow leading to the quiet river was 

Hawthorne’s favorite walk, and still bears his name.109

This would be the same straight path lined by firs that existed during the 

Hawthorne ownership, and may also be the same as the ‘alley’ constructed by 

Bronson Alcott in the 1840s. The statement that the walk was Hawthorne’s 

“favorite,” may have been an author embellishment, since earlier references do 

not mention this preference. 

Bronson Alcott was also associated with The Wayside School. He gave lectures 

and shared stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne with the girls, and also stories of his 

daughter Louisa May Alcott who had just published Little Women (1868) and had 

spent her teen-age years at The Wayside. 110 Bronson Alcott also participated in 

the school’s graduation ceremonies, held each spring on the lawn. An article 

included in Alcott’s journal from an unidentified newspaper described the 

decorated lawn during the 1874 ceremony: 

The lawn adjoining was hung with Chinese lanterns, and provided with 

seats, also a stand for music . . . eight of the young ladies entered the lawn 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 26 

. . . over their heads waged the spreading branches of oak, and under 

their feet was a carpet of soft green grass.111

A description of the school’s June 1877 end-of-the-year celebration appeared in 

The Concord Freeman: 

The close of the school year at Wayside was celebrated on the 8th, by a 

fair upon the grounds in the afternoon, with a social gathering, and 

dancing in the evening. The features at the fair were flowers, ice cream 

and candy tables, a post office, fancy articles, etc.112

The school’s last graduation ceremony occurred in 1879. 

In June 1879, Bronson Alcott presented the diplomas at the school’s last 

graduation ceremony. According to an article published in The Concord 

Freeman, Alcott “congratulated the young ladies on having been educated in the 

home which Hawthorne loved and where he wrote his wonderful romances.”113 
SITE HISTORY

 27 

GEORGE AND ROSE HAWTHORNE LATHROP OWNERSHIP, 

1879 TO 1883 

Material presented in this section is drawn from historic photographs and from 

articles that appeared in The Concord Freeman. Additional information was 

obtained from deeds, correspondence, and George Bartlett’s The Concord 

Guidebook (1880). 

On March 1, 1879, three months before the close of The Wayside School for 

Young Ladies, George P. and Rose Hawthorne Lathrop purchased The Wayside 

for $4000 from Mary Pratt. Rose was the youngest daughter of Nathaniel 

Hawthorne. Her husband, George P. Lathrop, was the editor of the Boston 

Saturday Evening Courier. The property included the 11 acre 56 rod-parcel 

previously transferred from the Hawthornes to Mary Pratt, which included all of 

the land previously owned by Nathaniel Hawthorne north of Lexington Road. 

Mary Pratt moved to Belmont, Massachusetts, where she re-opened her 

school.114

The popularity of The Wayside as a tourist attraction continued. Just prior to 

taking possession of The Wayside, an article published in The Concord Freeman

stated the Lathrops had forbidden trespassing “upon the walk between The 

Wayside and the Orchard House [Larch Path].”115 Apparently sight-seers had 

become an intrusive problem. 

In May 1880, an article in The Concord Freeman announced the publication of 

The Concord Guidebook, which included notable Concord sites, including The 

Wayside. The section devoted to The Wayside was written by Rose Hawthorne 

Lathrop and the book was published by D. Lothrop & Company.116 

In describing the landscape, Rose Hawthorne Lathrop wrote: 

The charm of The Wayside felt by persons who have lived there any 

length of time, consists in the effective groupings of pines, the odd, steep 

semi-circular formed about the lawn by the shoulder of the hill, closely 

foliaged with several kinds of trees; and the pretty glimpses of the 

meadows, hemmed with woods, their delicate colors and occasional 

mists being delightful against the dark stems of the pines.. . . A curving 

path, bordered by pines and locusts, leads to the top of the hill along 

which Mr. Hawthorne walked daily, and where he was wont to compose 

. . .117

The passage describes the hillside rising from the western and northern edges of 

the lawn. The location of the “curving path” is unknown—it may have been the 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 28 

path that now leads from the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque to the Hawthorne 

Path at the top of the ridge. 

Historic photographs depict the landscape along the western and southern side 

of the house during the Lathrop ownership. Evident in these photographs are 

landscape features dating to the Hawthorne, and some possibly to the Alcott 

ownership periods. Included among these are the Hawthorne tree, foot paths, 

evergreens along Lexington Road and on the hillside, vines on the western façade 

of the house, and the lawn (Figures 9 and 10). 

In February 1881, while living in Boston for the winter, the Lathrop’s four year 

old son, their only child, died. Devastated by his passing, Rose writes later that 

she could not bear to return to The Wayside where she had “watched him daily.” 

In the spring, Rose and George went to Europe. The house remained empty until 

the following autumn, when her brother Julian’s wife and children moved into 

The Wayside, while Julian was in Italy.118 Julian Hawthorne rejoined his family, 

and in June 1882 they left The Wayside to spend the summer in Nonquit. After 

also vacationing in Nonquit for two weeks, George and Rose Hawthorne Lathrop 

returned to The Wayside, where they remained until at least December 1882. 119
29 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 9. View northeast of George P. Lathrop and Rose Hawthorne Lathrop in front of The Wayside, 1880-1882. Note the 

denseness of the trees on the hillside in back of the house at left, the stone wall in back of the house, the vines on the house, 

the ornamental vegetation and paths around the house, and a row of evergreens (three are visible) in front of the house at right 

(MIMA photographic collection, #24504, MIMA Archives).

Figure 10. View north of The Wayside, c. 1880-1882. Note the trees on the terrace behind the house, the Hawthorne Tree (left), 

the walks in front of the house, and the large pine tree (right). The pine tree was one of at least three that stood in a row, east 

of the house (MIMA photographic collection, #8108, MIMA Archives).
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 30 

LOTHROP OWNERSHIP, 1883 TO 1965 

This section includes historic context and landscape descriptions of The Wayside 

during the Daniel and Harriett Lothrop ownership beginning in 1883; during the 

Harriett Lothrop ownership beginning in 1892; and during the Margaret Lothrop 

ownership beginning in 1924 and extending until 1965. Of particular note is the 

years of 1904 and 1905 as it relates to the events surrounding the centenary of the 

birth of Nathaniel Hawthorne. 

Daniel and Harriett Mulford Lothrop Ownership, 1883 to 1892 

On May 10, 1883, Daniel and Harriett Mulford Lothrop purchased The Wayside 

and the 11-acres, 56-rod parcel north of Lexington Road from George P. and 

Rose Hawthorne Lathrop for five thousand dollars. Daniel Lothrop was the 

head of the Boston publishing firm “D. Lothrop and Company,” which published 

magazines and books for children, including the Five Little Peppers series that was 

written by Daniel’s wife, Harriett Lothrop under the pen name, Margaret Sydney. 

D. Lothrop and Company also published The Concord Guidebook (1880), 

mentioned earlier, in which Rose Hawthorne’s description of The Wayside 

appeared. Their only child, Margaret M. Lothrop, was born at The Wayside in 

1884.120

By the 1880s, The Wayside was widely known as the home of Nathaniel 

Hawthorne. This association drew the Lothrops to The Wayside and their 

“respect for the memorials of the past and their desire to preserve them” 

prompted them to maintain, for the most part, the house and the grounds as 

Hawthorne had known them. The most significant exterior alteration to the 

house was a wide piazza, constructed along the western side of the house in 

1887.121

The home was regularly featured in guide books, magazines and newspapers 

(some of which were written and published by the Lothrops) and continued to be 

a popular tourist attraction. As had been the case with George and Rose 

Hawthorne Lathrop, sight-seers wandering onto The Wayside property 

continued to be a persistent problem, although apparently the Lothrops were 

more accepting of the intrusions. Their generosity towards curious tourists is 

noted in an article that appeared in the Brains magazine in 1891: 

[The Lothrops have] unfailing kindness and patient courtesy to the many 

strangers who come to see Hawthorne’s old home, often as though 

demanding a right, rather than seeking a great favor from busy private 

individuals.122
SITE HISTORY

 31 

The guide books and articles in the magazines and newspapers provided vivid 

descriptions of the landscape, including this overview description included in the 

July 27, 1877 Boston Evening Transcript: 

The place so dear to all pilgrims, never seemed so glorious . . . The wealth 

of foliage in all the shades of green crowning the hill, the sweep of freshly 

mowed lawn, the eight terraces laid out by Mr. Alcott . . . the historic 

paths, the quaint rambling mansion, all made a most striking picture.123

By the mid-1880s, the evergreens brought over from Europe by Hawthorne and 

planted by his neighbor Bronson Alcott in 1860s had matured, as had secondary 

growth trees on the hillside and terraces. The hillside trees, which would include 

those growing on the terraces in back of the house, are described by George B. 

Bartlett in Concord Historic, Literary & Picturesque: 

What was only a fancy [to Hawthorne]. . . in regard to the springing up of 

a maze of trees, has become in fact the dense, tall growth of firs, pitch 

pines, larches, elms, oaks and white-birch, which now envelopes the hill. 

Many of these were set out by his direction, and give the scene the 

impress of his taste.124

Bartlett also noted a “thicket of locust trees in one place,”125 which was probably 

the locust grove known to be present during both the Alcott and the Hawthorne 

ownership periods. 

The thick growth of trees on the hillside rose above the lawn west of the house, 

along the lawn’s western and northern (above the stone retaining wall) edges 

(Figure 11). As described in the August 15, 1891 Brains magazine, “the [forested 

hillside] makes of the smooth, sloping lawn . . . a lovely sheltered 

amphitheater.”126 

The Lothrops hosted garden parties, birthday parties for their daughter 

Margaret, and receptions for notable guests on the lawn. For Margaret’s fourth 

birthday (1888), the Lothrops’ constructed an “arch of roses” above the lawn, 

through which a procession of little girls marched.” Located in the center of the 

lawn was a large artificial rose, from which Margaret appeared as a poem written 

by her mother, especially for her birthday celebration, was read (Figure 12). 

Other activities conducted on the lawn included games, dances, a puppet show, 

dinner, and a bon-bon bag (piñata) suspended from the piazza.127

In August 1890, the Lothrops hosted a reception for Mrs. John A. Logan during a 

Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) encampment. John A. Logan was a major 

general during the Civil War and after the war a U.S. senator until his death in 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 32 

1886. According to an article in the August 22, 1890 The Concord Enterprise, 

nearly four hundred guests attended the reception, including Samuel Francis 

Smith, the author of the hymn “America” (“My Country ‘Tis of Thee”) and Julia 

Ward Howe, author of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” As described in The 

Concord Enterprise, “the receiving party stood on the lawn, grouped against the 

rising background of the forest foliage.” Following the receiving party, the guests 

sat facing toward the piazza, for literary exercises. Following the receiving party, 

the guests were seated, facing the piazza, for literary exercises.128 Decorating the 

piazza was a very large American flag, draped over the roof (Figure 13).129

Following the reception at The Wayside, Mrs. John A. Logan wrote the article 

“Hawthorne’s Home,” which appeared in the Home Magazine in November 

1890. In it she noted that, in addition to the assortment of trees mentioned by 

Bartlett in his 1855 guidebook, the hillside was covered by American ivy and 

native grape that had “interlace[d] their gigantic arms so gracefully as to form a 

perfect maze.”130 Mrs. Logan also included a description of the terraces: 

One cannot see them [terraces] without climbing under the thick 

undergrowth of wild blackberries, young pines, and all sorts of wild 

shrubs. The sunlight can only penetrate through the heavy canopy of 

leaves here and there; hence the dampness prevents one from sitting 

there with any comfort, or degree of safety to health. 

Period publications also describe the lawn and plantings in front of the house. In 

Concord Historic, Literary and Picturesque, George B. Bartlett noted the 

“rambling house” was covered at one end with rose vines and woodbine (Virginia 

creeper) (Figure 14). He also mentions “a flourishing hawthorn tree [Hawthorne 

Tree] which serves as a silent record of his [Hawthorne’s] name, a hedge 

separating the lawn from the road, and “dark pines in front of the lawn.”131 

The “dark pines” or evergreens, did not extend in front of the house, despite 

other historic reference, such as the article that appeared in the August 15, 1891 

Brains magazine, which states the evergreens “along the street almost conceal the 

house and grounds from view.” Historic photographs depict the evergreens ran 

inside the hedge along the southern edge of the lawn, east and west of the house. 

As described in the December 11, 1891 publication The Week, the area 

immediately in front of the house was “a little bit of greensward, shaded by a 

stately elm, divides the entrance from the road (Figures 15 and 16).”132 

Several other ornamental plantings close to the house are described in the 

September 1866, The Saturday Evening Spectator. The publication stated 

“Hawthorne’s sweet briar rose tree still flourishes at the southwest corner of the 

study” and the “reserved, dark-eyed pansies under the window actually resemble 
SITE HISTORY

 33 

the former owner [Hawthorne].”133 Construction of the piazza in 1887 would 

have required the removal of “Hawthorne’s sweet briar rose tree.” It is not clear 

from the description in the Spectator which window the pansies were located 

under. The same publication also stated “close by the veranda (probably the 

porch by the front door) is the bed of lily of the valley, still flourishing and 

carefully tended, which he [Hawthorne] planted.” 

Among the most photographed and written about Wayside landscape features 

during this period were several paths traversing the wooded hillside, a couple of 

benches along the paths, and a wooden platform constructed in large white pine. 

Information included in the period guidebooks, newspapers, and magazines, as 

well as from Daniel and Harriett Lothrop, attributes these features to Nathaniel 

Hawthorne. However, subsequent research, including NPS interviews with 

Daniel and Harriett’s daughter, Margaret Lothrop, indicates the wooden 

platform and the benches probably did not date to the Hawthorne period. 

In her book Old Concord, Her Highways and Byways, Harriett Lothrop (Margaret 

Sidney, 1892) stated the Larch Path, which ran parallel to, and just above 

Lexington Road west of the house, “follow[s] that winding curve made by the 

road as it breaks away from the straighter line and the turnpike.”134 The slight 

curve she wrote about is at the western end of the path, and is evident today by 

the line of extant larch trees. She described the larch trees bordering the 

southern edge of the path as “graceful, tremulous pendants that now, on a 

summer day, conceal the path from the curious gaze of the passer-by” (Figure 

17). She also stated the trees were among the evergreens sent from Europe and 

planted by Hawthorne, however, as noted previously, this is incorrect. The trees 

existed prior to the path and also prior to the large planting of evergreens 

brought over from Europe by Hawthorne. The larch trees were probably planted 

by Bronson Alcott in the 1840s when he owned The Wayside (Hillside). 

In Old Concord, Her Highways and Byways, Harriett Lothrop noted the 

Hawthorne Path began “within a stone’s throw of the old apple-tree on the lawn 

(Figure 18)”135 While it is undisputed the Hawthorne Path traversed the ridgeline 

behind the house, this is the earliest reference found that specifically states it 

began in the lawn at the base of the hill. An earlier reference appearing in the 

September 11, 1886 The Saturday Evening Spectator stated “Under the white 

birches and the larches at the northwest corner of the lawn is the beginning of the 

‘Path to the Woods,’ which winds up to the crest of the hill . . . .”136 Although the 

newspaper account does not state the path leading from the lawn into the 

forested hillside was the beginning of the Hawthorne Path, it does confirm that it 

lead up to the ridgeline. Photographs from the late 1800s and 1900s (Figures 19 

and 20) and existing conditions indicate the path curved gently up the hill, 

connecting with the Hawthorne Path about three hundred yards east of The 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 34 

Wayside’s western property boundary, which will be discussed again in the next 

section. While it can not be conclusively determined, this path may have been 

one of the paths Bronson Alcott oversaw construction of for Nathaniel 

Hawthorne c. 1860. Alcott describes in his journal, as mentioned previously, a 

“walk from the barn [west of the house] through the locust grove to the hilltop . . . 

it curves gracefully up the slope under the locusts and pines.” The proximity of 

path to the barn [stood west of the house in 1860] and the descriptive phrase 

“curves gracefully” match historic images and current conditions. The extent to 

which the path known to have existed in the 1880s would have cut through the 

locust grove is less clear.137 

The most frequently referenced path was the Hawthorne Path. As described 

previously, Nathaniel Hawthorne created the path, as he paced along the 

ridgeline, contemplating text for his novels. According to the George B. Bartlett 

in Concord Historic, Literary, and Picturesque (1885), the path had remained 

unpreserved since Hawthorne’s death “yet nature, as if by a secrete sympathy 

with his [Hawthorne’s] genius, has thus far refused to obliterate it, and it remains 

distinct amid the bordering wild growth.”138 Similar sentiment suggesting 

spiritual preservation of the path appears in other historic writings. 

Located along the paths were at least two wooden benches and a wooden 

platform in a large white pine, each of which appear in historic photographs. 

According to an NPS interview with Margaret Lothrop in the 1960s, there may 

have been as many as four benches on the hillside. She also stated she was not 

sure the seats dated to Hawthorne ownership, but she remembered at least one of 

them as being weather beaten and grayish. Given the fact that the benches would 

have been at least twenty years old when the Lothrops purchased the property, it 

is highly improbable that they would have remained from the Hawthorne 

ownership. Perhaps Hawthorne’s children, known to have communicated with 

the Lothrops, described the location of benches that existed during their 

ownership of The Wayside, and then the Lothrops reconstructed the benches. 

A short bench, braced between two evergreen trees, stood at the western end of 

the Hawthorne Path (Figure 21).139 This would have probably been the site of the 

bench Bronson Alcott constructed for Nathaniel Hawthorne c. 1862. During the 

Alcott’s ownership, the c. 1862 bench was constructed of “twisted bough” 

between “brotherly trees” at the “western brow” of the ridgeline. The straightline construction of the c. 1880s to 1890s bench is further evidence it was not a 

bench constructed in 1862. 

A second, longer bench, braced between what appears to be two white pine trees, 

is believed to have been located along the path that led from the northwest 

corner of the lawn to the ridgeline. A note included on an historic image of the 
SITE HISTORY

 35 

bench (Figure 22), believed to be in the handwriting of either Daniel or Harriett 

Lothrop, identifies its location as “Half way up Hawthorne Path—supposed site 

where Septimius met the British Soldier in ‘Septimus Felton.”140 A note written 

by Margaret Lothrop on the back of another historic photograph of the same 

bench states the seat was “half-way up the hill,” which supports the location of 

the bench along the path leading to the ridgeline.141 Also located along the 

Hawthorne Path was a wooden platform constructed among the limbs of a large 

white pine tree. 

According to a September 11, 1886 article in The Saturday Evening Spectator, the 

“rough plank platform” stood about fourteen feet from the ground, was 

accessible by a ladder, and “contain[ed] seats for six or more persons,142 an 

article that appeared the following year in the Boston Evening Transcript

described the ladder as “rather shaky steps (Figure 23).”143 

As previously described, a white pine, special to Nathaniel Hawthorne, grew 

along the Hawthorne Path in the 1860s. However, a platform in the tree is not 

mentioned in historic references prior to the Lothrop’s ownership. Despite this, 

Daniel and Margaret Lothrop believed the platform had been built and used by 

Nathaniel Hawthorne, and their opinion appears in numerous historic 

references. Years later, in an interview with the NPS, their daughter Margaret 

Lothrop stated her parent’s assumption was wrong, and that she had been told 

the platform had been constructed for a ceremony (details unknown) after the 

Hawthorne’s had sold the property.144 Also, it is not known if the white pine that 

held the platform was the same white pine Hawthorne was fond of sitting 

beneath. 

According to Margaret Lothrop, from the top of the wooden platform she could 

look out over the meadow on the western side of the Hawthorne Lane to the 

Cambridge Turnpike (Route 2). She also mentioned during her interview with 

the NPS that the meadow was visible to the right of The Wayside chimney, which 

places the platform in the white pine tree on the ridgeline in back of the house, 

probably near The Wayside’s eastern property boundary.145

Harriett Mulford Lothrop Ownership, 1892 to 1924 

Daniel Lothrop died on March 25, 1892 at the family’s winter residence in 

Boston. Harriett Lothrop and her young daughter Margaret returned to The 

Wayside for the summer.146 A photograph dating to the early 1890s shows the 

house as well maintained and framed by a privet hedge along the front sidewalk 

and maturing evergreens behind the house on the hillside (Figure 24). 

Following Daniel Lothrop’s death, Harriett and Margaret continued to spend 

most of the year at The Wayside, until Margaret graduated from Concord High 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 36 

School in 1900, after which the two spent considerably more time away from The 

Wayside. Trips included visits with family and friends; travel associated with 

Harriett’s volunteer work with the Daughters of the American Revolution and 

the Children of the American (which she organized in 1895), and extended trips 

to Europe.147 

Margaret Lothrop attended Smith College from 1901 to 1905, and then later 

attended Leland Stanford University in California where she received a masters 

degree in 1915. After graduation, Margaret became an instructor at the 

university. In 1918 she took leave from the university for one year and served 

with the Red Cross in Europe during World War I. When Margaret returned, she 

resumed her teaching position. From 1912 to her death in 1924, Harriett Lothrop 

typically spent the winters in California with her daughter.148 

When Harriett returned to Concord, she generally stayed at the Concord Inn. 

Notices appearing in the Concord Enterprise indicate Harriett leased The 

Wayside eight times from 1910 to 1921, though she probably rented to more 

individuals than the paper reported. Throughout this period (possibly in between 

leases) Harriett and Margaret continued to entertain friends and family, and to 

host social events at The Wayside. The last event occurred in May 1924, just a 

few months before Harriett’s death. 149

Harriett Lothrop was responsible for the preservation of two of Concord’s most 

historic buildings, both of which bordered The Wayside property. In 1894 she 

purchased the Grapevine Cottage property, which included 10.69 acres. The 

cottage, which stands east of The Wayside, was significant as the home of 

Ephraim Bull, the originator of the Concord grape. Bull had been a neighbor of 

the Alcotts, and then the Hawthornes during their ownership of The Wayside. 

Harriett partially rebuilt the cottage and then in 1905 sold the cottage and 0.66 

acre surrounding the house to her daughter Margaret for “$1.00 and other 

consideration.” (Figure 25) Prior to and after the sale, the Lothrops leased the 

cottage. Harriett also subdivided and sold additional lots, several of which were 

purchased between 1900 and 1902.150

In 1900, Harriett purchased the Orchard House, located west of The Wayside on 

the 12.41-acre parcel Bronson Alcott bought when the Alcotts returned to 

Concord in the 1850s. While living in the house, Alcott’s daughter, Louisa May 

Alcott, wrote her famous novel Little Women (1868). Included on the property 

was The Chapel, a small wooden structure located west of the house. The Chapel 

was first used c. 1885 as a classroom for Bronson Alcott’s “School of Philosophy.” 

The school held yearly summer sessions, drawing philosophical thinkers from 

across the nation. Alcott operated the school from 1879 until his death in 1888, 

after which the school closed. By 1911, and possibly soon after she acquired the 
SITE HISTORY

 37 

Orchard House property, Harriett Lothrop moved The Chapel onto The 

Wayside property, to the hillside northwest of the house. In 1911 Harriett sold 

the Orchard House and 0.382 surrounding acres to the Louisa May Alcott 

Memorial Association, with terms similar to the previous real estate transaction, 

for “$1 and other consideration (see Figure 25).151 

Special Events at The Wayside, 1892 to 1903 

Harriett Lothrop continued to welcome curious sight-seers to The Wayside, as 

evident from the following passage included in the 1895 publication, Literary 

Shrines: The Haunts of Some Famous Authors. 

A house is forever ruined as a home by having been the abode of a great man, a 

truth well attested by the present amiable mistress of his [Hawthorne’s] own 

Wayside, whose experience with a legion of unaccredited, intrusive, and often 

insolent persons who come all hours of the day, and sometimes in the night, 

demanding to be shown over the place, would be more ludicrous were it less 

provoking.152

Harriett hosted numerous events at The Wayside for these organizations and 

other groups and individuals, especially during the late 1800s and early 1900s. 

Accounts of the events that appeared in local and regional newspapers often 

included vivid descriptions of the events, which were generally held on The 

Wayside lawn. 

On May 18, 1895, Harriett Lothrop hosted members of the Christian Endeavors 

who were attending their annual convention in Boston. The Christian Endeavors 

is a Christian-based youth organization founded in 1881. Hundreds of 

conventioneers traveled by train, and some on bicycle, to Lexington and 

Concord to visit the towns’ historic sites. Harriett, and thirty-four members of 

the newly organized Children of the American Revolution (CAR), welcomed the 

Christian Endeavors to The Wayside. According to newspaper accounts, the 

CAR “gathered up on the lawn, sang patriotic songs, and punctured their 

applause by flag waving.” A second newspaper account noted the celebration 

was held on the piazza and the “amphitheater of the close-trimmed lawn (Figure 

26). 

Several years later, Harriett Lothrop hosted a reunion at The Wayside, for local 

CAR societies. According to an article in the Concord Enterprise, 250 people 

attended the April 19, 1898 reunion. Patriotic exercises were held on the “broad 

greensward in front of the spacious piazza and under a red, white and blue arch, a 

flag at either end.”153 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 38 

Later the same summer, the CAR hosted a garden party at The Wayside, as a fund 

raiser for the Massachusetts Volunteer Aid Society. The house was draped with 

Cuban and American flags and bunting, and a portrait of President McKinley, 

framed in garland, hung over the center of the piazza. Below the president’s 

portrait was an ‘In Memoriam’ for the Battleship Maine, also encircled in garland. 

At an appointed time, a large twenty-one foot flag was unfurled by Margaret 

Lothrop from a rope stretched from a large pine on the hillside to The Wayside 

tower. As the flag opened, hundreds of small flags floated onto the lawn as the 

audience sang “The Star Spangled Banner.”154 Given the length of the flag, it is 

possible that it was the same flag that was draped over the piazza roof during the 

Lothrop’s reception for Mrs. John Logan in 1890 (see Figure 13). 

On July 26, 1903, Harriett Lothrop hosted a event at The Wayside for the 

Emerson Memorial School. A meeting occurred in the Hillside Chapel, after 

which the participants “walked over the famous ‘Larch Path’ in route to The 

Wayside’s “terraced lawns, with the adjacent pine groves.” From the lawn they 

observed literary exercises delivered from the “spacious piazza, with its arches of 

woodbine (Virginia Creeper).”155 The mention of the event held in the Hillside 

Chapel is the earliest reference found that states she had used the building during 

one of her events. 

The Hawthorne Centenary, 1904 

A historically significant event held at The Wayside was the Hawthorne 

Centenary hosted by the Lothrops in 1904, in honor of the one hundredth 

anniversary of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birth. Material in this section is drawn 

almost entirely from the large collection of historic photographs in the park 

archives, from a 1904 article in Country Life in America magazine, and a thesis 

prepared by Charles Everett in 1905. Everett, a family friend of Harriett and 

Margaret Lothrop, was a Harvard student enrolled in a course, Landscape 

Architecture I.156

 

The Hawthorne Centenary was celebrated July 4 to July 7, 1904 at The Wayside. 

The first day’s proceedings began at the foot of the hillside, west of the house. 

Guests numbering about three hundred sat on folding chairs placed upon lawn 

and under the tall evergreens at the edge of the lawn, facing toward two large 

pine trees draped by a large American flag. Col. Thomas Wentworth Higginson, 

author and family friend of the Hawthornes, delivered an opening address as 

strong gusts of wind rushing through the grove of pine trees, drowned out his 

voice. Following the short address, Beatrix Hawthorne loosened the large flag 

between the two pines to unveil a granite boulder monument commemorating 

Nathaniel Hawthorne, her grandfather (Figure 27).157 Given the size of the 

American flag, it is possible that it was the same flag that was draped over the 

piazza during the reception for Mrs. Logan in 1890 and the same flag from which 
SITE HISTORY

 39 

hundreds of smaller flags were dropped onto the lawn during the fund raiser for 

the Massachusetts Volunteer Aid Society in 1898. 

The monument with inset bronze tablet was placed near the base of the hillside, 

along the north side of the path leading from the northwest corner of the lawn to 

the ridgeline. According to the inscription on the tablet, Hawthorne “trod [on 

this path] daily . . . to the hill [ridgeline].” The inscription, and the identification 

of the path as the “Hawthorne Path” in the Country Life in America article, is 

further evidence that the trail was present during Hawthorne’s life .158

The strength of the wind necessitated moving the celebration to the Hillside 

Chapel, which according to an article in the Boston Transcript was in “back of the 

old Alcott House.”159 After the unveiling of the monument, the visitors gathered 

their folding chairs, stopped briefly to examine the boulder, then walked to the 

Hillside Chapel where the program continued. The Hillside Chapel was also the 

location of exercises that occurred the following three days.160

Many of the landscape features known to be present during the early years of 

Lothrop ownership were also present at the time of the Hawthorne Centenary. 

Significant among these were paths associated with Nathaniel Hawthorne. As 

mentioned, the monument was located along the north side of the path leading 

from the northwest corner of the lawn to the ridgeline. This path is clearly 

depicted in Figure 27 and Figure 28, and is described in the Country Life in 

America article as the Hawthorne Path located “just above the larches” where it 

“starts its circuitous way up the steep hillside.”161 

One or more additional paths may have also lead up the hillside to the ridgeline. 

Margaret Lothrop stated in an NPS interview an “irregular path up [the] hill used 

to come out just inside of the big tree [large white pine tree with wooden 

platform],” and text in Literary Shrines: The Haunts of some Famous Authors

(1895) mentions the “famous ‘Acadia path’ of Mrs. Hawthorne.” Both 

descriptions may have been of the same path, possibly the “serpentine walk 

through the locust grove” cut by Bronson Alcott in the 1846.162

Photographs included in the Country Life in America article also depict the Larch 

Path and the Hawthorne Path. As described by Charles Everett in his thesis, a 

view west down the Larch Path was “very splendid of a regular aisle with great 

towering stems like columns.”163 Everett was describing the row of larch trees 

bordering the southern edge of the trail. 

An extant path connecting the path leading from the northwest corner of the 

lawn to the Larch Path may also have been present in 1904. Although not 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 40 

conclusive, existing conditions and a suggestion of the path in Figure 27 indicates 

the current path may date to at least 1904. 

Also depicted in the Country Life in America article were the two wooden 

benches located along the Hawthorne Path and along the path leading from the 

northwest corner of the lawn to the ridgeline, mentioned in Daniel and Harriett 

Mulford Lothrop Ownership - 1883-1892. Although these photos are believed to 

pre-date the Hawthorne Centenary, their inclusion in the article indicates they 

still existed. In addition to the two wooden benches, the wooden platform in the 

white pine tree along the Hawthorne Path was also extant, although extensively 

reconstructed by 1904. In an interview with the NPS, Margaret Lothrop stated: 

Mother rebuilt [the] platform . . . at least once. From what it had been in 

earlier times, ladder with steps and railing for safety provisions, and 

perhaps enlarged. In redoing the platform [she] made it larger and safer 

but didn’t change it.”164

As evident in Figure 29, the design of the rebuilt platform was significantly 

different from that of the original platform (compare to Figure 23). 

The thesis prepared by Charles Everett includes vivid descriptions of The 

Wayside terraces and hillside. In discussing the evergreens brought by 

Hawthorne from Europe in 1860 and planted on the terraces, Everett remarked 

“It is very impressive to stand in one of the aisles formed by the plantation of 

trees along the terraces and the effect is almost that of a church.. . . The average 

height of the trees is from fifty to sixty feet.” (Figure 30). He also noted the 

evergreen plantation was “lapsing back to Nature’s way as the terraces are no 

longer kept up and the whole has a wild and rugged air about it ” and the Country 

Life in America article, described the trees on the terraces as a “dense canopy of 

foliage that all but engulfs the house.” Of the hillside, Everett wrote: 

The foliage on the spur [hillside west of the lawn] and on the ridge is of 

the densest possible and the graceful sweep of the branches of the 

Norway pines and there generally feathery character gives an effect of 

extreme loveliness. 

Everett was particularly fond of a “superb elm tree” growing above the stone 

retaining wall. He wrote “The way the drooping branches sweep down over this 

wall is one of the loveliest and most characteristic features of the composition.” 

According to Everett, the elm branches drooped so low they touched the lawn, 

about six feet below the base of the tree. He was less impressed by the evergreens 

surrounding the “superb elm” and three elms located further up the hill. He said, 
SITE HISTORY

 41 

“the great mass of [evergreen] foliage is decidedly dark and when not lighted by a 

brilliant sun, most depressing.” 

The landscape feature described in his thesis in the most detail was The Wayside 

lawn. According to Everett, the “bright green lawn” measured eighty-eight feet 

“from the piazza to the first tree of the slope” and eighty-five feet “from the stone 

wall at the rear to the street boundary of trees (Figures 31 and 32). He described 

the lawn as “rather oblong in shape and somewhat irregular . . . its contour is 

clearly marked by surrounding masses of dense foliage.” Of the lawn’s 

topography, Everett stated: 

. . . two levels run across, making not a continuous flat lawn, but one 

divided within reason into three slopes. These to be sure are very slight, 

about thirty feet apart and with a change in height of about ten inches. 

As stated in the thesis, a double row of mature trees stood as a barrier between 

the southern edge of the lawn and Lexington Road. The rows were planted 

about four feet apart and trees within the rows were spaced at “arbitrary 

intervals.” The rows, which consisted of “Norway Pines [spruce], hemlocks and 

three or four magnificent elm,” extend west from the southwestern corner of the 

piazza, stopping abruptly about two-thirds of the way across the lawn (Figure 33). 

The double row of trees may have been the “rows of evergreens” planted by 

Bronson Alcott in 1846.” Everett stated that although the distance between the 

tree trunks and their “high growing branches” did not provide a solid screen 

between the piazza and the “gaze of passer-bys,” the character of the tree 

planting “afford[ed] a charming view of the undulating fields beyond on the 

other side of the street, with the hills beyond covered with dark green masses and 

following the contour the bendings of the Concord River.” 

Commenting on a “gap” created by an opening between the end of the double 

row of trees and the beginning of the forested hillside, Everett stated “it seems as 

though trees were meant to be there.” He suggested that perhaps some trees had 

either died out or had been taken out. Everett referred to the gap as an 

“unpleasant hole in the foliage” which made an “all too easy [an] entrance for 

eager sightseers” (see Figure 28). 

A deciduous hedge bordered the southern edge of the double row of trees and 

extended east across the front of The Wayside property (see Figure 28). The 

species of shrub within the hedge is unclear. In the 1904 Country Life in America

article, the hedge was referred to as “a hawthorne hedge” and in Everett’s thesis 

he stated it was a “rather low and scattering lilac hedge.” In an interview with the 

NPS, Margaret Lothrop said her mother “had to replace the older one [hedge],” 

which could indicate why two different species are mentioned. However, a close 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 42 

examination of available historic photographs indicates that neither hawthorn 

nor lilacs were used as hedge material in front of The Wayside. 

However ,“a few straggly lilac bushes,” as described by Everett, were located at 

the northeast corner of the lawn, adjacent to the stone retaining wall. Existing 

lilac shrubs in the same location confirm Everett’s identification (Figure 34). 

A path encircled the house, connecting the service area in back of the house to 

the front of the house (Figures 35 and 36). Paths also ran between the house and 

the barn, from the front bay window (original front door location) to the public 

walkway (see Figure 36), and from the eastern edge of the lawn to the public 

walkway, which paralleled Lexington Road. An entry drive was located between 

the house and the barn (Figure 37). 

Historic photographs dating from the early 1900s to 1920s depict wooden 

boardwalk covering portions of the paths, including the paths between the house 

and the barn, the front of the house to the side (east) entrance, the front of the 

house to the public walkway, and from southeastern corner of the lawn to the 

public walkway. The walk consisted of horizontally placed boards, about threefeet long (Figures 38 and 39). The boardwalk is not evident in all historic 

photographs from this period, which probably indicates it was only used during 

the warmer months (Figure 40). 

Quiet Years at The Wayside, 1905 to 1924 

Following Margaret’s graduation from Smith College in 1905, both Harriett and 

Margaret began spending considerable time away from The Wayside. The two 

women sailed to Europe three times between 1905 and 1910, their extended trips 

lasting up to ten months each. In between trips abroad, they traveled state-side 

and spent time at The Wayside.165 

From 1911, when Margaret began graduate studies at Leland Stanford University, 

until her death in 1924, Harriett Lothrop spent winters in California with her 

daughter. Accounts in the Concord Enterprise indicate Harriett rented The 

Wayside at least four years during this period. Given that she typically stayed at 

the Colonial Inn during this period, when she was in Concord, she may have 

consistently rented the house. On several occasions during this period, Harriett 

entertained at The Wayside. Theses events may have occurred between 

rentals.166

A number of these events were featured in the Concord Enterprise. In June 1914, 

Harriett and Margaret Lothrop hosted an event for the Boston Author’s Club at 

The Wayside, serving members of the club tea on the lawn.167 Two years later, 

Harriett held a reception at The Wayside for her friends, the former Irish viceroy 
SITE HISTORY

 43 

and his wife Lord and Lady Aberdeen. The event began in the Hillside Chapel 

(The Chapel) where Lord and Lady Aberdeen presented stereopticon views of 

Ireland, after which the guests “passed over the Larch Path . . . to tea served on 

The Wayside lawn”168 (Figures 41 and 42). In 1923, and again in 1924 (just 

month’s before her death), Harriett Lothrop hosted events at The Wayside for 

the Children of the American Revolution. On July 25, 1923 she gave a “pretty 

party” for the Old North Bridge Chapter CAR at the Hillside Chapel [The 

Chapel] and on the grounds of The Wayside, and on May 14, 1924 she hosted a 

“Mother’s and Guest Day” at The Wayside.169

Historic photographs provide images of The Wayside landscape in the 1910s and 

early 1920s (Figure 43 and 44). As depicted in Figure 43, the evergreens on the 

hillside and terraces towered above the house. A comparison of Figure 42 with 

Figure 43 reveals several changes in front of the house between 1916 and c. 1922. 

By c. 1922, a large pine tree which had stood in front of the house was gone, and 

the hitching post had been moved further west from its original position along 

the road in front of the bay window. Also, a mailbox had been installed along the 

road, just west of the hitching post. Figure 44 depicts the service area in front of 

the barn, and between the barn and the house. Visible in the photograph are 

several shrubs near the house, a lawn in front of the house, a large elm, and a wide 

entrance drive leading up to the barn. 

Margaret M. Lothrop Ownership, 1924 to 1965 

Following her mother’s death in August 1924, Margaret Lothrop rented The 

Wayside and remained at her teaching position in California, returning to 

Concord occasionally. Between 1928 and 1939, Margaret explored numerous 

ways in which to sell The Wayside to organizations sympathetic to its literary 

history. 

In 1928, she entered into an agreement with the Concord Antiquarian Society. 

The society opened The Wayside to the public for two months during the 

summer, to see if there was enough interest and enough money collected (25 

cents per visitor) to justify purchasing the house and property from Margaret. 

Prior to the opening, the society raised two hundred dollars, which was used to 

purchase publicity, a sign in front of the house, and to hire several individuals to 

oversee the operation. The Wayside was open six days a week between August 

and September, 1928.170

In August 1929, historian Allen French of the Concord Antiquarian Society wrote 

Margaret Lothrop to report the amount of money raised (the agreement had 

been extended into 1929) through admission cost was not enough to justify 

Margaret’s selling price. As an alternative, French endorsed an interest from the 

Trustees of Public Reservation in acquiring The Wayside.171
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 44 

Margaret Lothrop also looked to members of the educational community for 

potential purchase and preservation of The Wayside. In a 1931 letter, Everett 

Getchell of the English Department at the School of Education, Boston 

University stated “as soon as the schools and colleges open we shall begin our 

campaign: and I feel confident that the necessary sum ($25,000) can be raised 

within the coming year.”172 As with previous interest from the Concord 

Antiquarian Society and the Trustees of Public Reservations, no action was taken. 

In 1932, Margaret Lothrop permanently moved back to The Wayside from 

California, and personally opened the house each summer for tourists. Prior to 

her return, The Wayside was operated each summer by a committee of Concord 

residences. 173

A series of letters between Margaret Lothrop and William T.H. Howe, friend and 

president of the American Book Company, indicate the seriousness of her desire 

to sell the house by the late 1930s. During the summer of 1937, Margaret had 

sold “the land back of The Wayside,” (probably included all the land north of the 

ridgeline) and in December 1938 she wrote to Howe “I should make next 

summer my last season at The Wayside.” Margaret expressed her desire to sell it 

to “some educational or literary organization or group, who would carry on the 

type of educational work, which I have tried to do.” However, if such a buyer 

was not found, she would “feel free to take out all of the furniture and sell as a 

private home.”174

The following month, William Howe wrote to Margaret Lothrop, “feeling as you 

do about the work, labor, and anxiety of carrying on ‘The Wayside,’ I am 

convinced that you should dispose of it.” William Howe offered to distribute an 

announcement of the proposed sale to educational journals.175 

In letters that followed, Margaret Lothrop shared with Howe various proposed 

plans for the sale of The Wayside, none of which transpired. In November, 1938, 

Margaret wrote “there seems to be no purely literary or educational organization 

or institution . . . capable or willing to undertake the purchase of The Wayside,” 

and that “proper management requires an organization with experience 

managing an historic house or a museum.” She came to the conclusion that the 

“Concord Antiquarian Society best fulfills these ideals,”176 despite earlier 

reservations. Margaret initially wanted the house to “remain a home,” versus a 

“cold museum,” where the “happy family life, etc. of the former authors is 

stressed.”177

By the summer of 1939, Margaret was in the process of writing her book The 

Wayside, Home of Authors, to be published by the American Book Company. Both 
SITE HISTORY

 45 

Margaret Lothrop and William Howe hoped publication of the book would 

arouse interest from suitable buyers.178 

In August, 1939, William Howe died unexpectedly. In a letter following his death 

to Mauck Brammer at the American Book Company, Margaret stressed the need 

to have her book published by Christmas, stating “I MUST make next year my 

last year here showing it [Wayside] to the public. I cannot bear the physical and 

financial strain any longer.”179 Although her book was published in 1940, it did 

not result in the sale of The Wayside. Margaret Lothrop remained at The 

Wayside, continuing to open it to the public, for another twenty-five years. 

 

The Great Hurricane of 1938 

In addition to enduring the he normal strain from operating The Wayside, 

Margaret had to contend with the damaging affect of the September 1938 

hurricane, which devastated The Wayside landscape. In Concord, an estimated 

twelve hundred public trees were blown down by the storm.180 At The Wayside, 

many of the trees planted eighty to one hundred years earlier by Bronson Alcott 

and Nathaniel Hawthorne were destroyed. 

In an interview with the NPS in 1961, Margaret recalled that at least three tall 

pines which had been planted by Alcott in the front yard fell before her eyes, and 

then an eighty-foot Norway spruce on the terraces behind the house broke ten 

feet or more from the ground. 

First one tree went down and then another and still another, the amount 

of visible sky increasing. The noise was terrific.181 

She also mentioned during the interview, that some of the larches along the Larch 

path had fallen during the heavy winds. Only a month after the hurricane 

Margaret wrote a letter to Paule Frese, editor of The Flower Grower, in which 

she stated: 

It is to be noted that the larch trees, forming the border of the famous 

“Larch Path” . . . are still proudly waving their heads high above the path. 

They were not damaged. 182

Together, these two references to the larch path seem to indicate that only a few 

of the larch trees were destroyed during the hurricane. 

Margaret also wrote to Frese, “The trees had obtained an unusual height, closely 

planted as they were. It is hoped that a few of the trees may be saved, although 

not those of extreme height.” She expressed to Frese how fortunate it was that 

the buildings were preserved and asked the editor not to emphasis in the 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 46 

magazine the destruction of the trees “much as we are saddened by their loss.” 

She ended her letter, “It’s a sad sight.” 

Ten days after the hurricane, Margaret Lothrop arranged to have the blown 

down and damaged trees removed. She entered into an agreement with John 

Forbes of the Concord Ice Company in which Forbes would pay her seventy-five 

dollars “for the wood on my land.”183 Margaret specified that he was to take only 

“fallen trees . . . and any dead trees now standing.” He was also required to “cut 

stumps close to the ground” and to “leave brush in piles suitable for burning.” As 

a secondary deal, Margaret gave him permission to cut “two single tall [spruce 

trees] on the top of the hill behind the house, the three tall ones behind the 

house, and two tall leaning ones near the road.” in exchange for removal of 

“some trees which may be dangerous or unsightly but about which no 

determination can be made now.” In the 1961 NPS interview Margaret Lothrop 

stated she had sold the mature spruce trees because the devastation was so great 

she could not afford to restore the landscape.184

An article in the November 18, 1938 Boston Globe stated John Forbes had 

purchased The Wayside timber to construct a new icehouse. According to the 

article, Forbes thought it would take all winter to remove an estimated half 

million feet of lumber, and that it had been necessary to employ a team of lightyoked oxen to remove the sixty-foot trees, because the hillside was too steep for a 

truck or tractor (Figures 45 and 46).185 

In her book The Wayside, Home of Authors (1940), Margaret Lothrop wrote of 

the post-hurricane hillside: 

Sometimes now I look at the bare terraces behind the house, the 

destruction of those towering trees seems almost unendurable. They 

had not only formed a dark green frame for The Wayside, but also 

created a shaded, sun-flecked retreat.186

Her sadness of the view was tempered by the knowledge that for the first time in 

about one hundred years, the open hillside allowed northern sunlight to 

penetrated The Wayside, as it had during Hawthorne’s lifetime 

(Figure 47). 

. . . I catch myself reflecting that the sunshine which now floods Mrs. 

Hawthorne’s parlor has changed it from the gloomy place I had always 

known to the cheerful room Mrs. Hawthorne must have had when the 

trees were little.187
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 47 

She also acknowledged that the loss of trees on the hillside and terraces opened 

views of the surrounding countryside, similar to views experienced by 

Hawthorne. 

. . . with [the loss of trees on the terrace], and the thinning of trees on the 

farther slope of the hill, the wide vista over the meadows so dearly loved 

by Mr. Hawthorne, is once more visible from his hilltop path 

[Hawthorne Path] where he used to pace back and forth as he planned 

his future work.188

Of the evergreens planted by Alcott and/or Hawthorne along the cathedral aisle 

on the eight-acre parcel, Margaret stated in a 1966 NPS interview, “The trees 

were topped after the 1938 hurricane by Mr. Carruth, who thought that another 

hurricane might destroy [them].”189 At the time of the hurricane, the Carruth’s 

owned the eight-acre parcel. In c. 1945, Mrs. Carruth sold the property to 

Margaret Lothrop.190

The Wayside Landscape, 1939 to 1965 

A photograph from the 1940s depicts young secondary growth evergreens on the 

terraces in back of the house, probably seedlings that survived the hurricane or 

grew from buried seeds (Figure 48). In the years that followed, some of the 

evergreens grew to maturity, however, deciduous trees would ultimately 

dominate the hillside. 

A collection of receipts found in the park archives dating from 1941 and 1955 

indicate the nature of some landscape improvements undertaken by Margaret 

Lothrop in the 1940s and 1950s. In the fall of 1941, Margaret hired Jenks Tree 

Service on three separate days to remove an unspecified number of trees, possibly 

damaged trees undetected after the hurricane. A note at the bottom of the receipt 

indicated there might be additional trees that needed to be removed.191

In July 1946 Margaret Lothrop paid the Suburban Tree Service to spray shade 

trees, and then in September 1946 she hired the same company to cut down two 

elms.192 Ten years earlier, Margaret received a letter from R.H. Allen, the 

Massachusetts Director of Pest Control, who identified insect specimens sent to 

him from The Wayside as elm leaf beetles.193 This, or perhaps Dutch elm disease, 

may have been what caused the death of the elms removed. A second invoice 

from the Suburban Tree Service indicates more trees (species unidentified) were 

removed in December 1946.194

Later invoices for loam, bone meal, and “Liberty Lawn” indicate Margaret 

Lothop improved the lawn, and a 1955 invoice from the Suburban Tree Service 

states she paid $115 for pruning.195
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 48 

Historic photographs reveal several trees and shrubs planted by Margaret 

Lothrop, including a deciduous tree near the western façade of the piazza, two 

lilac bushes along the western edge of the lawn, and a Norway spruce in the 

middle of the southern half of the lawn (Figures 49 to 51). 

In interviews with the NPS, Margaret Lothrop mentioned planting daylilies along 

the stonewall after 1932. She also remembered planting a rose bush west of the 

barn, and thought perhaps she had planted roses at the southeast corner of the 

house. Photographs c. 1965 to 1968, prior to NPS landscaping, depict numerous 

ornamental plantings around the house. Species observed in these photographs 

include daylilies, lilacs, barberry, ferns, lily-of-the-valley, iris, and foxglove. Also 

depicted is the vine growing on the western façade of the piazza, mentioned 

earlier, and vines growing along two trellises: one at the southeast corner of the 

house and another on the western façade of the barn (Figures 52 and 53). 

Among the most noticeable landscape changes that occurred during Margaret 

Lothrop’s ownership were the loss of the path system around the house and the 

reconfiguration of the path to the front door. Paths in front of the house and 

along the western side of the piazza, clearly visible in a 1925 photograph,196 are 

not depicted in later photographs, except for a remnant of a path along the piazza 

(see Figure 52). By 1937, Margaret Lothrop had repositioned the walk to the 

front door from the public walkway, which originated further west than the 

original opening (Figure 54). The path approached the front door perpendicular 

to the public walkway, versus the older walk which cut diagonally across the 

lawn. Placement of the new walkway required removal of a portion of the hedge 

bordering the public walkway. 

Margaret Lothrop welcomed and educated Wayside visitors for over thirty years. 

An article in the July 1, 1937 Concord Journal noted “many groups of students 

visit the house each year,”197 and an article in the April 19, 1949 Boston Globe

stated “on the lawn outside, or in the drawing room of the house, this lovable 

woman surrounds herself with children of all ages and patiently relates anecdotes 

and tales about the great people who lived there.”198 Margaret continued to share 

her knowledge of the house with groups even after selling The Wayside to the 

federal government in 1965. As depicted in Figure 55, Margaret is speaking with 

a group of students on The Wayside lawn in 1968. The last of The Wayside 

authors, Margaret Lothrop, died in May 1970. 
49 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 11. View northeast of the sloping lawn and the forested hillside, c. 1890. Depicted in the photograph is 

Margaret Lothrop, playing crochet; her nurse Lizzette; and the gentleman sitting on the piazza (possibly Daniel 

Lothrop). Also note the stone retaining wall, the Norway spruce growing on the hillside, and the apple tree stump 

in the foreground (MIMA photographic collection, #30825, MIMA Archives).

Figure 12. Sketch of Margaret Lothrop (in the rose) during her fourth birthday celebration on The Wayside lawn. 

The view of the lawn is west, toward the forested hillside. Note the path on the hillside at left, which probably 

led from the lawn up to the Hawthorne path (Wide Awake, August 1893, Magazines box 19, MIMA 11299 MIMA 

Archives).
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50

Figure 13. View east of The Wayside lawn and piazza during the August 1890 reception for Mrs. John A. Logan (MIMA photographic 

collection, #24512, MIMA Archives).

Figure 14. View northeast of the rose vines and woodbine 

growing along the western façade of the house, prior to 

construction of the piazza. Photograph by A.W. Hosmer, c. 

1886-1887. Depicted in the photograph are Margaret Lothrop 

(left), Elizabeth Peabody, sister of Sophia Hawthorne (center), 

and Daniel Lothrop, and Margaret Lothrop (right). Also note 

the lawn and the paths (MIMA Photographic Collection, 

#24501).
51 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 15. View northeast of The Wayside, c. 1883-1887. Note Lexington Road in the foreground, the “stately elm” (center), the paths 

along the road and to the front door, the hedge along the path, the “evergreens in front of the lawn” (left), the Hawthorne Tree by the 

front door, and additional evergreens along the road, east of the house at right (MIMA photographic collection, #24603, MIMA Archives).

Figure 16. View northwest of The Wayside. Photograph by A.W. Hosmer, c. 1880 to 1885. Note Lexington Road, the telephone lines, the 

“stately elm,” the path along the road and the hedge (left); the drive up to The Wayside barn (right); the evergreens along the road, east 

of the house (center and far right); the Hawthorne Tree (center); the lawn west of the house and the “evergreens in front of the lawn” 

(background left). Also depicted in the photograph (though diffi cult to see) is a hitching post (in front of The Wayside), and fi re hydrant 

and a gas street light along the road (MIMA photographic collection, #30824, MIMA Archives).
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52

Figure 17. View west of the Larch Path. Photograph by A.W. Hosmer, 

prior to 1894. Note the row of larch trees paralleling Lexington Road 

at left and the more random planting of evergreens on the hillside at 

right (MIMA photographic collection, #30815, MIMA Archives).

Figure 18. View west of the path leading 

from the northwest corner of the lawn 

to the ridgeline at right in the late 1880s. 

Also note Lexington Road to the far left, 

the Larch Path entrance in the shadow 

at left, and the apple tree stump in the 

lawn at center (MIMA Photographic 

collection, #2265, MIMA Archives).
53 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 19. Photograph titled “Hawthorne’s Path, Bottom of the Hill” showing 

the beginning of the path that led from the northwest corner of the lawn to the 

ridgeline. This photograph by A.W. Hosmer with no date probably pre-dates 

the Lothrop’s ownership, but the handwritten note on the card is believed to be 

that of either Daniel or Harriett Lothrop (MIMA photographic collection, #30754, 

MIMA Archives).

Figure 20. View west of the path that led from the northwest corner of the 

lawn to the ridgeline, as it traversed up and across the hillside. Photograph by 

A. W. Hosmer, c. 1880-1902 (Courtesy of the Concord Free Public Library).
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54

Figure 21. Bench at the western end of the Hawthorne Path. Photograph 

by A. W. Hosmer, prior to 1893. Note the Norway spruce and the clearing 

around the bench (MIMA photographic collection, #30808, MIMA Archives).

Figure 22. Bench about half way up the path that led from the northwest 

corner of the lawn to the ridgeline. Photograph by The Moulton Photo Co., 

Salem Massachusetts, c.1888s-early 1890s. Note the path in front of the 

bench (MIMA photographic collection, #30805, MIMA Archives).
55 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 23. A wooden platform in the large white pine, along the 

Hawthorne Path. Photographed by Moulton-Erickson Photo Co., 

Salem, Mass, c. 1890. Note the ladder and what appear to be wooden 

braces extending from the ground to the platform (MIMA photographic 

collection, #30794, MIMA Archives).

Figure 24. The Wayside, c. 1890, showing the elm between the sidewalk and road, the privet hedge and maturing evergreens framing 

the house. Daylilies are visible below the bay window and the Hawthorne Tree is behind the elm near the front door (MIMA Library neg 

fi les SO-13an).
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56

Figure 25. Section of the “Plan of Land belonging to Mrs. Daniel Lothrop, Concord, Mass.” December 7, 1911, [Samuel] C. Robinson. 

Depicted on the plan is The Wayside, the .66-acre lot (Grapevine Cottage) Harriett Lothrop sold to Margaret Lothrop in 1905, the 0.382 lot 

(Orchard House) Harriett Lothrop sold to the Louisa May Alcott Association in 1911, and the Hillside Chapel, on the hillside northwest of 

Wayside at left (MIMA HMFLP, box 79 folder 2, MIMA Archives).

Figure 26. View east of The Wayside, c. 1895, possibly taken on July 18th during the event hosted for the 

Christian Endeavors. Note the bicycle, children and the people sitting on the lawn. Also note the trimmed 

lawn and the vines growing on the piazza (MIMA photographic collection, # 24508, MIMA Archives).
57 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 27. View north of the crowd gathered for the Hawthorne Centenary and the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque, just after it was 

unveiled by Beatrix Hawthorne, July 4, 1904. Col. Thomas Wentworth is presumed to be standing next to Beatrix Hawthorne. Also 

depicted in the photograph is the path leading from the northwest corner of the lawn to the ridgeline (top left) and what appears to be 

a path leading from the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque to the Larch Path (left center). Notice the lack of under story vegetation under the 

evergreens (MIMA glass plate negatives #10150 and #10154, digitally combined, MIMA Archives).

Figure 28. View southeast down path leading 

from the ridgeline to the northwest corner of 

the lawn. Also depicted in the photograph is 

the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque at center, the 

lawn and the house. The photograph appeared 

in The Hawthorne Centenary at The Wayside, 

Concord, Massachusetts, July 4-7, 1904 (MIMA 

photographic collection, #24520, MIMA Archives).
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58

Figure 29. The wooden platform in the large white pine along the Hawthorne 

Path, c. 1900-1917. Note the sturdy steps and hand rail around the platform (MIMA 

photographic collection, #30791, MIMA Archives).

Figure 30. “The ridge back of The Wayside, showing the thick grove of trees now 

covering it” as captioned in Country Life in America, July 1904 (HMLFP, box 79 folder 

8, MIMA Archives).
59 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 31. View west of the lawn toward the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque (distant center), 

photograph by Charles Everett, c. 1905. One of the three “very slight” slopes described by 

Charles Everett in his thesis is depicted in the image, running diagonally across the lawn from 

southwest to northeast (Everett’s Thesis III, HMLFP, box 40 folder 1, MIMA Archives).

Figure 32. View north of the lawn, retaining wall and the hillside. Photographed by Charles 

Everett, c. 1905 (Everett’s Thesis III, HMLFP, box 40 folder 1, MIMA Archives).
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60

Figure 34. View south of the gap 

between the double row of trees 

along the southern edge of the lawn 

(left) and the eastern edge of the 

forested hillside. Photograph by 

Charles Everett, c. 1905. Also note 

Lexington Road, the eight-acre parcel 

on the south side of Lexington road 

(distance), and the wooden sign on 

the lawn. The purpose of the sign is 

unknown; however Everett’s reference 

to “eager sightseers” suggests perhaps 

it was a no tresspassing sign (Everett’s 

Thesis III, HMLFP, box 40 folder 1, 

MIMA Archives).

Figure 33. View east of the double 

row of trees extending across 

the southern edge of the lawn. 

Photographer Charles Everett, c. 1905. 

Also note the hedge bordering the 

southern edge of the double row of 

trees, the vines growing on the piazza 

post, and the Hawthorne Tree, on 

south side of the house. Identity of 

man in the photograph is unknown 

(Everett’s Thesis III, HMLFP, box 40 

folder 1, MIMA Archives).
61 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 35. View northeast of the lilacs located at the northeast corner of the lawn. Photograph 

by Charles Everett, c. 1905. Also note the stone retaining wall and the path leading to the back 

door (Everett’s Thesis III, HMLFP, box 40 folder 1, MIMA Archives).

Figure 36. View north of the entry path leading from Lexington road to the path encircling The 

Wayside. Photograph by Charles Everett, c. 1900. Note the hitching post (bottom right), stone 

steps, and the public walkway. Also depicted are daylilies in front of the bay window and vines 

growing on the front of the house (Everett’s Thesis III, HMLFP, box 40 folder 1, MIMA Archives).
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62

Figure 37. View northwest of the entrance drive (bottom right-covered in snow) between the house and the barn 

(right-off image), c. 1903. Also note the two pines (left and center), the elm, the vine growing above the side door and 

the privet hedge. Image appeared in Country Life in America, July 1904 (HMLFP, box 79 folder 8, MIMA Archives).

Figure 38. View northeast of the wooden boardwalks in front of The Wayside. Photograph by Tolman, c. 1903-1910. Also note the 

mature elm tree standing between the sidewalk and road to the west of the entrance walk (Courtesy of Concord Free Public Libraray).
63 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 39. View of the boardwalk in front of the front bay window, c. 1902. (MIMA 

photograph # 24548, MIMA Archives).

Figure 40. View northwest of the boardwalks between the house (left) and the barn 

(out of picture, right), c. 1902. (MIMA photograph # 24602, MIMA Archives).
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64

Figure 41. Lord and Lady Aberdeen in the west lawn at a reception in their honor, September 20, 1916. Note the dense hillside 

vegetation at left and the mature pine trees along Lexington Road at right (MIMA photographic collection, #33106, MIMA Archives).

Figure 42. Lord Aberdeen in front of The Wayside, photographed by Lady Aberdeen, September 20, 1916. Note the hitching post (right), 

and mature vegetation in front of The Wayside, including the tall hedge bordering the public walkway, and the mature evergreens and 

elm tree (MIMA photographic collection, #24647, MIMA Archives).
65 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 43. View northeast of The Wayside, c. 1922. Note the mature evergreens on the hillside and 

terraces in back of the house, the Hawthorne Tree (center), the mature hedge, the mature (failing) 

elm tree (center right), and the mature evergreen (right). Also depicted is a boardwalk covering the 

path leading to The Wayside from the sidewalk, a mailbox and hitching post along Lexington Road, 

and a “for rent” sign on the mature evergreen tree on the right. The front walkway near the bay 

window is gone (MIMA photographic collection, #24611, MIMA Archives).

Figure 44. View northwest of The Wayside, c. 1922. The photograph is one of only a few historic 

images that depict a service portion of The Wayside landscape. Note the wide entrance drive and the 

mature elm tree (MIMA photographic collection, #24569, MIMA Archives).
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66

Figure 45. View east during the removal of the trees blown down by the 1938 hurricane. Photograph taken in the fall of 1938. Note the 

tree stump in the foreground, the elm, pine and Norway spruce that are still standing on the edge of the west lawn, the house in the 

background and Lexington Road to the right (MIMA negative collection, GR-33a MIMA Library).

Figure 46. View west of the oxen along the Larch Path during removal 

of the trees blown down by the 1938 hurricane. Note the larch trees, 

which survived the hurricane (MIMA negative collection, GR-33an [1 of 3 

negatives] MIMA Library).
67 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 47. View northwest (from the eight-acre parcel) of the hillside in back of The Wayside, following the 1938 hurricane. Note the 

few remaining medium-sized evergreens and black locust on the hillside. Also note the surviving large elm between the house and the 

barn (Lexington and Concord, 1939).

Figure 48. View northeast of The Wayside (from Hawthorne Lane) about six years after the hurricane, c. 1945. Note the secondary 

growth evergreen seedlings on the terraced hillside and few remaining mature evergreens along the ridgeline. Also note the surviving 

elm along Lexington Road, west of the house (MIMA negative collection, SW-17a, MIMA Library).
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

68

Figure 49. View southeast of deciduous tree adjacent to the western facade of the piazza. Photograph by 

Cervin Robinson, Historic American Building Survey, February 1963. Also note the clump of lilacs (left), vine 

growing on the side of the piazza (just right of tree), and the lilac at the southwest corner of the piazza at 

right (MIMA negative collection, 63-125, MIMA Library).

Figure 50. View east of two small lilacs along the western lawn 

edge in the foreground, c. 1950. Note the groomed lawn, tree 

stump and daylilies along the lawn edge (bottom right), vines 

growing on the piazza, and the plantings along the base of the 

piazza (MIMA negative collection, WE-22an, MIMA Library).
69 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 51. View east of the Norway spruce in the middle of the southern half of the lawn with the Hawthorne 

Tree on the right. Photographed by O.W. Carroll, c. 1967-1969 (MIMA negative collection, 71-403, MIMA Library).

Figure 52. View northeast of ornamental plantings around the piazza. Photograph by O.W. Orville Carroll, July 

12, 1967. Depicted are two clumps of lilacs (right and distant left), vines on the western façade of the piazza, 

daylilies at the base of the vine, and a small barberry under the lilac (right). Also note the tree stump (left) of the 

deciduous tree planted by Margaret Lothop (see Figure 44) and the footpath (MIMA negative collection, 71-307, 

MIMA Library).
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

70

Figure 53. View north of ornamental plantings along southern facade of the house, east of the bay window. 

Photograph by O.W. Carroll, July 12, 1967. Plantings depicted include daylilies (left), a small barberry shrub (building 

corner), foxglove (right), a vine growing on the trellis (right) and milkweed in the center of the bed (MIMA negative 

collection, 71-305, MIMA Library).

Figure 54. View north of dog by the walkway to the front 

door. Photograph by Margaret Lothrop, 1937. Note the 

Hawthorne Tree to the left of the door and the lilac and iris to 

the right of the door (MIMA photographic collection, #24542, 

MIMA Archives).
71 

SITE HISTORY

Figure 55. View southwest of Margaret Lothrop on The Wayside lawn, speaking to a group with the trunks of a white pine and elm 

visible in the background to the left and the branches of a Norway spruce to the right. Photographed by O.W. Carroll, c. 1968 (Courtesy 

of Orville Carroll).
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 72 

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, 1965 TO PRESENT 

In 1959, Minute Man NHP was established for its association with the opening 

events of the American Revolution. As identified in the park’s enabling 

legislation, The Wayside was located in an area of land that could be acquired in 

the future. In June of 1965 the NPS purchased The Wayside and its associated 

lands from Margaret Lothrop for $56,800 and integrated the property into the 

adjacent park. The house fit thematically under the original enabling legislation 

because of its association with Samuel Whitney, who owned the house in 1775 

and served as the muster master of the Concord Minutemen. The park also 

recognized the significance of the property for subsequent eras and for multiple 

themes in American history. 

The purchase included the house, 3.32 acres, and some of the furnishings and 

objects in the house. The property by this time consisted of the house and 

immediate yard, the crest and southern portion of the hillside, the 0.34-acre 

parcel south of Lexington Road and east of Hawthorne Lane (the remnant of the 

Emerson field), and the lot south of Lexington Road and west of Hawthorne 

Lane (now the visitor parking lot). The Wayside was closed for extensive 

restoration work until April 1971 when it was opened to the public. Around that 

time, the historic elm tree near the Barn entrance was removed due to disease. 

When The Wayside was first purchased, the NPS decided to interpret the house 

through to the year 1924, the year of Harriett Lothrop’s death. In 2000, the 

decision was made to begin the period of interpretation in c. 1904. This date was 

determined based on the commemorative celebration of the Centennial of 

Hawthorne’s birth, which took place from July 4th to 7th in 1904. 

In the early 1990s the park service improved accessibility to the house by 

installing a ramp. In 1998 the park submitted a request for work to be done to 

halt the loss of key elements of the historic landscape. This included a cultural 

landscape report and treatment plan, and using this information to inform the 

work needed to protect the historic vegetation, paths, terraces, and stonework. 

Projects would also aim to protect the house and barn, as over time soils from the 

ridge had eroded down-hill and accumulated against the north wall of the house, 

causing rot. 

In 2006 work was carried out based on the preliminary findings in a draft of this 

report. These efforts included stabilization of the lower terraces, diversion of 

runoff, removal of deposited soil, addition of a stone retaining wall behind the 

eastern side of the house, and planting of historically-appropriate decorative 

plants just uphill of the new retaining wall to aid in reducing future erosion and 
SITE HISTORY

 73 

flooding. A drainage area was also created in back of the house to stop runoff 

water that had, at points in the past, caused flooding in the basement of the 

house. At this time, efforts were also made to remove some of the non-historic 

vegetation identified in the draft report. This included an evergreen in the 

middle of the southern portion of the western lawn, some of the overgrown 

vegetation on the paths, and a clump of non-historic lilacs. 

The NPS has re-established some of the overgrown paths through the woods 

around the house (particularly the Larch Path along Lexington Road and the 

Hawthorne Path up the ridge line), removed and added plant material from the 

grounds to approximate the appearance of the landscape ca. 1904, and repaired 

degraded parts of the house that both detracted from its appearance and 

threatened the integrity of the structure. 

Today, rehabilitation work is ongoing at The Wayside. Several significant 

projects are still needed, such as restoring or reestablishing some of the paths, 

maintaining the ridge area and the gardens around the house, repainting and roof 

work on the house, better preserving of the contents of the house, increased 

visitor accommodation, and vegetation rehabilitation. Visitors are welcomed 

into the house and barn during open hours, and the grounds are always open for 

people to walk the historic paths. 

The Wayside has enjoyed numerous recognitions since it became part of Minute 

Man National Historical Park. On February 4, 1985, The Wayside’s National 

Historic Landmark designation was reaffirmed, and a plaque commemorating the 

designation was placed under the Hawthorne tree, next to the front door. In 

1992, park legislation specifically identified The Wayside as one of the sites to be 

preserved and interpreted, thereby formally acknowledging the secondary theme 

of the park, the nineteenth century American literary renaissance as 

demonstrated by the lives of the authors who had lived in The Wayside. In 2001 

the Wayside was also recognized as being a part of the Underground Railroad 

from 1846 to 1847 during the Alcott’s ownership. A plaque stating its designation 

as a part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom was placed 

on the east side of the walkway to the barn. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 74 

ENDNOTES 

 

1

 National Register Documentation, Section 8:64. 

2

 The house was abandoned 159 years later in 1825. Based on the writings of Henry David Thoreau, the structure was later 

occupied by Casey, the African slave of Samuel Whitney. Casey gained his freedom at the end of the Revolutionary War 

and resided in the residence until his death in 1822. The site is listed on the National Register for its archeological 

significance. National Register Documentation, Section 8:66. 3

 HSR. 

4

 Margaret M. Lothrop, “The Wayside,” c. 1937. (Quotes and notes compiled from Concord Town Records and 

Middlesex Deeds by Lothrop, MIMA Archives, Harriet M. Lothrop Family Paper (HMLFP) Box 79, Folder 7). 5

 Margaret M. Lothrop, “The Wayside,” c. 1937. (Quotes and notes compiled from Concord Town Records and 

Middlesex Deeds by Lothrop, MIMA Archives, HMLFP Box 79, Folder 7); Robert D. Ronsheim, “The Wayside, Minute 

Man National Historical Park, Historic Structure Report Part II, Historical Data Section” (U.S. Department of the 

Interior, National Park Service, Division of History, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation, February 29, 1968), 

pp. 4-5. 

6

 Douglas P. Sabin, “April 19, 1775, A Historiographical Study, Part I, The British are Coming” (U.S. Department of the 

Interior, National Park Service, Minute Man National Historical Park, December 7, 1983), pp. 1-3; Robert D. Ronsheim, 

“The Wayside, Minute Man National Historical Park, Historic Structure Report Part II, Historical Data Section” (U.S. 

Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Division of History, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation, 

February 29, 1968), pp.6-8. 

7

 Robert D. Ronsheim, “The Wayside, Minute Man National Historical Park, Historic Structure Report Part II, Historical 

Data Section” (U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Division of History, Office of Archeology and 

Historic Preservation, February 29, 1968), pp.6-9. 

8

 Margaret M. Lothrop, “The Wayside,” c. 1937. (Quotes and notes compiled from Concord Town Records and 

Middlesex Deeds by Lothrop, MIMA Archives, HMLFP Box 79, Folder 7); List of deeds ordered from Middlesex County 

Courthouse. (MIMA Archives, Unprocessed Orville Carroll material acquired by MIMA in July 2002). 9

 Author unknown, “Amos Bronson Alcott” [cited January 2005], http://www.louisamayalcott.org/bronsontext.html; 

Author unknown, “The Alcotts” in Thomas Hampson, I Hear American Sing [cited January 2005]. Available at 

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/poet/alcotts/html; Anna Coxe Toogood, “The Wayside, Historic Grounds Report, Minute 

Man National Historical Park” (Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Eastern Service 

Center, Office of History and Historic Architecture, March 1970), p. 8; HGR, footnote 1, p. 90. 

10 Anna Coxe Toogood, “The Wayside, Historic Grounds Report, Minute Man National Historical Park” (Washington 

D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Eastern Service Center, Office of History and Historic 

Architecture, March 1970), pp. iii, 1. 11 Letter from Abba Alcott to her brother, January 13, 1847. In “The Underground Railroad in Concord and at the 

Wayside,” compiled by Terrie Wallace, Minuteman NP. 

12 Toogood, “The Wayside, Historic Grounds Report,” p. 8. 13 Bronson Alcott to Junius S. Alcott, as quoted in The Letters of A. Bronson Alcott (Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press, 

1969) p. 117. 

14 Alcott Journal XX, May 8, 1846 as quoted in Toogood, “The Wayside, Historic Grounds Report,” p. 10. 15 Entries in Alcott Journal, June 8, 1845 to June 19, 1847, as quoted in HGR, pp. 16-17, 100-109; Alcott Journal, June 22, 

1847, as quoted in Margaret M. Lothrop notes, HMLFP box 43, folder 7, MIMA Archives. 16 Entries in Alcott Journal, July 1, 1846 to November 1, 1846, as quoted in HGR, pp. 101-102. 17 Alcott Journal, April 29, 1845 and July 5, 1847, as quoted in HGR, pp. 96, 109. In all, Alcott cut at least eight and possibly 

twelve terraces into the hillside in back of the house. In a journal entry dated June 14-15, 1847, he stated “worked all 

dozen of my terraces, having now completed four of them and having four more to finish.” The two halves of his 

statement do not seem to state the same total number of terraces. 18 Entries in Alcott Journal, April 29, 1845 to April 18, 1848, as quoted in HGR, pp. 96-98, 108-110; Alcott Journal, June 23, 

1847, as quoted in Margaret M. Lothrop notes, HMLFP box 43, folder 7, MIMA Archives. 19 Alcott Journal, October 22, 1846, as quoted in Orville W. Carroll, “Historic Structure Report, The Wayside Barn, 

Architectural Data Section, United States,” Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Denver Service Center, 

March 1973), p. 15; Entries in Alcott Journal, May 23, 1846 to June 12, 1847, as quoted in HGR, pp. 101-102, 106, 111. 

20 Alcott Journal, April 17, 1846 to July 7, 1847, as quoted in HGR, pp. 100-103, 110-111. Alcott used “arbour” 

interchangeably within his journal with “summer house” and “garden house.” He also referred to a “grape arbour.” It is 

not known which “arbour” was located next to the rustic fence. 21 Abba Alcott to Samuel J. May, September 19, 1845, as quoted in HGR p. 103. 22 Alcott Journal, April 25, 1846, as quoted in HGR, p. 103. 23 Alcott Journal, April 25, 1846 to June 20, 1846, as quoted in HGR, pp. 103-105. 24 Alcott Journal, May 11-12, 1847, as quoted in HGR, p. 111. 25 Alcott Journal, April 29, 1846 to June 19, 1847, as quoted in HGR, pp. 103-105, 111-112. 26 Alcott Journal, June 22, 1847, as quoted in HGR, p. 109. 27 Alcott Journal, July 5, 1847, as quoted in HGR, p. 109. 28 Alcott Journal, October 10, 1846 and October 24, 1846, November 17-19, 1846, as quoted in HGR, pp. 99. 29 Alcott Journal, April 18, 1846, October 10, 1846 and October 13, 1846, as quoted in HGR, pp. 96, 99. 
SITE HISTORY

 75 

 30 Alcott Journal, April 10, 1846 to July 17, 1847, as quoted in HGR, pp. 96-99, 101, 104, 108-109, 111. 31 Alcott Journal, April 17, 1846 to July 17, 1848, as quoted in HGR, pp. 100-103, 110-111. 32 Abba Alcott to Samuel May, June 8, 1845, as quoted in HGR, p. 96; Bronson Alcott to Julian Alcott, August 1845, as 

quoted in HGR, p. 96; Alcott Journal, April 10, 1845 to September 26, 1848, as quoted in HGR, pp. 96-99, 108-110. 

33 HGR, pp. 26-32. 34 Samuel Sewall & Samuel J. May, trustees of Abba Alcott to Nathaniel Hawthorne, 643:42; Ralph W. Emerson to 

Nathaniel Hawthorne, 625:219-220. 

35 MML, The Wayside: Home of Authors, p. 80; HGR, p. 35. 36 HGR, pp. 36-37. 37 Nathaniel Hawthorne to George Curtis, July 14, 1852, as quoted in HGR p. 118. 38 Sophia Hawthorne to Father, February 20, 1853, as quoted in HGR p. 43. 39 Sophia Hawthorne to Mother, June 13, 1852, as quoted in HGR p. 117; Alcott Journal, May 7, 1853, as quoted in HGR p. 

119. 

40 Nathaniel Hawthorne to George Curtis, July 14, 1852, as quoted in HGR 117-118; Julian Hawthorne, Hawthorne and 

His Circle (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1903), p. 58; Sophia Hawthorne to Annie Fields, July 8, 1863, as quoted in HGR 

124. 

41 Sophia Hawthorne’s Diary, September 1-13, 1852, as quoted in HGR p. 118; Sophia Hawthorne to Mother, July 4, 1852, 

as quoted in HGR p. 117. 

42 HGR, pp. 36-37. 43 HGR, pp. 37, 48; John B. Moore to Nathaniel Hawthorne, 665:411; Samuel J. May to Nathaniel Hawthorne, 688:461. 44 MML, The Wayside, p. 99 45 Alcott Journal, May 10, 1857, as quoted in HGR p. 119. 46 MML, The Wayside, pp. 97-100. 47 Nathaniel Hawthorne to Ticknor, March 4, 1859, as quoted in HGR p. 120. 48 Alcott Journal, August 6, 1859, as quoted in HGR p. 120. 49 George Petrides, A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1958, pp. 18, 148. 50 Alcott Journal, August 6, 1860 to October 29, 1960, as quoted in HGR pp. 120-123. 51 Alcott Journal, August 20, 1860, as quoted in HGR p. 120. 52 Alcott Journal, August 14, 1860, as quoted in HGR p. 120. 53 Sophia Hawthorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne, September 9, 1860, as quoted in Memories of Hawthorne, p. 429; Sophia 

Hawthorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne, July 28, 1861, as quoted in HGR, p. 122; Sophia Hawthorne to Frederick Goddard 

Tuckerman, April 5, 1868, as quoted in HGR p. 130; Sophia Hawthorne to Annie Fields, May 10, 1868, as quoted in HGR 

p. 66. 

54 Alcott Journal, August 8, 1860 to September 18, 1860, as quoted in HGR p. 120-121; 55 Toogood, HGR, p. 148. 56 Lathrop, Memories of Hawthorne, p. 448. 57 Ibid., p. 434. 58 Julian Hawthorne, Memoirs (1938) as quoted in HGR 132. 59 SH to Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, April 5, 1868 as quoted in HGR, p. 129. 60 Julian Hawthorne, Hawthorne and His Circle (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1903), p. 53. 61 Ibid., p. 53. [“in the Critic, p. 69 Julian Hawthorne described it as “some two hundred yards to the fence which enclosed 

Mr. Bull’s estate”] 

62 Lathrop, Memories of Hawthorne, p. 449. 63 Frank P. Stearns, The Life and Genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne (Philadelphia: J.P. Lippincott, Co.: 1906) as quoted in 

HGR, p. 137. 

64 Alcott Journal, September 11, 1860, September 19, 1860, as quoted in HGR p. 121. 65 Alcott Journal, October 29, 1860, as quoted in HGR p. 121. 66 Sophia Hawthorne to Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, April 5, 1868, as quoted in HGR p. 130. 67 Julian Hawthorne, “Hawthorne’s Last Years,” Critic, c. 1904, pp. 68-69. (HMLFP, box 34 folder 20, MIMA Archives) 68 Hawthorne, “Hawthorne’s Last Years,” p. 68. 69 Harriett Mumford Lothrop, “Hawthorne in Old Concord,” Everywoman, July 1915. Harriett Lothrop mentions she 

obtained the information in her article from Rose Hawthorne Lathrop. 

70 Lathrop, Memories of Hawthorne, as quoted in HGR p. 134. 71 Hawthorne, “Hawthorne’s Last Years,” p. 69. 72 Sophia Hawthorne to Annie Fields, as quoted in HGR p. 122. 73 Alcott Journal, September 18, 1860, as quoted in HGR p. 121; Sophia Hawthorne to Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, 

April 5, 1868, as quoted in HGR p. 129. 

74 Edith Garrique Hawthorne, ed., The Memoirs of Julian Hawthorne (New York: Macmillian Co., 1938), as referenced in 

HGR p. 54. 

75 Sophia Hawthorne’s diary (n.d.), as quoted in Lathrop, Memories of Hawthorne, p. 432. 76 Hawthorne, “Hawthorne’s Last Years,” p. 68. 77 Ibid., p. 68. 78 Una Hawthorne to Sophia Hawthorne, May 12, 1863, as quoted in HGR p. 123. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 76 

 79 Sophia Hawthorne to Annie Fields, May 28, 1866, as quoted in HGR p. 128 80 Sophia Hawthorne to Una Hawthorne, September 1862, as quoted in HGR p. 123; Sophia Hawthorne to Annie Fields, 

May 2, 1963, as quoted in HGR p. 123; 

Sophia Hawthorne to Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, April 5, 1868, as quoted in HGR p. 129. 

81 Sophia Hawthorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne, July 1860, as quoted in Lathrop, Memories of Hawthorne, p. 435; Sophia 

Hawthorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne, c. 1860, as quoted in HGR, p. 121; Sophia Hawthorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne, July 

28, 1861, as quoted in HGR p. 122; Sophia Hawthorne to Annie Fields, c. July 1862, as quoted in HGR 123; Sophia 

Hawthorne to Annie Fields, May 3, 1863, as quoted in HGR p. 123. 

82 Lathrop, Memories of Hawthorne, p. 432. 83 Ibid., p. 434. 84 Sophia Hawthorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne, July 30, 1861, as quoted Nathaniel Hawthorne and His Wife, p. 286-287. 85 Edith Garrique Hawthorne, ed., The Memoirs of Julian Hawthorne, as quoted in HGR p. 131; Hawthorne, “Hawthorne’s 

Last Years, p. 68. 

86 Julian Hawthorne, “Hawthorne’s Last Years,” The Critic, c. 1904 (HMLFP B34, F20). 87 Sophia Hawthorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne, September 9, 1860, as quoted in Lathrop, Memories of Hawthorne, p. 426; 

Julian Hawthorne, Nathaniel Hawthorne and His Wife, vol. 2 (Boston: James R. Osgood and Company, 1885), p. 284; 

Sophia Hawthorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne, July 28, 1861, as quoted in HGR p. 123; Sophia Hawthorne to Una 

Hawthorne, as quoted in HGR p. 123. 

88 Sophia Hawthorne to Nathaniel Hawthorne, September 9, 1860, as quoted in Lathrop, Memories of Hawthorne, p. 426. 89 Nathaniel Hawthorne to Bronson Alcott, c. 1864, as quoted in HGR p. 52. 90 Lathrop, Memories of Hawthorne, p. 434. 91Margaret M. Lothrop, The Wayside: Home of Authors, pp. 135-145 92 Sophia Hawthorne to Una Hawthorne, September 15, 1864, as quoted in HGR 127. 93 Alcott Journal XXVII, September 4-7, 1862, as quoted in HGR p. 123. 94 Alcott Journal XXXIX, September 17, 1864 and November 30, 1864, as quoted in HGR p. 124. 95 Sophia Hawthorne to Una Hawthorne, June 9, 1865, as quoted in HGR p. 127. 96 Letters written by Sophia Hawthorne to Una Hawthorne, Annie Fields, and Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, as quoted 

in HGR pp. 127-129. 

97 Sophia Hawthorne to Annie Fields, May 28, 1866, as quoted in HGR 129. 98 HGR pp. 62-68. 99 Sophia Hawthorne to Annie Fields, May 10, 1868, as quoted in HGR 167. 100 HGR p. 68. 101 Julian Hawthorne and Una Hawthorne to Abby Gray, 1132:550; Rose Hawthorne to Abby Gray, 1132:552; Sophia 

Hawthorne to Abby Gray, 1132:554. A comparison of the sum of all the land purchased by Nathaniel Hawthorne to the 

acreage noted in the deeds reveals a discrepancy. It appears that the Hawthornes transferred less land to the Grays then 

they owned, especially north of Lexington Road. Given the 1870s deeds noted the parcels transferred to the Grays were 

the same as those purchased by Hawthorne, the difference in amounts may have been the result of a more precise resurvey 

of the land. 

102 Mary Pratt rented then owned The Wayside. 103 “Wayside School for Young Ladies,” The Concord Freeman, May 18, 1876 (microfilm, CFPL). 104 George and Abby Gray to Mary C. Pratt, 1247:466. 105 HGR, p. 69. 106 Samuel Adams Drake, Historic Fields & Mansions of Middlesex (Boston: James R. Osgood & Co., 1874), p. 373. Drake’s 

book was subsequently reprinted under the titles Old Landmarks & Historic Fields of Middlesex (1876) and Historic 

Mansions & Highways (1899). 107 Drake, Historic Fields & Mansions, p. 373. 108 Ibid., p. 374. 109 “Centennial Concord,” Appleton’s Journal of Literature, Science, and Art, April 24, 1875, p. 527. 110 “Wayside School for Young Ladies,” Concord Freeman, May 18, 1876 (microfilm, CFPL); Alcott Journal LIV, April 19, 

1878, as quoted in HGR pp. 71-72. 

111 Alcott Journal, XLIX (c. 1874), as quoted in HGR p. 138. 112 The Concord Freeman, June 14, 1877 (microfilm, CFPL). 113 The Concord Freeman, June 19, 1879 (microfilm, CFPL). 114 March C. Pratt to George P. Lathrop, 1503:451; The Concord Freeman, March 20, 1879, as quoted in MIMA 

Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes (Box 3, Folder 5, MIMA Archives); The Concord Freeman, March 27, 1879, 

as quoted in MIMA Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes (Box 3, Folder 5, MIMA Archives). 115 The Concord Freeman, May 1, 1879, as quoted in MIMA Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes (Box 3, Folder 5, 

MIMA Archives). 

116 “

The Concord Guide Book,” The Concord Freeman, May 13, 1880 (microfilm, CFPL). It’s curious that Rose Hawthorne 

Lathrop contributed to the publication, given the Lothrop’s desire to curtail sight-seers on the property. 

117 George B. Bartlett, The Concord Guidebook, second edition, revised (Boston: D. Lothrop and Company, 1880), pp. 58-

59. 
SITE HISTORY

 77 

 118 The Concord Freeman, February 10, 1881; March 31, 1881; June 9, 1881; and November 10, 1881, as quoted in MIMA 

Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes (Box 3, Folder 5, MIMA Archives); Rose Hawthorne Lathrop to Thomas 

Wentworth Higginson, October 13, 1899, as quoted in HGR p. 75. 

119 The Concord Freeman, June 16, 1882; June 21, 1882; September 1, 1882; and December 1, 1882, as quoted in MIMA 

Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes (Box 3, Folder 5, MIMA Archives). The articles did not specify whether the 

Hawthornes and the Lathrops vacationed in Nonquit Massachusetts or Nonquit Rhode Island. 120 George P. Lathrop to Daniel Lothrop, 1634:17; Margaret M. Lothrop, The Wayside: Home of Authors (New York: 

American Book Company, 1968), 153-155; HGR p. 77. 

121 Lothrop, The Wayside, p. 159, HGR p. 76. 122 Jean Kincaid, “Boston Letter,” Brains, August 15, 1891, p. 39 (magazines box 28, #11187, MIMA Archives). 123 “The Philosopher’s Picnic,” Boston Evening Transcript, July 27, 1887, as quoted in HGR p. 80. 124 George B. Barlett, Concord Historic Literary & Picturesque (Boston: D. Lothrop Company, 1885), pp. 60, 63. The 

passage does not mention Norway spruce, known to have been planted by Hawthorne on the hillside and to have been 

extant in the 1880s. This is typical of most historic descriptions of the landscape and can probably be attributed to the 

authors’ lack of horticultural knowledge. 

125 Bartlett, Concord Historic, Literary & Picturesque, p. 63. 126 Jean Kincaid, “Boston Letter,” Brains, August 15, 1891 (MIMA 11187, Magazines box 28, MIMA Archives) 127 “A Party at Wayside,” The Concord Enterprise, August 11, 1888 (microfilm, CFPL). 128 “Reception in Honor of Mrs. Gen. John A. Logan,” The Concord Enterprise, August 22, 1890 (microfilm, CFPL); 

http://www.jal.cc.il.us/johnlogan.html, 3/31/2004; Jean Kincaid, “Boston Letter,” Brains, August 15, 1891, p. 39 (magazines 

box 28, 11187, MIMA Archives). 

129 The flag that was draped over the roof in 1980 is in the park’s museum collection (MIMA 61576). 130 Mrs. John A. Logan, “Hawthorne’s House,” November, 1890 (HMLFP box 79 folder 8, MIMA Archives) 131 George B. Barlett, Concord Historic Literary & Picturesque (Boston: D. Lothrop Company, 1885), pp. 59, 63. 132 “Roamings in Classic Massachusetts. III,” The Week, December 11, 1891 (HMLFP box 79 folder 8, MIMA Archives). 133 “The Wayside,” The Saturday Evening Spectator, September 11, 1886 (HMLFP box 79 folder 8, MIMA Archives). 134 Margaret Sidney, Old Concord, Her Highways and Byways, Revised and Enlarged Edition (Boston: D. Lothrop 

Company, 1892), pp. 64, 67. 

135 Margaret Sidney, Old Concord, Her Highways and Byways, Revised and Enlarged Edition (Boston: D. Lothrop 

Company, 1892), pp. 67. 

136 “The Wayside,” The Saturday Evening Spectator, September 11, 1886 (HMLFP box 79 folder 8, MIMA Archives). 137 According to Elizabeth Alcott’s 1846 drawing, the locust grove stood above the barn. However, her map did not 

include the parcel purchased by her uncle Samuel J. May in 1847, and later owned by Nathaniel Hawthorne, which may 

have shown the locust grove extended further west. Also, given she was only ten when she drew the map and fourteen 

years had passed since the map was drawn, the extent of the locust grove may have extended further south. 138 Bartlett, Concord Historic, Literary, and Picturesque, (Boston: D. Lothrop Company, 1885), p. 85. 139 Notations accompanying historic photographs of the bench indicate its location. 140 Septimus Felton was the main character in a book of the same name that was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and 

staged at The Wayside. 

141 MIMA photographic collection, #30803, MIMA Archives. 142 “The Wayside,” The Saturday Evening Spectator, September 11, 1886 (HMLFP box 79 folder 8, MIMA Archives). 143 “A Philosophical Picnic,” Boston Evening Transcript, July 27, 1887, as quoted in HGR p. 143. 144 MML interview, October 2, 1967 (HMLFP, box 83 folder 1, MIMA Archives). 145 MML Interview, winter 1965-1966 (HMLP box 82 folder 2, MIMA Archives) 146 The Concord Enterprise, March 25, 1892, June 10, 1892, as quoted in MIMA Architectural Conservator’s Research 

Notes (Box 3, Folder 5, MIMA Archives). 

147 The Concord Enterprise, 1892-1924 (microfilm, CFPL and as transcribed in Architectural Conservator’s Research 

Notes, box 3 folder 3, MIMA Archives); Middlesex Patriot, 1900-1902 (as transcribed in the Architectural Conservator’s 

Research Notes, box 3, folder 3, MIMA Archives); 148 MML Interview, June 1966 – August 1966 (Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes, box 1 folder 11, MIMA 

Archives); The Concord Enterprise, 1912-1924 (as transcribed in Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes, box 3 folder 

3, MIMA Archives). 

149 The Concord Enterprise, 1912-1924 s transcribed in Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes, box 3 folder 3, MIMA 

Archives); The Concord Minute Man, 1915-1915 (as transcribed in Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes, box 3, 

folder 3, MIMA Archives). 

150 Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar to Harriett M. Lothrop, 2307:267; Harriett M. Lothrop to Margaret Lothrop, 3169:476; 

Lothrop, The Wayside, p. 183; Harriett M. Lothrop and Stephen G. Coolidge, 1-year lease (HMLFP box 39 folder 3, 

MIMA Archives); The Concord Enterprise, July 18, 1906 (as transcribed in Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes, 

box 3 folder 3, MIMA Archives); Harriett M. Lothrop to Charles H. Pepper, 2814:188; Harriett M. Lothrop to Julia L. 

Colburn, 2957:363; Harriett M. Lothrop to Alice Bradley, wife of Will Bradley, 2971:432. 

151 William Torrey Harris to Harriett M. Lothrop (HMLFP box 39 folder 3, MIMA Archives); Bartlett, Concord: Historic, 

Literary and Picturesque; Harriett M. Lothrop to Louisa May Alcott Memorial Association, 3605:104. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 78 

 152 Theodore Frelinghuysen Wolfe, Literary Shrines: the Haunts of Some Famous Authors (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 

1895), pp. 59-60. 

153 “Patriotic Celebration for Young People,” Concord Enterprise, April 19, 1898. (microfilm, CFPL) 154 “Unique and Delightful,” Concord Enterprise, June 2, 1898. (microfilm, CFPL) 155 “Reception by Mrs. Lothrop,” Boston Sunday Herald, July 26, 1903. (HMLFP, box 36 folder 12, MIMA Archives) 156 Charles Everett, “Landscape Architecture I, Thesis III.” (HMLFP, box 40 folder 1, MIMA Archives) and Charles 

Everett to Harriett Lothrop, n.d. (HMLFP, box 10 folder 12, MIMA Archives). 157 The Hawthorne Centenary, Celebration at The Wayside, Concord, Mass., July 4-7, 1904 (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 

1905); “The Hawthorne Tablet,” Boston Transcript, July 5, 1904, pp. 11-12. 158 “Country Homes of Famous Americans,” Country Life in America, July 1904. The magazine article stated “Just above 

the larches [Larch Path], the Hawthorne path starts its circuitous way up the steep hillside.” 

159 “The Hawthorne Tablet,” Boston Transcript, July 5, 1904. This would indicate that Harriett had not yet moved the 

building onto The Wayside property. 

160 “The Hawthorne Tablet,” Boston Transcript, July 5, 1904; Hawthorne Centenary. 161 “Country Homes of Famous Americans,” Country Life in America, July 1904. 162 MML interview, October 2, 1967 (HMLFP, box 83 folder 1, MIMA Archives); Theodore Frelinghuysen Wolfe, Literary 

Shrines: the Haunts of Some Famous Authors (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1895), p. 64; Alcott Journal XX, August 5, 1846 

(as quoted in HGR p. 101). 

163 Charles Everett, “Landscape Architecture I, Thesis III.” (HMLFP, box 40 folder 1, MIMA Archives). 164 MML interview, Winter 1965-66, (HMLFP, box 82 folder 2, MIMA Archives) 165 Numerous articles appearing in The Concord Enterprise, 1905 – 1910, as quoted in MIMA Architectural Conservator’s 

Research Notes (Box 3, Folder 5, and MIMA Archives). 

166 Numerous articles appearing in The Concord Enterprise, 1911 – 1928, as quoted in MIMA Architectural Conservator’s 

Research Notes (Box 3, Folder 5, and MIMA Archives). 

167 “Notable Literary Gathering,” Concord Enterprise, June 10, 1914 (microfilm, CFPL). 168 “Had Noted Guests, Lord and Lady Aberdeen Addressed Gathering at Hillside Chapel,” Concord Enterprise, 

September 27, 1916 (microfilm, CFPL) 

169 The Concord Enterprise, July 25, 1923 and May 14, 1924, as quoted in MIMA Architectural Conservator’s Research 

Notes (Box 3, Folder 5, MIMA Archives). 

170 Gladys E. H. Hosmer to Margaret Lothrop, August 9, 1928 (HMLFP, box 71 folder 8, MIMA Archives). 171 Allen French to Margaret Lothrop, August 22, 1929 (HMLFP, box 71 folder 9, MIMA Archives). 172 Everett L. Getchell to Mrs. Sweet, August 16, 1931 (HMLFP, box 71 folder 9, MIMA Archives). 173 Margaret’s friend and neighbor, Sarah Moore, was custodian of the house from 1928 to 1932 – MML interview, June 

1966-August 1966 (Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes, box 1 folder 11, MIMA Archives). 174 Margaret Lothrop to W.T.H. Howe, December 8, 1937 (HMLFP, box 78 folder 4, MIMA Archives). 175 W.T.H. Howe to Margaret Lothrop, January 6, 1938 (HMLFP, box 78 folder 4, MIMA Archives). 176 Margaret Lothrop to W.T.H. Howe, November 9, 1938 (HMLFP, box 78 folder 4, MIMA Archives). 177 Margaret Lothrop to W.T.H. Howe, December 29, 1937 (HMLFP, box 78 folder 4, MIMA Archives). 178 Margaret Lothrop to W.T.H. Howe, June 3, 1939 (HMLFP, box 78 folder 4, MIMA Archives); Margaret Lothrop to 

Mauck Brammer, August 29, 1939 (HMLFP, box 78 folder 4, MIMA Archives). 

179 Margaret Lothrop to Mauck Brammer, August 29, 1939 (HMLFP, box 78 folder 4, MIMA Archives). 180 Concord Journal, September 23, 1938 (HMLFP, box 68 folder 4, MIMA Archives) 181 NPS Interview with Margaret Lothrop, May 16, 1961, as paraphrased and quoted in HGR, p. 83. 182 Margaret Lothrop to Paul F. Frese, October 6, 1938 (HMLFP, box 78 folder 3, MIMA Archives) 183 Margaret Lothrop to John Forbes, September 28, 1938 (HMLFP, box 78 folder 3, MIMA Archives). 184 NPS Interview with Margaret Lothrop, May 16, 1961, as paraphrased in HGR, p. 83. 185 Dorothy Wayman, “Oxen Scene at Concord Like Bright Tints of Old Print, Boston Globe (HMLFP, box 79 folder 8, 

MIMA Archives). 

186 MML, The Wayside, p. 186. 187 Ibid., p. 186. 188 Ibid., p. 187. 189 NPS interview, August 4, 1966, (Architectural Conservator’s Research Notes, box 1 folder 12, MIMA Archives). 190 “Land Purchased 1945 from Mrs. Carruth” map, (HMLFP, box 79 folder 2, MIMA Archives). 191 Jenks Tree Service invoice, December 17, 1941 (HMLFP, box 91 folder 7, MIMA Archives). 192 Suburban Tree Service invoices, July 23, 1946 and December 3, 1946 (HMLFP, box 91 folder 76, MIMA Archives. 193 R.H. Allen to Margaret Lothrop, May 21, 1936 (HMLFP). 194 Suburban Tree Service invoice, December 16, 1946 (HMLFP, box 91 folder 7, MIMA). 195 Albert Rizzitano invoice, June 5, 1947, Mill Brook Nursery invoice, October 25, 1949, B.W. Brown Grain Co., April 10, 

1950, Suburban Tree Service, January 27, 1955 (HMLFP, box 91, folder 7, MIMA Archives). 196 MIMA photographic collection, #24651, MIMA Archives (July 1925). 197 “The Wayside,” The Concord Journal, July 1, 1937. 198 Pauline Beck, “The Home of Three Famous Authors,” The Boston Sunday Globe, April 17, 1949 (HMLFP, box 69 folder 

1, MIMA Archives). 
2

Piazza 

See 1904 Period Plan Detail

Lawn

Americanelm

Hedge

Americanelm

HawthorneTree

Americanelm

Norwayspruce

House

Barn

Larch Path

Hawthorne Path

Emerson Field

Americanelm

Hawthorne Lane

Lexington Road

Boardwalk

115

110

105

100

155

150 145

140

135 130125

120

95

125

130

135

140

145

150

155

160

100

100

105

110

115

120

90

90

95

90

100

stone retainingwall & steps

clump of lilacs

Norway

Norway spruce

spruce

HawthorneCentennialPlaque

Barn

House

stone retaining wall

daylilies

double row ofevergreens historic 

informatunknow

entry drive this area

Americanelm

pines

hedge

Americanelm

HawthorneTree

walkway

Americanelm

Lexington Road

stone steps

Lawn

stone steps

boardwalk

Americanelm

Larch Path

Piazza

remnants of Alcott’s terraces

Norway

spruce

Norway

spruce

115

110

105

100

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

100

95

EXISTING CONDITIONS

83 

CHAPTER TWO: EXISTING CONDITIONS 

This chapter provides images and a detailed description of landscape 

characteristics and extant features of the Wayside Unit, as documented in June 

2008. Features documented include topography, spatial organization, land use, 

circulation, buildings, structures, utilities, vegetation, views and small-scale 

features. 

The Wayside is part of Minute Man National Historical Park and is located in 

Concord Massachusetts, on the north side of Lexington Road one-half mile east 

of the town center. Single family residences, many of which date to the 

nineteenth century, line the road. The Wayside Unit is divided into three parcels. 

The 3.16-acre main parcel, containing the Wayside house, barn, the Larch and 

Hawthorne Paths, and associated features, sits parallel to and is defined by 

Lexington Road to the south. On the west end of this parcel, a steep ridge 

descends to meet Alcott Road. As shown on the existing conditions plan, the 

property line follows the ridge line and turns east just north of the Hawthorne 

Path. The line turns south and is marked by a split-rail fence along the eastern 

border. 

The southeastern parcel of the property is a 0.34-acre remnant of the original 8-

acre property. It is bounded to the north by Lexington Road, to the west by 

Hawthorne Lane, to the south by a few fence posts and Mill Brook, and to the 

east by several large deciduous and evergreen trees and a private residence. 

The southwestern 2.61-acre parcel contains the Wayside Unit parking lot, a small 

portion of lawn, and a stand of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and red 

maples (Acer rubrum). It is bounded by Lexington Road to the north, 

Hawthorne Lane to the east, Mill Brook to the south, and vegetation to the west. 

A split-rail fence outlines most of the parcel. 

Overall, the Wayside Unit is well maintained and frequently visited by a portion 

of the 1.2 million visitors that come to Minute Man National Historical Park. 

The most notable changes to the condition of the landscape are a result of years 

of erosion. Areas along the walking paths are eroded due to steep grades— 

especially along the southern edge of The Wayside parcel facing Lexington Road 

and the area around the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and boulder. Likewise, 

erosion has degraded the quality of the garden terraces on the hillside behind the 

house, making them less conspicuous than they once were. Invasive species such 

as Norway maple (Acer platanoides), Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), 

and Buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.) have sprung up around the periphery of the 

property and poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) has spread throughout the 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 84 

wooded areas. Undergrowth fills many of the areas and saplings have sprung up 

along the paths and terraces limiting views of the house and surrounding 

landscape. The house is in need of repair while the barn, located to the east of 

the house, sags heavily in the roof. Apart from these worn or overgrown areas, 

The Wayside remains in good condition. 

Guided tours, reenactments, and special holiday events are offered at The 

Wayside throughout the year. The inside of the house is only open for guided 

tours while anyone can visit The Wayside’s landscape year-round. 

Spatial Organization, Topography and Land Use 

The Wayside house and barn, which rest on a level plane and run parallel to 

Lexington Road, form the core of the property (Figure 56). Rising sixty feet in 

elevation from the back of the house is a moderately wooded ridge, which also 

runs parallel to Lexington Road. From the Hawthorne Path along the crest of the 

ridge line, one can see two private residences that are tucked below the north side 

of the ridge. West of the house, the ridge descends and runs southwest to meet 

Lexington Road. The bend in the ridgeline encloses the landscape and, with the 

help of many maples (Acer spp.), oaks (Quercus spp.) and lindens (Tilia spp.), 

protects the house from northern winds. 

There are five visible terraces on the hillside, each nearly stretching the length of 

the house. Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), lily-of-the-valley 

(Convallaria majalis) and young Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Norway and 

sugar maples (Acer platanoides and Acer saccharum) dot the more sunny lower 

terraces, while the upper terraces are in the deep shade of mature maples, lindens 

and oaks with an understory of Norway spruce, American beech (Fagus 

grandifolia) and hickory (Carya spp.). Two sets of steps in the stone retaining 

wall provide access to the terraces. A larger set of steps is to the rear of the house 

north of the kitchen (Figure 57) and a smaller set in poor condition is farther west 

along the wall near the piazza and at the northeast corner of the west lawn. Paths 

from these steps merge and lead up through the terraces to the ridge allowing 

access to the terraces and Hawthorne Path at the peak of the hill. The 

Hawthorne Path (Figure 58) and Larch Path (Figure 59) are both east to west 

corridors that terminate at the edge of The Wayside property at the intersection 

of Alcott Road and Lexington Road. 

The Larch Path runs from Alcott Road to the west lawn. At its western end are 

two entrances, one on a steep slope at the intersection of Lexington and Alcott 

roads just a few feet south of the terminus of the Hawthorne Path, which is 

partially filled in with undergrowth, and a second from the sidewalk along 

Lexington Road, which is wider and more commonly used. Where these two 

short entrance segments merge is a circular depression, with an approximately 
EXISTING CONDITIONS

85 

15-foot diameter which may represent the cellar of the Minot House. The pit sits 

just below the elevation of Lexington Road while the Larch Path lies around five 

feet above the road. The Larch Path continues east and meets with the 

Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and boulder placed in 1904. The boulder is on the 

northern edge of the Larch Path while the eroded path terminus steeply descends 

a couple feet to meet grade with the house’s western lawn (Figure 60). The lawn 

surrounds the piazza on the west side of the house and extends around the front 

and back of the house. The west lawn slopes gently toward the house and road 

and is bounded on the north by a retaining wall, which contains the steep slope of 

the hillside. 

On the southern edge of the parcel, a privet hedge (Ligustrum spp.) stands a few 

feet high, separating the front lawn from the sidewalk and providing a more 

private feel to the property (Figure 61). North of the privets and west of the 

house entrance stands the Hawthorne Tree, a pink and white flowering 

hawthorn (Crataegus spp.). Apart from this vegetation, the lawn is very open. 

The remaining features sit east of the house and barn near the eastern edge of the 

parcel. A stone retaining wall, a split-rail fence, north-to-south-oriented line of 

privets and thick shrubs enclose the eastern lawn area creating a secluded setting. 

Sitting directly across Lexington Road to the south and resting a foot or two 

lower in elevation is the 0.34-acre parcel (Figure 62), historically known as the 8-

acre parcel and today referred to as Emerson Field. Fence posts and trees border 

the parcel from private residences on the east and south while the north and west 

edges are open to Lexington Road and Hawthorne Lane respectively. 

Directly across Hawthorne Lane to the west is the parcel containing the Wayside 

Unit parking lot (Figure 63). The parking lot lies in a north to south direction 

with an entrance connecting to Hawthorne Lane on the southeast and a cross 

walk connecting to Lexington Road on the northwest. A stand of young trees 

forms an “L” shape on the western and southern portions of the parcel. A splitrail fence and numerous deciduous trees bound the north and east sides of the 

parcel. The trees provide both a visual screen and create a wooded setting for the 

parking lot. 

Circulation 

Vehicular roads surround and divide the Wayside Unit. Alcott Road runs north 

to south and bounds The Wayside on the west. It intersects the east to west 

Lexington Road which separates The Wayside from the two southern parcels 

(Figure 64). Hawthorne Lane, which runs north to south and allows cars to enter 

the parking area, separates The Wayside parking lot from the 0.34-acre remnant 

parcel. Lexington and Alcott roads are both about 30-feet in width while 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 86 

Hawthorne Lane is between 20 and 25-feet in width. All of the roads have two 

lanes. 

Multiple historic paths, which have since been altered, lead visitors around The 

Wayside house while newly constructed paths connect The Wayside and the 

southwest parcel. The southeast parcel isolates itself as no path connects it to the 

other parcels. A path and ramp on the east side of the barn serve as the main 

entrance to The Wayside house while multiple paths meander throughout, 

providing access and views. On the northern edge of Lexington Road, a sidewalk 

2-feet to 3-feet wide and made of asphalt in some places and concrete in others, 

follows the curves of the road from east to west and connects with the barn 

entrance, the house entrance, The Wayside parking lot, the Larch Path and the 

Hawthorne Path (Figure 65). The soil in between the walk and curb, specifically 

west of the crosswalk, has eroded leaving crumbled asphalt and an 8 to 12-inch 

gap between the elevation of the walk and the curb. Beginning on the eastern 

side of the north parcel, a wooden ramp extends off the eastern entrance of the 

barn (Figure 66). It runs east and then south and connects to a 4-foot wide 

compacted gravel and sand walkway with soil stabilizer. The sidewalk continues 

west and intersects with a stone walkway which leads to the entrance of the 

house. Further west about thirty feet are traces of a walkway that once led to the 

piazza and west lawn, but the former path is now blocked by infill plants in the 

privet hedge. Halfway between the house and Alcott Road, a crosswalk connects 

the sidewalk to The Wayside parking lot. The sidewalk continues west and 

intersects with the Larch and Hawthorne Paths near the intersection of 

Lexington and Alcott roads. 

At the intersection of Alcott and Lexington roads, the Hawthorne Path climbs the 

ridge in a northeastern direction until it terminates on the peak of the ridge. The 

southwestern portion of the Hawthorne Path is steep, narrow—only a foot or 

two wide—and tightly bordered by undergrowth and groundcover. Also, erosion 

has made the path uneven in many places. As the Hawthorne Path reaches its 

eastern end, another path—not clearly defined—descends in a southeastern 

direction down the ridge and ends at the stairs, built into the hill’s retaining wall, 

located at the rear of the house. This path is filled with undergrowth and is 

difficult to see especially where it intersects the Hawthorne Path. After leaving 

this path and descending the stairs, the narrow rear lawn leads to the western 

lawn toward the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and boulder (Figure 67) where 

the Larch Path begins. The Larch Path, varying between 4 and 5-feet wide, can 

be taken to the west to reconnect with the sidewalk or a smaller and less 

discernable path can be taken past the boulder and up the ridge to reconnect with 

the Hawthorne Path (Figure 68). The only paved paths are the sidewalk, the 

stone walkway at the entrance of the house, and the path leading to the ramped 

barn entrance. The remaining paths have a compacted soil surface. 
EXISTING CONDITIONS

87 

Vegetation 

The most famous specimen, the Hawthorne Tree (Crataegus spp.), resides 

southwest of the house entrance and appears to be in good condition. At its 

base, against the foundation of the house, are a sweet mockorange (Philadelphus 

coronarius) and small privet, both which might be self sown. These are 

surrounded by fern and lily-of-the-valley. About 20-feet south of the hawthorn 

stands a privet hedge which is planted parallel to Lexington Road. In the eastern 

lawn, privet hedges run perpendicular to Lexington Road and flank the path 

leading to the barn. Also found in the lawn are maple trees, day lilies 

(Hemerocallis spp.), and low-lying grassy shrubs. There are several foundation 

plantings of day lilies surrounding the house. The most historically significant 

grouping of vegetation occurs along the Larch Path. Though there are only six 

European larches (Larix decidua) along the path, gaps on the southern edge of 

the path are filled in by mature sugar maples (Acer saccharum), Norway maples 

(Acer platanoides) and lindens. Small and medium height lindens and Norway 

maples sprout up on the path, most heavily on the northern edge. The ground is 

covered in lily-of-the-valley and an abundance of poison ivy (Toxicodendron 

radicans). The terraces behind the house consist mostly of deciduous trees, 

especially Norway and sugar maples. Some Norway spruces also speckle the 

ridge while an assortment of lowbush blueberry, lily-of-the-valley, ferns (of the 

division Pteridophyta) and poison ivy cover the ground. Sitting upon and spilling 

over the retaining wall in the rear of the house are lilacs (Syringa spp.), spiraea 

(Spiraea spp.), forsythia (Forsythia spp.), tulips (Tulipa spp.), day lilies, and 

milkweed (Asclepias spp.). 

In the intersection of Lexington Road and Hawthorne Lane is a traffic island (see 

Figure 64) with Coneflower (Echinacea spp.), sedum (Sedum spp.), day lilies, a 

juniper (Juniperus spp.), and sage (Salvia spp.). The island is maintained by the 

town of Concord. 

The 0.34-acre parcel is bordered on the south and east by maples and evergreens 

while the remaining area is an open, grassy field. The grass is mowed less 

frequently than the other two parcels (see Figure 62). 

Across Hawthorne Lane in the 2.61-acre parking lot parcel, deciduous trees 

border the north, east and south edges and the grass surrounding the parking lot 

is kept short and mowed regularly (see Figure 63). Tree species dotting the lawn 

along the eastern and northern edges include sugar maple, European larch, 

honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.), crabapple (Malus spp.), black oak (Quercus velutina), 

black cherry (Prunus serotina) and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). 

The western side of the lot, however, is less tended and is filled in by a stand of 

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides). The undergrowth and ground is covered by 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 88 

an assortment of plants including: black locust, blackberry (Rubus fruticosa), 

milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), goldenrod (Solidago spp.), jewel weed (Impatiens 

spp.), sedges (Carex spp.), Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), daisy flea bane 

(Erigeron annuus), wild grape (Vitus spp.), sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), gray 

dogwood (Cornusracemosa), arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) and red maple 

(Acer rubrum). Some invasive plants have also entered the area: Oriental 

bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), bedstraw (Galium spp.), honeysuckle, privet, 

multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), and buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.). The view of the 

surrounding properties to the west is blocked by the dense stand of trees and 

shrubs. The ground is covered in long grasses similar to those found in the 0.34-

acre parcel. 

 

Buildings, Structures and Utilities 

The three-story house (Figure 69) rests parallel with Lexington Road and is 

connected by a wooden boardwalk to the barn (Figure 70), which stands about 

twenty feet to the east. A four-foot high stone retaining wall, beginning near the 

sidewalk in the eastern lawn of The Wayside, runs north until it is slightly behind 

the house and barn and then runs west, terminating along the base of the hillside 

directly north of a Norway spruce (Picea abies) on the edge of the west lawn. The 

wall bulges in many places and needs to be monitored in these areas. Northwest 

of the piazza in the western lawn is a small retaining wall with a few stairs that are 

mostly covered by soil and grass (Figure 71). On the south side of Lexington 

Road a set of power lines and street lights runs the length of the property parallel 

with the road. One set of lines connects to the house on the southeast corner 

immediately below the gutter. In between the house and barn on the southern 

side of the boardwalk rests a well once used by the residents of the house. 

Views and Vistas 

Due to the thick understory of young tree saplings, views from the wooded 

periphery of the property are obscured. There are artial views from the first and 

second terraces on the hillside, but any views that could be seen from the top of 

the terraces are blocked by the vegetation (Figure 72). Views of the house, 

piazza, Hawthorne tree, and privet hedge are best seen from the southwest area 

of The Wayside lawn. From this area there is also a break in the privet hedge, 

allowing views to the busy road, traffic island and parking lot (Figure 73). Views 

of the entire façade of the house can be seen from many angles along Lexington 

Road and the 0.34-acre parcel to the south (see Figure 69). A vista of the Larch 

Path is best viewed from either the eastern entrance near the Hawthorne 

Centennial Plaque and boulder or the western entrance near Alcott Road (see 

Figure 71). From these places, the Larch Path, the surrounding vegetation and 

the terminus points can be seen. The terminus point when looking from east to 

west is Alcott Road, while the terminus point looking west to east is The Wayside 
EXISTING CONDITIONS

89 

house. The mature larches (Larix decidua) and maples make the space feel quite 

large. 

Small-scale Features 

Small-scale features at the Wayside Unit mostly include signs, plaques and fences. 

Greeting visitors driving on Lexington Road, a sign is posted directly south of the 

house entrance, perpendicular to Lexington Road and nestled in with the privet 

hedge. The sign marks the house as The Wayside, Home of Hawthorne, The 

Alcotts, and Margaret Sidney (Figure 74). A smaller sign hangs from the main 

sign by two small chains letting visitors know whether the house is open or closed 

for the day. Parallel with Lexington Road and standing slightly taller than the 

privet hedge is a wooden sign with a directional arrow pointing towards 

information, exhibits and tickets. Placed in the grass between the sidewalk and 

Lexington Road to both the east and west of The Wayside house are two brown, 

metal street signs indicating, “Parking”, “The Wayside”, and “Orchard House” 

with directional arrows pointing south towards the parking lot parcel. A third 

sign very similar to the previous two is placed in the triangular-shaped median at 

the intersection of Lexington Road and Hawthorne Lane. This sign also directs 

visitors to the parking lot. A tall, brown, wooden sign about seven feet in height is 

placed on the southeast side of the barn entrance path. The sign contains 

brochures for Minute Man National Historical Park and covered in a plastic 

frame are two sheets of paper containing images and historical information about 

The Wayside (Figure 75). 

Three plaques are placed on the property. The largest is the Hawthorne 

Centennial Plaque, which is mounted on a large boulder in the woods just west of 

the lawn (see Figure 67). A National Historic Landmark plaque is mounted on a 

small boulder by the front door. West of the barn, a few feet southeast of a sign, 

is a boulder and plaque recognizing The Wayside house as a link in the 

Underground Railroad (see Figure 75). 

Starting at the boulder with the Underground Railroad plaque and moving 

directly east, parallel with Lexington Road, a split-rail, wooden fence runs for 

about 25-feet before turning directly north for 35-feet (see Figure 75). The north 

to south portion of the fence runs directly along the eastern property line of The 

Wayside. The same style fence borders the north and east edges of the parking 

lot parcel (see Figure 63). There are a few signs with historical information on 

The Wayside positioned throughout the property. One is located near the 

eastern entrance of the Larch path and aptly describes the history of the Larch 

Path (see Figure 71). As one progresses west through the path, the Hawthorne 

Centennial Plaque and boulder appears to the north, and another sign tells the 

story of a slave named Casey who became a free man after fleeing his owner and 

fighting in the Revolutionary War. East of the connection between the parking 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 90 

lot and parking lot sidewalk is a sign with a map of Minute Man National 

Historical Park describing the historical use and appearance of the parking lot 

parcel. 

Because the unit is bisected by a major road and contains two intersections, there 

are numerous traffic signs that detract from the historic setting. About halfway 

between The Wayside home sign and the crosswalk north of Lexington Road is a 

yellow crosswalk sign, and halfway between the crosswalk and the intersection of 

Lexington and Alcott roads is a “no parking” sign. South of the Underground 

Railroad boulder and plaque is a 35 M.P.H. speed limit sign. 

Two small-scale features are located next to the house. On the northeast corner 

of the house is a rectangular, wooden storage chest (Figure 76). Protruding from 

the east-facing wall of the southeast corner of the house are two cellar doors, 

painted the same green hue as the storage chest (see Figure 56). Both appear to 

be historic features associated with the house. There are no longer any benches 

or outdoor viewing platforms on the property. 

Archeological Features 

There are three main archeological features at The Wayside and a fourth possible 

site. The most extensive archeological feature, ironically, cannot be seen by 

visiting the site. A series of sub-surface drainage pipes has been installed to 

prevent the house from receiving unwanted water that could lead to property 

damage and flooding. A more prominent but unmarked feature is the well 

located just south of the boardwalk connecting The Wayside house and barn. A 

circular formation of stones surrounds the well that is no longer in use today. 

The Eliphelet Fox house, or Casey’s house, is marked with a sign (Figure 77). 

This site rests along the northern edge of the Larch Path directly west of the 

“Casey’s House” sign. Without the sign, the site would surely be missed as the 

area is covered in poison ivy and deciduous seedlings. A depression with an 

approximately 15-foot diameter, which may be the Minot House cellar, shapes 

the land a few feet east of Alcott Road and the connection between the 

Hawthorne Path and the Larch Path. 
91 

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Figure 57. Steps to the terraces from behind the house. The 

steps and retaining wall on the left date to Alcott period. The 

steps on the right were added in 2006 to stablize the steep 

slope, 2008.

Figure 56. A northwest view of The Wayside house and barn (right), 2008. 
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92

Figure 58. View west on 

ridge above house looking 

along upper section of the 

Hawthorne Path, 2008. 

Figure 59. View east of the 

Larch Path. Most of the 

understory consists of Norway 

and sugar maples, lindens, 

and poison ivy, 2008. 
93 

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Figure 60. View east of the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and boulder. The Larch Path connects with the Hawthorne via a steep 

path up the ridge to the left of the boulder. On right in the background are The Wayside house and piazza, 2008. 

Figure 61. View east of the house, Hawthorne Tree, privet hedge, and white pine trunk. The planting along the piazza 

foundation contains sweet mockorange, privet, fern and lily-of-the-valley. A clump of day lilies grows in front of the bay 

window at center, 2008.
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Figure 62. View south toward the remnant of the Emerson Field. This parcel was originally 8 acres and used for agriculture. It is now 

0.34 acres is an open fi eld bounded by maples, white pine and Norway spruce, 2008.

Figure 63. View south toward the parking lot parcel. In the foreground is the crosswalk that traverses Lexington Road and connects to 

the sidewalk on the southern edge of The Wayside parcel. Specimen trees and a split-rail fence line the north (foreground) and east 

(left) sides of the lot. A stand of quaking aspen and red maples bound the west (right) and south (background) sides of the lot, 2008.
95 

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Figure 64. View southwest of the southern parcels taken from the privet hedge in front of The Wayside. The road in the 

foreground is Lexington Road. Intersecting it is Hawthorne Lane which leads to the parking lot entrance. Across Hawthorne 

Lane on the left is the .34-acre parcel, 2008. 

Figure 65. View east of visitors on The Wayside sidewalk along Lexington Road with multiple traffi c signs. The Hawthorne 

Tree is visible in front of the house at left, 2008. 
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Figure 66. View northwest of the east lawn, retaining wall, barn, wooden ramp, and the privet fl anked 

path connecting the barn and sidewalk. Note the foliage in the upper right from the Norway maple in 

the southwest corner of the lawn, 2008. 

Figure 67. The Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and boulder rests at 

the intersection of the Larch Path and a steep connector trail to 

the Hawthorne Path, 2008. 
97 

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Figure 68. View southwest down the steep path 

connecting the Larch and Hawthorne Paths. In the 

middle of the picture is Alcott Road and just below to 

the left is the Larch Path. At left is the Norway Spruce 

next to the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque, 2008.

Figure 69. View north of The Wayside house and piazza. The break in the privet hedge allows access to the stone pathway and 

house entrance. In the 1800s and early 1900s, the opening in the hedge for the front walk aligned with the bay window, 2008.
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98

Figure 71. View west of the stone steps embedded in the ground at center of photograph. Time and lack of maintenance have 

allowed the lawn to nearly swallow the steps. In the background, standing to the right of the Larch Path entrance, is sign with 

historic facts about the Larch Path, 2008. 

Figure 70. View north of the boardwalk connecting the house (left) and barn (right). In the foreground, daylilies fl ower along 

the barn foundation. In the background, a stone retaining wall lines the base of the terraced hillside. Perennials and self-sown 

trees cover the lowest terrace. The stones seen in front of the boardwalk mark a well that is no longer in use. 
99 

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Figure 72. View southwest of The Wayside from the terraced 

hillside. Note the Norway spruce in the right foreground, 

the tall white pine tree in the lawn, the corner of the 

piazza on the bottom left, and the parking lot parcel in the 

distance, 2008.

Figure 73. View from the Wayside west lawn looking south at the traffi c island in the center, the telephone pole and wires, 

and some volunteer black locusts in the lower right, 2008. 
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Figure 74. View east of The Wayside house, Hawthorne Tree, privet hedge and signs. A break in the privet hedge allows access 

to the front door. Located in the opening is the tall white sign labeling the house while the small brown sign near the hedge 

directs visitors to the east lawn, 2008. 

Figure 75. Under the canopy of a Norway maple, a view of the east lawn, information sign and Underground Railroad boulder 

and plaque. Notice the split-rail wooden fence that bounds the lawn to the south and east, and the retaining wall on the east. 

The path in the lower left leads to the ramp and barn entrance, 2008. 
101 

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Figure 76. View northwest of the wood and coal bin, non-historic stone retaining wall (built in 2006), and terrace 

plantings from left to right, 2008. 

Figure 77. View west of the Larch Path. On the middle right, a sign labels 

the archeological site of the Eliphelet Fox house or “Casey’s House.” The 

area is covered with poison ivy, 2008.
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See Existing Conditions Detail

X

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X X X X

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W

Wayside Unit parking lot

Hawthorne Lane

Eight-Acre Parcel (.33 acre remnant)

lawn

Eliphelet FoxHouse Foundation

forested hillside(primarily deciduous)

possibleMinot home site

terraces

forested hillside(primarily deciduous)

Lexington Road

Barn

Larch Path

House

piazza

Hawthorne Path

drain

Alcott Road

hedge

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110

105

100

140

135

130

125

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pine tree

 lilacs

Norwayspruce

stone walkway

mockorange,privet, fern,lily-of-the-valley

walkway

remnantstone steps

stone steps

daylilies

daylilies

daylilies

daylilies

HawthorneCentennialPlaque

HawthorneTree

lilac clump

boardwalk

day lilies, vinca, lily-of-the-valley, subsurface draintrench

Remnants of Alcotts Terraces

piazza

Lawn

NPS walkw

W

Lexington Road

House Barn

stoneretainingwall andsteps

stoneretainingwall

path to terraces steep path to ridge

Larch Path

abandoned Larch Path

remnant entrance

privet hedge

day lilies

forsythia

spirea

daylilies

day lilies, lily-of-the-valley,rose, milkweed

sign, typ.

ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

107 

CHAPTER THREE: ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION 

This Analysis and Evaluation chapter provides an overview of the historical 

significance of The Wayside landscape, describes the characteristics and features 

that contribute to the significance of the landscape, and evaluates the integrity of 

the historic landscape. The first section reviews the National Register status, 

areas of significance, and overall integrity of the historic landscape. The second 

section examines landscape characteristics, such as spatial organization, 

circulation, and vegetation, and compares the findings from the site history with 

the existing conditions of the landscape as documented in June 2008. A summary 

table at the end of the chapter lists all documented landscape characteristics and 

features. The area documented includes the entire 6.11-acre Wayside Unit, 

consisting of three parcels, which coincides with the boundary of the National 

Register Historic District. 

NATIONAL REGISTER AND NATIONAL LANDMARK STATUS 

This analysis and evaluation is based on criteria and aspects of integrity 

developed by the National Register of Historic Places Program, which lists 

properties that are significant to our nation’s history and prehistory. According 

to the National Register, historic significance may be present in districts, sites, 

buildings, structures, and objects that possess integrity of location, design, 

materials, workmanship, feeling, and association which meet at least one of the 

following criteria: 

A. Associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the 

broad patterns of history. 

B. Associated with the lives of persons significant in our past 

C. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type period, or method of 

construction, or that represents the work of a master, or that possesses 

high artistic values, or that represents a significant and distinguishable 

entity whose components may lack individual distinction. 

D. Yields or may be likely to yield information in prehistory or history. 

The Wayside, located within Minute Man National Historical Park, was 

designated a National Historic Landmark on December 29, 1962 for its 

architectural, social/humanitarian and literary significance—a designation that 

was reaffirmed on February 4, 1985 because the initial designation was not 

officially recorded. The boundary for the Landmark designation encompasses 

3.25 acres on the north side of Lexington Road including the home, barn, 

Hawthorne and Larch paths, terraces and associated features. 
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108 

Minute Man National Historical Park, including the boundaries of the Wayside 

Unit, was administratively listed in the National Register of Historic Places on 

October 15th of 1966. Documentation was accepted by the Keeper in November 

of 2002 and amended to include archeological significance in December of 2002. 

The documentation was amended again in October of 2006 to correct errors and 

included supplemental listings based on the results of subsequent research. The 

period of significance for Minute Man National Historical Park Historic District 

begins in 1655, the date of construction of the Meriam House, the oldest feature 

in the park for which physical evidence survives. The period of significance ends 

in 1959, the year the national park was established. The historic district includes 

the three units with in the park—the North Bridge, Battle Road and Wayside 

units. 

Minute Man National Historical Park is significant at the national level under 

Criterion A in the areas of military and commemoration of the American 

Revolution, and under Criterion B for association with prominent literary figures 

of the 19th and 20th centuries. The park is significant at the local level under 

Criterion A for its agricultural heritage, Criterion C for Colonial architecture, and 

under Criterion D for archeology. Overall the site retains historical integrity 

including its location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and 

association. 

EVALUATION OF INTEGRITY 

Integrity is the ability of a property to convey its significance. While evaluation of 

integrity is often a subjective judgment, it must be grounded in an understanding 

of a property’s physical features and how they relate to its significance. The 

National Register identifies seven aspects of integrity.1

 Retention of these 

qualities is essential for a property to convey its significance, though all seven 

qualities need not be present to convey a sense of past time and place. Using 

these seven aspects of integrity, the six areas of significance identified above are 

described and summarized in Table 1. 

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANCE AND INTEGRITY 

 

Military Events of April 19, 1775 

The primary significance of Minute Man NHP is under Criterion A at the 

national level for its association with the military events of April 19, 1775, when 

the Battle of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the Revolutionary 

War—one of the most significant events in American history. The park was 

established in 1959 because of its significance as the site of the first battle of the 

American Revolution. The Wayside Unit was, in part, added to the park in 1965 

in part because of its association with the battle. Samuel Whitney, muster master 

for the Concord Minutemen resided on the property from 1769 to 1778 in the 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

109 

home later known as The Wayside. The Town of Concord stored artillery for its 

militia in Whitney’s barn just prior to the British Regular’s march into Concord 

on April 19th to seize the town’s military stores. Extant landscape features that 

contribute to the military significance of the landscape include the house, barn 

and the Lexington Road corridor. 

The cultural landscape at The Wayside retains sufficient integrity, including 

location, design, setting, and association, to convey its significance of the 

landscape at the time of the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775. The 

property retains its association as the home of Samuel Whitney, a witness 

building at the time of the Revolution, and the basic organization of the house at 

the base of the hill on the northern side of Lexington Road remains. However, 

the barn was located on the southern side of Lexington Road in 1775. The 

locations of additional 1775 buildings, structures, and fence lines are unknown. 

The property lacks integrity of materials and workmanship because only the 

house survives and it has been significantly altered. The historic feeling is 

diminished by the loss or significant alteration of 1775 features and of the open 

hillside and fields surrounding the house. It is further diminished by the noise 

and visual intrusion created by heavy automobile traffic on Lexington Road. 

Minute Man NHP is significant under Criterion A at the national level for 

commemoration of the Revolutionary War for the period of 1836, when the first 

monument was constructed on the sixtieth anniversary of the battle, to 1959, 

when the park was established. There are no commemorative markers located in 

the Wayside Unit that are associated with commemoration of the Revolutionary 

War.2

 

Literary Figures and Philosophy (1834 to 1924) 

The Wayside Unit is significance at a national level under National Register 

Criterion B for its association with prominent literary figures of the nineteenth 

and twentieth centuries, specifically Bronson and Louisa May Alcott—residents 

from 1845 to 1848, Nathaniel Hawthorne—resident from 1851 to 1852 and 1860 

to 1864, and Harriett Lothrop (pen name Margaret Sidney)—residents from 1883 

to 1892 and 1924 respectively. In addition, Bronson Alcott and Nathaniel 

Hawthorne are recognized for their contributions to philosophical schools of 

thought of their time. The period of significance for the larger Minute Man NHP 

Historic District in the area of literature starts in 1834, when Ralph Waldo 

Emerson began his short residence at the Old Manse near the North Bridge and 

ends in 1924, with the passing of Harriett Lothrop. Extant landscape features 

within the Wayside Unit that contribute to the significance of the landscape 

include the house and barn, terraced hillside, stone retaining wall and steps, 

Larch Path, Hawthorne Path (on the ridge line), patterns of vegetation and some 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

110 

specific trees and shrubs, the front hedge, lawn, Hawthorne Centennial Plaque, 

and remnant of the agricultural field on the south side of Lexington Road. 

The cultural landscape at The Wayside retains sufficient integrity to convey its 

appearance during its occupancy by the different authors. The location of the 

house remains the same and the design of the landscape has been largely 

preserved. The most significant features still exist, though some of the footpaths 

have been lost. The general setting of the landscape remains the same, at the foot 

of the hill and north of the road. Despite passing to several different owners and 

being hit by the Hurricane of 1938, the landscape preserves its general 

character—new trees have grown up to cover the hillside again (though they are 

largely deciduous, not evergreen), the house sits on a small lawn close to the foot 

of the hill, and is separated from the road by a hedge. The property retains 

historic materials and workmanship. The house and barn remain (as altered by 

the Alcotts, Hawthornes, and Lothrops), as do a number of features dating prior 

to 1924 including several footpaths, the stone retaining wall and stairs, the lawn 

west of the house, and several trees , all or most of which date to the mid-1800s. 

Missing features include garden structures, minor foot trails and benches. The 

feeling of the property remains. Although the hurricane destroyed the hundreds 

of evergreens planted by Hawthorne that had matured by the early 1900s, the 

extant mature secondary growth forest reflects the general character of the pre1924 hillside. The extant view of the property north of Lexington Road (house, 

hedge, and hillside) from Lexington Road generally reflects the character of the 

site as depicted in historic photographs. The property also retains its association 

as the home of authors Bronson and Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 

and Harriet Lothrop. 

Colonial and Period Revival Architecture (c. 1705 to 1946) 

The Wayside and adjacent barn are significant at a local level under National 

Register Criterion C for their architecture in the Colonial (1600-1730) and Period 

Revival (1870-1940) style. The period of significance extends from 1705, when 

the Meriam House was constructed, to 1946, when the Beatteay House was 

completed, both of which are located in the Battle Road Unit of the park. The 

core of The Wayside dates to the Colonial period and was possibly constructed in 

1715-1716 by Nathanial Ball, Sr., Nathaniel Ball, Jr., or his son, Caleb Ball. The 

house was modified by the Alcotts between 1845 and 1852, the Hawthornes 

between 1852 and 1868, and the Lothrops between 1883 and 1965. The barn was 

relocated to the north side of the road to the west side of the home by Bronson 

Alcott in 1845, moved to its present site east of The Wayside by Nathaniel 

Hawthorne in 1860, and later remodeled by the Lothrops. 

The Wayside cultural landscape retains sufficient integrity, including location, 

design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association, to convey its 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

111 

architectural significance. Some alterations have been made to the house to 

accommodate modern technologies but they do not detract from the materials or 

workmanship. 

Agricultural Heritage (c. 1655 to 1951) 

Minute Man NHP Historic District is significant at a local level under Criterion A 

for patterns of agriculture. The Wayside Unit possesses agricultural significance 

as it exhibits ties to the development of local agriculture. The period of 

significance extends from 1655, the date of construction of the nearby Meriam 

farm house, and ends in 1951, when the Concord farmers—including those with 

land within the future park—were actively engaged in market gardening and 

supplying Boston markets with fresh fruits and vegetables. The year 1951 also 

marked fifty years from when the National Register documentation was initially 

prepared in 2001. (The National Register typically recommends that properties 

be evaluated after fifty years to allow for sufficient historical perspective.) Extant 

Wayside landscape features that contribute to the significance of the agricultural 

landscape include the barn, terraced hillside, and remnant portion of the eightacre parcel located across from the house on the south side of Lexington Road, 

and the Eliphelet Fox House foundation included within the boundaries of The 

Wayside Unit. 

The cultural landscape at The Wayside retains sufficient integrity to convey its 

agricultural significance up through the mid twentieth century—the end of the 

period of significance for the historic district. By this time areas that were 

cultivated by the Alcotts in the 1840s were abandoned and wooded. The 

property retains its location, design, and setting, as well as its association with the 

previous owners, who in the 1940s tended the vestiges of the former agricultural 

landscape, which were used more for relaxation and entertainment. The 

Lothrops used the grounds to host events—most notably the 1904 Hawthorne 

Centenary. Agricultural features include the barn and terraced hillside. 

However, the site lacks integrity of materials, workmanship and feeling. None of 

the fruit trees exist, nor is any portion of the landscape under agricultural 

production. The eight-acre parcel on the southern side of Lexington Road has 

been reduced to a fraction (0.34 acres) of its original size. Only five of Alcott’s 

original 8 to 12 terraces survive, and they are less defined due to tree blow downs 

during the Hurricane of 1938 and subsequent erosion. Overall the property has 

an unkempt feeling rather than a well-tended productive landscape. 

Archeological Sites (7,500 to 500 years B.P., c. 1665 to 1951) 

The Wayside Unit is significant at a national level under National Register 

Criterion D for archeological sites that likely contain information on the site’s 

early history. The beginning of the period is marked by the Eliphilet Fox House 

Foundation, which dates to c. 1665. Located to the west of The Wayside, 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

112 

Eliphilet Fox completed his house in 1666. The house was abandoned 159 years 

later in 1825 and only the foundation remains.3

 Based on a description by Henry 

David Thoreau, the Fox house was occupied by Casey, the slave of Samuel 

Whitney who owned The Wayside property from 1769 to 1788. Upon receiving 

his freedom at the end of the Revolutionary War, Casey resided in the house until 

his death in 1822. The end of the period of significance, 1951, represents fifty 

years from when the National Register documentation was prepared. This time 

frame also marks the date after which no major alterations were made to the 

landscape by Margaret Lothrop, prior to transferring the property to the NPS in 

1965, while 1959 marks the establishment of Minute Man National Historical 

Park. The foundation site retains integrity of location, setting, materials, 

workmanship, association, but not its original design or feeling as the house is 

gone. 

The Minute Man National Park Historic District is also significant for 

archeological resources dating to 7,500 to 500 years ago, including sites dating to 

the Middle Archaic Period. The Wayside Unit also has the potential to yield 

information on the prehistoric use of the area. Middle and Late Archaic 

projectile points have been found between The Wayside Unit and Meriam’s 

Corner, though none specifically within The Wayside Unit. 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

113 

TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF LANDSCAPE INTEGRITY, WAYSIDE UNIT, MINUTE MAN NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK 

Significance Overall Location Design Setting Materials Workmanship Feeling Association 

Military, 1775 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes 

Literature and 

Philosophy, 

1834 to 1924 

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 

Architecture, 

c. 1705 to 1946 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 

Agriculture, 

1635 to 1951 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes 

Archaeology, 

1665 to 1951 Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

114 

EVALUATION OF LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS AND 

FEATURES 

The evaluation includes a brief description of the characteristic’s historic and 

existing condition in June 2008 as well as a determination regarding the 

contribution of each characteristic or specific feature to the significance and 

integrity of the landscape as a whole. 

Extant characteristics and features defined as “contributing” are those that were 

present during the period of significance and retain their historic character. 

The period of significance for The Wayside ends in 1959, when Minute Man 

National Historical Park was created. However there are several other significant 

events in its history, such as the beginning of the Revolutionary War in 1775, the 

Hawthorne Centenary celebration in 1904, the passing of the prominent author 

Harriett Lothrop in 1924, the purchase of The Wayside property by the NPS in 

1965, and its designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1962 (reaffirmed in 

1985). Landscape characteristics and features from each of these dates remain 

important to the unique identity of The Wayside today. Some features are 

described as “non-contributing,” because they were altered or added since the 

end of the period of significance in 1959. These non-contributing features may 

or may not detract or alter the historical significance and integrity of the 

landscape. Table 2 contains a summary of the contributing and non-contributing 

landscape characteristics. The significance of a feature where its exact history is 

unknown is defined as “undetermined.” 

Topography 

Historic Condition: The topography of the site was characterized by a ridge 

running across the northernmost edge and a broad terrace at the toe of the slope 

where the house was constructed. The southern boundary of the site was 

marked by a stream. No significant alterations were made to the topography 

until the 1840s when Bronson Alcott purchased the property and carved eight to 

twelve terraces into the hillside and cut away portions of the base of the hill to 

level the ground around the house. 

During Hawthorne’s ownership of The Wayside, he hired Alcott to plant the 

terraces and much of the rest of his land on the ridge with Norway spruce, but 

did not make any effort to change or to maintain the terracing of the hillside. By 

1904, when the Hawthorne Centenary was held at The Wayside, the spruces 

planted by Hawthorne were full-grown. Without any upkeep, the terraces began 

to erode, a process that was accelerated by the Hurricane of 1938, which 

uprooted the majority of Hawthorne’s spruces, resulting in further erosion of the 

terraces. Eventually hardwoods grew back on the hillside through natural 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

115 

succession, and provided some protection for the vestiges of the terraces and the 

hillside itself. 

Existing Condition: Since the park began managing the property in 1965 the 

hardwoods have continued to grow on the hillside, and evidence of five of the 

original terraces remains. A retaining wall at the base of the hill, behind the 

eastern side of the house, was constructed in 2006 to control erosion and 

flooding into the house. This defined the base of the hill, but did not alter the 

overall topography of the site. Also present is a 15-foot diameter depression 

north of the eastern Larch Path entrance that may have been the site of the Minot 

house. The rest of the site’s topography has remained largely unchanged. 

Evaluation: Contributing 

The natural and manipulated topography—the ridgeline, flat lawn and remnant 

agricultural parcel, the terraced slope and retaining walls—contribute to the 

character of the historic landscape. 

Spatial Organization 

Historic Condition: Originally, the house was constructed on the north side of 

Lexington Road on the flat terrace below a forested hill, and the barn was placed 

on the south side of Lexington Road, on the plot of flat land used for agriculture 

known as the eight-acre parcel or Emerson Field. When Bronson Alcott 

purchased the property he cut terraces into the side of the ridge so he could 

cultivate the hillside in addition to the flat Emerson Field south of the road. He 

planted evergreen trees between the house and road to screen out noise and dust, 

creating both a frame and a sense of enclosure for the home (Figure 78). He also 

moved the barn to the north side of the road, and placed it just to the west of the 

house. When Nathaniel Hawthorne purchased the property, he soon 

discontinued agricultural activity on the terraces and moved the barn to the east 

side of the house. Hawthorne did not invest much in farming the eight-acre 

parcel south of Lexington Road, but it remained an open space separated from 

the domestic core of the property on the north side of the road. 

Through the Lathrop and Lothrop ownerships, the spatial organization of the 

property remained essentially unchanged. The social activities were still centered 

around the house, barn, and piazza (added to the west side of the house in 1887) 

lying at the base of the ridge, and the land directly across Lexington Road from 

the house remained largely open and undeveloped, despite the fact that it was 

under different ownership for many years. From 1867 to 1945, The Wayside and 

Emerson Field (distinguished by Lexington Road cutting between them) were 

under separate ownerships, but they were rejoined in 1945 when Margaret 

Lothrop purchased the eight-acre parcel. The spatial organization of the 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

116 

property was substantially altered by the 1938 hurricane when many, but not all, 

of the evergreens were removed. 

Existing Condition: Since 1959, little about the general spatial organization has 

changed—the house and barn still lie just south of the ridge, with Lexington Road 

bounding them on the south. The most notable change is in the amount of 

evergreen vegetation extant that defines spaces within the property (Figure 79). 

The eight-acre parcel on the south side of Lexington Road has been greatly 

diminished in size, and is now only 0.34 acres, and bounded on two sides by 

houses. This development limits its agricultural quality, but it retains its 

relationship with the house lot because of its placement across the road, and its 

characteristic of openness and lack of development. 

Evaluation: Contributing 

The spatial organization of the house, barn, retaining walls, terraces and the flat, 

agricultural parcel contributes to the character of the historic landscape. The 

definition of spaces with evergreens has changed but is not entirely lost. 

Land Use 

Historic Condition: In private ownership for some three-hundred years, the 

property has been used for agriculture, entertainment, recreation, 

commemoration and tourism. The earliest Colonial homes were built in the 

1660s and changed ownership many times over the next two-hundred years. 

When Bronson Alcott purchased Hillside (The Wayside) in 1845, he carved 

terraces into the side of the ridge, laid down sod, and planted fruits and 

vegetables on them. He also farmed the eight-acre parcel leased from Ralph 

Waldo Emerson, located across the road from The Wayside. 

In 1852 Nathaniel Hawthorne purchased the property. Hawthorne modified the 

ridge landscape by creating new paths, transplanting trees, and abandoning the 

gardens that Alcott had created. Hawthorne also purchased the eight-acre parcel 

across the road from The Wayside and continued farming it for several years, but 

by 1864 had given up trying to maintain the crops and let the fields lie in disuse. 

In the fall of 1860, Nathaniel Hawthorne planted the terraces and much of the 

rest of his land on the hillside with Norway spruce that had been sent from 

England. Hawthorne enjoyed using the ridge area recreationally and as a retreat 

for thinking. He and Alcott (whom he had hired as a landscaper) created several 

paths to provide access to neighbors (the Alcotts to the west) and also to the 

ridgeline. 

Both the Hawthornes and the Lothrops socialized and entertained on the lawn 

west of the house. During the Lathrop, Pratt, and Lothrop ownerships, tourists 

(both invited and uninvited) walked upon the landscape. The Lothrops actively 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

117 

encouraged commemoration of Hawthorne and his association with The 

Wayside, and hosted the 1904 Hawthorne Centenary celebration. Until her 

death in 1970, Margaret Lothrop continued to host visitors at The Wayside and 

share her knowledge of the house and lands, and the famous authors who had 

lived there. The land to the southwest of The Wayside, much of it quite wet, 

remained open throughout this period (Figure 80, also see Figure 55). 

Existing Condition: Today, the NPS continues to welcome visitors to The 

Wayside, providing interpretive programs as well as caring for the house and 

grounds. The field on the south side of Lexington Road is still open, though 

reduced to 0.34 acres, the core house and lawn area continue to serve as the main 

receiving area for visitors, and some of the paths ascending the ridge are still 

evident and in use allowing visitors to enjoy the same walks that Nathaniel 

Hawthorne paced. The land to the southwest was purchased by the park service 

to serve as a parking area (Figure 81). 

Evaluation: Contributing 

The house, paths, and lawns are still used today for entertainment, passive 

recreation, commemoration and tourism and contribute to the character of the 

historic landscape. Agricultural use has ceased. 

Circulation 

Historic Condition: Bronson Alcott disliked the noise and dust of the Bay Road 

(Lexington Road) and planted a screen of vegetation to provide separation from 

the road (see Figures 78 and 79). Alcott relocated the barn to the west side of the 

house, but Hawthorne subsequently relocated the barn to the east side of the 

house with an entry drive to the road. Alcott also created several paths on the 

property to connect the various features and structures he had built. However, 

most of the major paths popularly associated with The Wayside were created 

during Hawthorne’s ownership. Eager to facilitate communication between his 

home (The Wayside) and the adjoining Orchard House property owned by the 

Alcotts, Hawthorne asked Alcott to cut a path through the larches to connect the 

two properties. This path came to be known as the Larch Path and ran parallel to 

Lexington Road (Figures 82 and 83). Another path, the “Hawthorne Path,” ran 

along the top of the ridgeline behind the house, and was the area Nathaniel 

Hawthorne used for pacing, working and thinking. During Hawthorne’s time at 

The Wayside, the vegetation on the ridge was sparse enough to allow expansive 

views of the surrounding countryside. According to early Hawthorne family 

writings, a portion of this path was bordered by locust trees. By 1904, the spruce 

trees that Hawthorne had planted were mature and would have obscured the 

views from the path at the top of the ridge. 
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118 

From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, the driveway persisted and was clearly 

defined throughout the Lothrop’s ownership. Historic photographs show 

changes in the entry paths from the road with breaks in the hedge at the bay 

window and west just beyond the piazza (see Figures 36, 38, 42 and 43). Historic 

photographs also show a path that extended from the northwest corner of the 

lawn (where the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and boulder are now) in a 

northwesterly direction up the side of the hillside to intersect with the 

Hawthorne Path (see Figures 18 to 21 and 27 to 31). Another path ascended a set 

of stone steps in the northeast corner of the west lawn, ran west from the 

terraces, then descended near the boulder to meet with the previously described 

path and was mentioned in early 1900s writings. A third path ran north from the 

stone steps directly behind the house led from the kitchen to Alcott’s fruit trees 

and vegetable gardens on the terraces. In the eight-acre parcel, the Hawthornes 

maintained a path that was flanked by evergreens and lead down to the brook. 

Public paths along the road, just outside of The Wayside’s hedge and fence, 

existed at least since the late 1800s (see Drawing 1). 

Margaret Lothrop also modified the paths around the house, including moving 

the path to the front door of the house (some time after 1932) so that it ran 

straight north to the door from the sidewalk, rather than diagonally east from the 

front door to a point further along the sidewalk. She did not use the paths 

around the house, and allowed them to revert to grass. 

During the 1938 hurricane, relatively few larches along the Larch Path were lost. 

The largely unchecked growth of new trees and underbrush after the hurricane 

reforested the hillside, but also resulted in the poor state of some of the paths, 

which became overgrown (see Drawing 1). 

Existing Condition: Today, Lexington Road remains a busy thoroughfare (see 

Figures 80 and 81). The entry drive is now seeded as a lawn area (Figures 84 and 

85). Visitors continue to use the Larch Path to travel between The Wayside and 

Orchard House (see Figure 83). The Hawthorne Path remains a point of interest 

for visitors and is passable today, despite a long period without maintenance. 

The path now terminates on the ridge in sight of residential properties to the 

north. The views of the countryside from the ridge are not visible in warmer 

months, due to the growth of deciduous trees and underbrush. The path running 

from the northwest corner of the lawn up to the Hawthorne Path is now largely 

overgrown, essentially ending at the Hawthorne Centenary Plaque. The path 

continues directly up the steep hillside to the ridge from the Hawthorne 

Centenary Plaque, but the route is exceedingly steep and the origins of this path 

are unknown—this part of the landscape is not depicted in the historic 

photographs. The path leading west from the stone steps in back of the house is 

still discernable, but is very overgrown. The path up the steps from the northeast 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

119 

corner of the lawn to the terraces is very overgrown. The paths around the house 

are gone, though a few steps are barely visible at the northwest corner of the 

piazza. The entry path has shifted to the west to align with the front door instead 

of the bay window (Figures 86 and 87). The location of the path from the 

sidewalk to the west lawn and piazza can be located by close inspection of the 

hedge, which has a five-foot section of infill at the site of the former path. The 

path on the eight-acre parcel that ran down to the brook is now largely on lands 

that are not part of The Wayside property, but a few evergreens mark where it 

ran on the remaining 0.34 acres. The public sidewalk paralleling Lexington Road 

along the southern border of the house lot is now paved and graded, but follows 

in the line of the public path that historically lay there. 

The park service created several new circulation features to accommodate 

visitors. These include the walk and ramp leading up to the side door of the barn 

(which is now used to receive visitors), the new visitor parking lot on the parcel 

southwest of Lexington Road, which has a broad sidewalk along its western side 

that extends from the parking lot to the crosswalk on Lexington Road. 

Evaluation: Contributing, Non-contributing, and Undetermined 

The Hawthorne Path, Larch Path, path leading north from the steps in the rear 

lawn, and sidewalk are historically significant and contribute to the character of 

the landscape. The path leading to the barn entrance, sidewalk bordering the 

parking lot parcel, and sidewalk leading to the crosswalk are relatively new 

features and do not contribute to the historic character. From studying historic 

photographs, it appears that the current direct path from the Hawthorne 

Centennial Plaque and boulder to the Hawthorne Path is a recent route, whereas 

the historic route that cut up the hillside in a northwesterly direction is no longer 

easy to follow. As part of a field survey, traces of this path were found and 

mapped. 

Vegetation 

Historic Condition: When Bronson Alcott acquired this land in 1845, it was 

characterized by sandy soils and scrub vegetation. During the three years that the 

Alcotts lived at Hillside (The Wayside), Alcott worked to transform the landscape 

in order to grow food for his family and to create a bucolic setting. He created 

terraces on the hillside in back of the house and grew crops and fruit trees on 

them, farmed the eight-acre parcel across the street from Hillside, and created 

“lawns” of grass and clover in many areas including the hillside, perhaps on parts 

of the terraces, under the orchard on the eight-acre parcel, near the house, and 

on the front terrace. Alcott planted oats and clover bordering the central walk 

through the eight-acre parcel. Around the house he planted pear and apple trees, 

a few elms near the door, and transplanted various species of evergreen trees 

(possibly in rows) between the house and the road to serve as a screen. Abba and 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

120 

Bronson Alcott both planted several decorative flower beds around the house, 

which included bergamot, roses, and quince trees. 

In 1852, Nathaniel Hawthorne bought the property from the Alcotts and the 

eight-acre parcel across the street from Emerson. It was not until 1859, when he 

hired Bronson Alcott to oversee his landscaping, that Hawthorne made any 

significant changes to the landscape. One of the first things Alcott did was cut a 

path through the row of larches to create the Larch Path. In the early 1860s, 

Hawthorne had 450 Norway spruce trees sent from England, and planted them 

on the hillside and on the terraces. Also significant to Hawthorne’s period of 

ownership is the Hawthorne Tree, which stands to the west of the front door. 

The tree, planted by Hawthorne, is an English Hawthorne (Crataegus laevigata) 

and was likely shipped from England. This hawthorn is unique in that one half of 

the tree blooms with double white flowers and one half blooms with single white 

flowers with pink stamens. The Hawthornes maintained their yard as a groomed 

lawn, and used it for entertainment and social purposes. Petunias, morning 

glories, sweet peas, lilies-of-the-valley, Virginia creeper, queen-of-the-prairies 

rose, and lilies were some of the plants in the decorative gardens around the 

house. While Hawthorne had stopped farming the eight-acre parcel by 1864, he 

maintained an evergreen-lined path leading to the brook where Alcott had 

planted his willows. 

The Lothrops tried to preserve the property as it looked during Hawthorne’s 

ownership. When the Hawthorne Centenary Celebration was held in 1904, the 

spruces were mature and the groomed lawn and the buffer of evergreens between 

the house and the road remained. Also screening the road was privet hedge 

visible in historic photographs (see Figure 78). Historic photographs also depict 

a small cluster of lilacs planted just off the northwest corner of the house by 1880 

(Figure 88). Daylilies were growing in front of the house by 1904. 

The Norway spruces that were planted by Hawthorne in the 1860s were largely 

destroyed in the 1938 hurricane. While a few evergreens survived, the gradual, 

natural reforestation of the hillside with deciduous species followed. The 

hurricane also damaged the double row of evergreens which bordered the inside 

of the hedge, and which certainly existed in 1904. Several of the remaining 

evergreens on the eight-acre parcel were cut down immediately following the 

hurricane for fear that they would fall if a second hurricane passed through. 

After the hurricane and through the 1960s, Margaret Lothrop made several 

alterations to the vegetation around the house, cutting down diseased or dead 

trees, fertilizing the lawns, and creating several decorative plantings that included 

daylilies along the base of the stone wall, two lilac bushes on the western side of 

the lawn, a Norway spruce in the eastern lawn, roses west of the barn and 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

121 

perhaps southeast of the house, vines on trellises against the house and barn, and 

daylilies, lilacs, barberry, ferns, lily-of-the-valley, iris, and foxglove in various 

locations. Overall, the care of the landscape diminished in the 1930s through the 

1960s as the Lothrops used the house less frequently. 

Existing Condition: The ridge behind the house is now dominated by deciduous 

trees that have created a general forested character similar in some respects to 

what existed during the Lothrop ownership period, though notably more open in 

the winter months. The few evergreens that survived or have grown in are 

shaded by the deciduous trees (Figure 89). Species on the hillside include 

Norway spruce, linden, sugar maple, and red oak with understory saplings of 

beech, Norway maple, linden, and hickory as well as fern and poison ivy. Only 

one of the evergreens planted between the road and the house remains today—a 

tall pole-like white pine. In the 0.34-acre parcel, only a few of the trees in the 

original row of evergreens along the path to the stream remain, though there are 

some additional extant evergreens once part of the row which are on adjacent 

properties not under NPS ownership. The evergreens date to at least the time of 

Hawthorne ownership. 

In the yard around the house and barn, the lilac clump off the northwest corner 

of the house remains, as do the daylilies in the front of the house and along the 

retaining wall. As part of the erosion and drainage project completed by the park 

in 2006, herbaceous plants were added above the newly constructed retaining 

wall between the barn and the east side of the stone steps including periwinkle 

(Vinca minor), lily-of-the-valley and daylilies. These plants were selected because 

they were likely part of the historic landscape. However, along the terrace wall, 

the number of common weeds has increased. For example, a 1967 photograph 

shows milkweed in a flower bed at the front of the house. Milkweed is now 

common above the retaining wall. 

The Hawthorne tree still survives today, and a propagation plan has been 

instituted which ensures that cuttings from the tree are continually cultivated so 

that should the tree decline, it can be replaced with a genetically identical 

specimen. The historic line of the roadside hedge has been altered by the NPS to 

facilitate visitor circulation and to protect historic paths. It currently consists of 

privet (Ligustrum spp.). The hedge (or parts of it) has been replaced several times 

since 1904, so it is not known if any original plants remain. In 2006, the park 

removed the non-historic Norway spruce tree planted by Margaret Lothrop in 

the west lawn and a cluster of lilacs and daylilies in the southwest corner of the 

lawn. Some of these lilacs and dayliles have since regenerated. 
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122 

Evaluation: Contributing 

A mix of common native and non-native ornamental plants contributes to the 

character of the historic landscape. Tree species include Norway spruce, white 

pine, European larch, sugar maple, American elm, hawthorn, black locust and 

oak. Shrubs that contribute to the character of the historic landscape include 

lilac, mockorange, privet, spirea, and rose; herbaceous plants include day lilies, 

iris, foxglove, ferns, and lily-of-the-valley. 

Buildings, Structures and Utilities 

Historic Condition: The Wayside house was originally constructed some time 

between 1688 and 1717. In 1769 Samuel Whitney, a delegate to the Provincial 

Congress and the muster master of the Concord Minutemen, purchased the 

property, which included the existing house and barn, though the barn was on 

the south side of the road. When the British marched into Concord on April 19, 

1775, they were looking to seize the town’s military supplies and ammunition—a 

portion of which had been stored in Whitney’s warehouse. Fortunately, the 

stores had just been moved, but the British aggression sparked the first battle of 

the American Revolution. 

When the Alcotts purchased the house in 1845, they added two wings to the 

house (made with materials from sections of other buildings on the property), 

closed in the front-entry porch with a parapet, added a dormer over the central 

porch, and moved the barn from the eight-acre parcel across the street to just 

west of the house. Circa 1846, Alcott constructed a long stone retaining wall 

running from the northwest corner of the yard to a set of steps directly behind 

the house and a second set further west, which may have connected to the barn. 

These larger set of steps behind the house led from the kitchen up to the terraces, 

where fruits and vegetables were grown, and connected to a short path. Bronson 

Alcott built several other rustic structures on the property (including a bridge 

over the stream, a “summerhouse,” a “garden house,” a beehive, an arched 

gateway, and several trellises), but after the Alcotts sold the property these 

structures fell into disuse and eventually disappeared. 

In 1852 Nathaniel Hawthorne purchased the property, and made several changes 

over the following years, including adding a second story on the west wing of the 

house, building a writing tower, constructing three additional chimneys, 

removing the western piazza the Alcotts had added, building a porch in front of 

the new front entrance, and relocating the barn to the east side of the house. 

The Lothrops owned The Wayside for 82 years (first Daniel and Harriett, then 

their daughter Margaret). During this time they tried to maintain the essential 

feel of the structures and the landscape as it was during Hawthorne’s time. They 

made several adjustments to the house and barn, many of them to protect the 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

123 

integrity of the structures. The largest change was the addition of the piazza on 

the western side of the house in 1887. The 1938 hurricane, a serious destructive 

force on The Wayside landscape, also damaged the stone retaining walls and 

steps constructed by Bronson Alcott. Fortunately, they were not damaged 

beyond repair. 

During the Colonial period, a well was located east of the house. It served as the 

original source of water from the house and was filled in by the Lothrops. Its 

location was discovered between 1965 and 1971 and stones were placed around 

the hole in the ground and a grate for safety. Also, in 2006, the NPS installed a 

series of sub-surface drainage pipes to prevent water damage to The Wayside 

Home. 

Existing Condition: Today, the retaining walls and stone steps constructed by 

Alcott remain. The stone wall running east of the steps in back of the kitchen to 

the west side of the barn was constructed in 2006 by the NPS in order to stabilize 

the hillside. There is a set of three stone steps which negotiate a slight rise up to 

the western lawn and are oriented to facilitate traffic moving between the north 

side of the lawn and the back of the house. The eastern edge of this rise 

continues parallel to the piazza, and is defined by the remnants of a low, old stone 

wall. The construction date of the stone wall and steps in the lawn likely dates to 

the period when the piazza was constructed in 1887 as they are visible in a c. 1900 

photograph. 

Up until she sold the property to the National Park Service in 1965, Margaret 

Lothrop continued to make small alterations to the house to aid in its 

preservation and to accommodate modern amenities. The NPS then worked to 

rehabilitate the buildings and make them accessible to visitors. In 1975 the NPS 

began work to convert the barn into its current use as a receiving area for visitors. 

The Historic Structure Report on The Wayside Barn written in 1973 by Orville 

W. Carroll concluded that the barn had been shortened from its original length at 

some undetermined time. The house and barn are currently in poor condition 

and in need of extensive rehabilitation work. 

Evaluation: Contributing, Non-contributing, Undetermined 

The house, barn, retaining wall to the northwest of the house, and low retaining 

wall, embedded stone steps in the west lawn and well east of the house contribute 

to the character of the historic landscape. The retaining wall built in 2006 by the 

NPS and the underground drainage piping NPS are non-contributing. The 

buildings and structures are in fair condition and in need of rehabilitation. 
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124 

Views and Vistas 

Historic Condition: In the 1860s, Hawthorne enjoyed the view from the ridgeline 

of the neighboring fields and landscapes. However, by the early 1900s the 

Norway spruces he had planted as seedlings had grown in and obscured most of 

the views. The view south from The Wayside, through the row of evergreens and 

across Lexington Road used to be of agricultural fields. As seen in circa 1904 

photographs, the view included the non-developed portion of the eight-acre 

parcel and the open field on the western side of Hawthorne Lane. 

After the 1938 hurricane, the majority of the Norway spruce on the hillside had 

been blown down, and the views were re-opened until natural reforestation 

(consisting largely of hardwoods and underbrush) once again obscured them. 

The hurricane also damaged the evergreens that stood between the house and the 

road. Later, the decline of the elms due to disease would necessitate their 

removal as well. 

Existing Condition: Today, the hardwoods and underbrush that have grown in 

on the hillside still obscure views out from the ridge. The reduced number of 

trees between the house lot and the road results in a clear view south, but makes 

the space feel exposed to the roadway. The eight-acre plot has been largely built 

up, and only 0.34 acres of open land remain at the corner of Lexington Road and 

Hawthorne Lane. One of the houses built on what was a part of the eight-acre 

parcel dates from 1870, and contributes to the historic character of the property. 

The western side of Hawthorne Lane is now a paved visitor parking lot, which is 

partially masked by trees planted along its northern and western sides, but is still 

visible from the house. 

Evaluation: Contributing and Non-contributing 

Views blocked by vegetation, like those from the ridgeline, are non-contributing, 

but views of the 0.34-acre and southwestern parcels, as well as those facing the 

house, contribute to the character of the historic landscape. 

Small-scale Features 

Historic Condition: Small-scale features at The Wayside include signs, plaques 

and fences. Many of the small-scale features associated with the Alcotts, such as 

features associated with their gardens, and the Hawthornes, such as benches and 

platforms associated with recreation, are no longer extant. The Hawthorne 

Centenary Plaque was placed at the July 4, 1904 Centennial of Hawthorne’s birth, 

to recognize the ongoing importance of The Wayside as Hawthorne’s home, and 

the role that commemoration of Hawthorne’s occupancy played in the history of 

The Wayside. The plaque was a bronze tablet mounted on a natural boulder and 

read: "This tablet placed/ at the Centennial Exercises/ July 4 1904/ 

commemorates/ Nathaniel Hawthorne/ He trod daily this path to the hill/ to 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

125 

formulate/ as he paces to and fro/ upon its summit/ his marvelous romances” 

(Figure 90). 

Margaret Lothrop made some small changes to the landscape during her 

ownership, largely for maintenance purposes, such as reconstructions after the 

1938 hurricane. She also installed the uncovered drain on the hillside in back of 

the house some time after 1932. 

Existing Condition: The Wayside has been recognized as a National Historic 

Landmark for its literary significance, and a National Historic Landmark Plaque 

was placed by the front door, under the Hawthorne tree, in 1985. The site has 

also been recognized as significant to the National Underground Railroad 

Network to Freedom because of the Alcott’s role in sheltering two runaway 

slaves during the winter of 1846 to 1847. A plaque describing this event has been 

placed just east of the entry walk to the east side of the barn, a couple yards from 

the public sidewalk. The Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and boulder remain west 

of the lawn. A sign describing the Larch Path in inappropriately sited near the 

plaque and boulder because the Larch Path entrance is closer to the road. 

The NPS has installed a few interpretive and direction-related signs which are of 

no historical significance, but assist visitors. These include a sign in the yard in 

front of the house identifying the property as “The Wayside,” an informational 

sign by the walkway to the east side of the barn, an informational sign by the 

Eliphelet Fox House foundation, an informational sign east of the Larch Path and 

several parking and directional signs around the parking lot. The NPS has also 

installed several sections of split-rail fence to the southeast of the barn and along 

the border of the parking lot. 

Associated with the house is a wooded coal bin placed against the northeast 

corner of the house and painted the same color as the cellar doors. 

Evaluation: Contributing, Non-contributing 

The Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and boulder contribute to the character of the 

historic landscape (Figure 91). Newer features like the National Landmark 

plaque, Underground Railroad plaque and boulder, “The Wayside” 

informational sign, the Eliphelet Fox House sign and features placed by the NPS 

or Town of Concord do not contribute. The split-rail fences do not date to the 

period of significance but do not detract from the setting. 

Archeological Sites 

Historic Condition: The Eliphelet Fox Foundation (“Casey’s House”) was 

constructed in 1666 by Eliphelet Fox. The house was abandoned in 1825. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

126 

Existing Condition: The remaining evidence of the Eliphelet Fox House is a 

depression where the house once stood, and segments of the base of the central 

chimney, which was made of brick and fieldstone. The foundation was 

excavated in an archeological exploration of the site, and then stabilized in 1968. 

An interpretational sign near the site refers to it as “Casey’s Home”—based on an 

unconfirmed description by Henry David Thoreau, who wrote that Casey was a 

previous slave of Samuel Whitney who fought for his freedom in the 

Revolutionary War and returned to Concord to live in the Fox House. 

Documentation to substantiate this series of events has not yet been found. 

There is another possible archeological site at the western end of the Larch Path, 

where there is a depression with a 15-foot diameter. The large semi-square 

opening may have been the location of the Minot house, which was moved to 

Concord center in the 1800s. 

Evaluation: Contributing, Undetermined 

The Eliphelet Fox house foundation and possible Minot House foundation 

contribute to the character of the historic landscape. 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

127 

 

TABLE 2: SUMMARY OF LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS AND FEATURES 

WAYSIDE UNIT, MINUTE MAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK 

TOPOGRAPHY 

Characteristic or Feature Extant 

1904 

Extant 

2008 

Contributing Notes 

Natural and manipulated 

topography—house and barn 

located on relatively flat land, 

sloping gently south towards 

Lexington Road, surrounded to 

the north and the west by hillside 

terrain rising sixty feet above the 

house. 

Yes Yes Yes The basic layout of the residential 

landscape surrounded by the wooded 

hillside dates to 1904 and earlier. 

Eight-acre parcel – relatively flat 

land sloping gently south towards 

creek. 

Yes Yes Yes Only 0.34 acres of the eight-acre parcel is 

included within the Wayside Unit. 

SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

The house and barn are 

surrounded by a maintained, 

residential landscape separated 

from the road by a hedge. 

Yes Yes Yes 

Terraces are evident on hillside 

north of house 

Yes 

(up to 12) 

Yes 

(remnants 

of 5) 

Yes Bronson Alcott constructed the terraces in 

the 1840s 

LAND USE

Social/entertainment Yes Yes 

(limited 

use) 

Yes Both the Hawthornes and the Lothrops 

socialized and entertained on the lawn 

west of the house. 

Education/tourism Yes Yes 

(limited 

use) 

Yes Tourists, invited and uninvited, walked 

upon the landscape during the Lathrop, 

Pratt (Wayside School for Girls), and 

Lothrop ownerships. Bronson Alcott and 

Harriett Lothrop are known to have 

shared information with others of how the 

landscape looked when Nathaniel 

Hawthorne lived at The Wayside, and how 

he used the landscape. 

VEGETATION

Forested hillside & terraces Yes 

(primarily 

spruce) 

Yes 

(primarily 

deciduous

) 

Yes Most of the evergreens brought from 

Europe by Hawthorne and planted in the 

1860s were destroyed during the 1938 

hurricane. Extant evergreen trees, 

especially the Norway Spruce, may be 

seedlings of the destroyed trees. 

Row of larch trees Yes 

(unknown 

number of 

trees) 

Yes 

 (6 trees) 

Yes Research indicates the trees were planted 

before the path was constructed, possibly 

prior to Hawthorne ownership. Further 

research (possibly to include archeological 

investigation) is necessary to accurately 

determine the number and location of 

missing larch trees. Preliminary research 

indicates the trees were spaced 9 to 9.5 feet 

apart. 

Double row of evergreens 

bordering the lawn. 

Yes 1 tree 

remains 

Yes A double row of evergreens, which may 

have been planted by Alcott, bordered the 

inside of the hedge in 1904 along the 

southern end of the lawn. The remaining 

tree is one of only a few known survivors 

of the 1938 hurricane. 

Hawthorne Tree Yes Yes Yes Historic photographs indicate the tree was 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

128 

mature in the 1860s. It may pre-date 

Hawthorne ownership or may have been 

planted by Hawthorne in the early 1850s, 

prior to leaving for Europe. 

American elms in front yard and 

along Lexington Road 

Yes 

(3 trees) 

No Missing One elm stood within the double row of 

evergreens bordering the lawn, another 

directly in front of the house, and another 

along the entry drive, between the house 

and the barn. 

Large evergreens east of the 

house 

Yes 

(2 trees) 

No Missing The trees stood along the inside of the 

hedge, between the entrance walk and the 

entry drive. 

Evergreens on eight-acre parcel Yes Yes 

(two 

trees) 

Yes A double row of evergreens, which date at 

least to the Hawthorne ownership, flanked 

the avenue on the eight-acre parcel leading 

from Lexington Road to the brook. Only a 

portion of the western row is located 

within the Wayside Unit, the remaining 

trees are located on private property. 

Deciduous hedge Yes Yes 

(privet) 

Yes The NPS has altered the historic hedge line 

to direct visitors to the west side of the 

barn (visitor center entrance) and to close 

access to historic paths. The existing 

hedge includes several varieties of privet 

(Ligustrum spp.). It may not be the same 

hedge present in 1904, as Harriet Lothrop 

is known to have replaced the hedge 

several times. 

Large lawn (west of house) Yes Yes The topography of the lawn may have been 

impacted by a 1969 archeological 

investigation, in which a significant portion 

of the lawn was disturbed during 

excavations to uncover evidence of the pre 

-1860 location of the barn. 

The configuration of the lawn was restored 

to its c. 1904 appearance in 2005 when 

non-historic vegetation (large Norway 

Spruce, several lilacs, and a section of 

forest) was removed, and the disturbed 

areas re-seeded.

Lawn (north, south, and east of 

house) 

Yes Yes Yes The lawn in front of the house and in back 

of the house (west of the stone stairs) 

appears groomed in historic photographs. 

Less is known c. 1904 about the service 

area in back of the house (east of the stone 

stairs) and on the north and east side of the 

barn. 

Norway spruce west of the lawn Yes Yes Yes The tree, mature in the 1930s, survived the 

1938 hurricane. 

American elms on hillside Yes No Missing Several American elms are known to have 

grown on the hillside above the lawn in 

1904, most notably a large elm just above 

the retaining wall in the northwest corner 

of the lawn—a stump remains. 

Small clump of mature lilacs 

(northwest corner of the house) 

Yes Yes Yes The lilacs appear in historic photographs 

as early as 1880. 

Daylilies (front of the house) Yes Yes Yes The Hawthornes are known to have grown 

lilies and daylilies appearing in front of the 

front bay window (former front door area) 

in a c. 1904 historic photograph. 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

129 

Daylilies (along the base of the 

stone retaining wall) 

Unknown Yes No According to a 1960s NPS interview, 

Margaret Lothrop stated she planted 

daylilies at the base of the wall after 

returning to The Wayside in 1932. 

Daylilies (along the eastern side 

of the barn) 

Unknown Yes Unknown Historic photographs of this portion of the 

landscape have not been found for c. 1904. 

Daylilies (on hillside) Unknown Yes Unknown The daylilies are probably volunteer plants. 

Periwinkle (on hillside) Unknown Yes Unknown The periwinkle (Vinca minor) is not 

mentioned in historic documents or seen 

in historic photographs and may have been 

recently planted. 

Woodbine/Virginia creeper vines 

(on the piazza) 

Yes No Missing During the Hawthorne ownership, 

woodbine, or Virginia creeper, 

(Parthenocissus quinquefolia) grew on the 

west side of the house. By 1890s, 

woodbine covered the piazza, constructed 

by the Lothrops at the western end of the 

house in 1887. Woodbine remained on the 

piazza until removed by the NPS in the late 

1960s or early 1970s. 

Vines, unknown species (on the 

front façade of the house) 

Yes No Missing Historic photographs as early as 1870 

depict vines growing on the front façade of 

the house. A c. 1904 photograph clearly 

depicts vines growing from the southwest 

corner of the old house (c. 1775 portion) 

across the front façade to the bay window. 

Vines, unknown species (on the 

eastern façade of the house) 

Yes No Missing Vines are depicted in a c. 1901 to 1915 

photograph on the eastern façade of the 

house, growing across the façade over the 

side door. 

Lily-of-the-valley (at front 

entrance) 

Yes Yes Yes Lily-of-the-valley is known to have been 

Hawthorne’s favorite plant. In 1887, lilyof-the-valley were located “close by the 

veranda.” Lily-of-the-valley are located 

today by the front door. 

Lily-of-the-valley (on hillside) Yes Yes Yes Lilies-of-the-valley are known to have 

been Hawthorne’s favorite plant. Lily-ofthe-valley are located today above the 

retaining wall behind the house. 

Roses Possibly No Missing Both the Alcotts and the Hawthornes grew 

roses. Roses were also present during the 

Lothrop ownership, including 

Hawthorne’s “sweet briar rose tree” at the 

southwest corner of the study (pre-piazza), 

although it is not known if it survived until 

1904. Several roses were present in the 

1960s, although most if not all were 

planted by Margaret Lothrop, probably 

after 1932. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

130 

CIRCULATION

Characteristic or Feature Extant 

1904 

Extant 

2008 

Contribut

ing 

Notes 

Hawthorne Path Yes Yes Yes Extant trail is thought to generally follow 

the original location of the Hawthorne 

Path, along the ridgeline above the house. 

Larch Path Yes Yes 

(larger 

portion) 

Yes 

(smaller 

portion 

missing) 

Constructed in 1860, the path connected 

the Orchard House and The Wayside. 

Running parallel along Lexington Street, 

the path followed a row of larch trees and 

opened to The Wayside lawn. 

More recently, the eastern end of the path 

was blocked from use by secondary forest 

growth that had encroached onto the lawn. 

In 2005 the forest growth was removed, 

allowing passage. However, this section of 

path remains undefined and unused. 

Path leading from northwest 

corner of the lawn to the 

ridgeline 

Yes Yes 

(small 

portion) 

Yes 

(large 

portion 

missing) 

The path is mentioned in early guidebooks 

and depicted in historic photographs from 

the late 1800s – early 1900s. Only the 

portion leading to the Hawthorne 

Centennial Plaque remains. The large 

section leading from the plaque to the 

ridgeline was still clearly visible in the early 

1970s, but since has become overgrown. 

Avenue between the evergreens 

on the eight-acre parcel 

Yes Yes 

(remnant) 

Yes Only a small portion of the avenue is 

within the Wayside Unit, the remaining 

sections are located on private property. 

Path leading west from the stone 

steps in back of the house 

Yes Yes 

(remnant) 

Yes The path is mentioned in early 1900s 

writings and depicted in historic 

photographs. 

Path leading up the hillside from 

the stone steps west of the house 

(Alcott beehive area.) 

Unknown No Missing The path is depicted in an undated historic 

photograph. 

Path leading directly up the hill 

from the Hawthorne Centennial 

Plaque 

Unknown Yes Unknown The area of the path does not appear in 

historic photographs. 

System of foot paths around the 

house 

Yes No Missing Only a path between the house and barn 

remains. 

Stone path to front door No Yes No Constructed by Margaret Lothrop, post 

1932. 

Boardwalks on foot paths around 

the house 

Yes No Missing Boardwalks covering the walkways are 

clearly depicted in early 1900s 

photographs. 

Entry drive Yes No Missing The 15-foot entry drive widened to about 

40 feet and spanned the area between the 

house and the garage. The drive surface 

material was removed by the NPS and 

seeded as lawn. 

Walk leading to the side door of 

the barn (visitor center entrance) 

No Yes No The NPS constructed the walk to lead 

visitors from the sidewalk to the side door 

of the barn (visitor center entrance.) 

Ramp leading to side door of 

barn(visitor center entrance) 

No Yes No The NPS constructed the walk to lead 

visitors from the sidewalk to the side door 

of the barn (visitor center entrance). 
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

131 

BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES AND UTILITIES

Characteristic or Feature Extant 

1904 

Extant 

2008 

Contribut

ing 

Notes 

House Yes Yes Yes 

Barn Yes Yes Yes Moved to current location by Nathaniel 

Hawthorne in 1860. 

Drainage Pipes No Yes No Installed in 2006 

Well Yes Yes Yes 

VIEWS AND VISTAS

Characteristic or Feature Extant 

1904 

Extant 

2008 

Contribut

ing 

Notes 

View from ridgeline of 

neighboring fields and landscapes 

beyond 

Yes 

(blocked 

view) 

Yes 

(blocked 

view) 

Yes 

(Blocked 

view) 

In the 1860s, Hawthorne often gazed at the 

landscape south of Lexington Road from 

the ridgeline above the house. By 1904, 

sparse tree growth along the hillside had 

grown and thickened (including the 

evergreen trees planted during Hawthorne 

ownership) so much that views from the 

hillside were significantly blocked. After 

the 1938 hurricane, the views re-opened, 

similar to those present during 

Hawthorne’s lifetime. Since then, 

secondary growth trees have re-populated 

the hillside, once again blocking views 

from the ridgeline. 

View of fields across Lexington 

Road from lawn 

Yes No In 1904, views from the lawn west of the 

house included the non-developed portion 

of the eight-acre parcel and the open field 

on the western side of Hawthorne Lane. 

Today, views of both areas are visible from 

the lawn; in part due to vegetation clearing 

that occurred in 2006. 

Detracting from the views are the NPS 

visitor parking lot constructed on the field 

west of Hawthorne Lane, shrubby 

vegetation surrounding the lot, and a small 

house on an eight-acre parcel. Also 

located on the eight-acre parcel is a house 

built in 1870 that contributes to the view. 

SMALL-SCALE FEATURES

Characteristic or Feature Extant 

1904 

Extant 

2008 

Contribut

ing 

Notes 

Stone retaining wall along base of 

the hill 

Yes Yes Yes Constructed by Bronson Alcott. The stone 

retaining wall was damaged during the 

1938 hurricane and subsequently repaired 

Stone retaining wall (2006) No Yes No Constructed in 2006. 

Stone retaining wall (east of barn) Unknown Yes Unknown Historic photographs of this portion of the 

landscape have not been found. 

Low stone retaining wall west of 

the piazza 

Unknown Yes Unknown The stone wall and steps appear in a c. 

1904-1938 photograph. The grade of the 

lawn depicted in earlier photographs 

indicates it probably pre-dates 1904. 

Steps west of the piazza Unknown Yes Unknown The stone wall and steps appear in a c. 

1904-1938 photograph. The grade of the 

lawn depicted in earlier photographs 

indicates it probably pre-dates 1904. 

Stone steps in retaining wall along 

base of the hill (west of house) 

Yes Yes 

(remnant) 

Yes Constructed by Bronson Alcott 

Stone steps back of house Yes Yes Yes Probably constructed by Bronson Alcott. 

A bottom stone step or landing was 

uncovered during 2006 project that 

stabilized the hillside. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

132 

Wooden benches along hillside 

trails 

Yes No Missing Constructed by Bronson Alcott for 

Nathaniel Hawthorne. 

Platform in the large white pine Yes No Missing Unknown construction date, although 

believed to be between 1864 and 1882. 

Hawthorne Centennial Plaque Yes Yes Yes The plaque was placed at the foot of the 

Hawthorne Path in 1904, during the 

centennial anniversary celebration of 

Hawthorne’s birth. 

National Underground Railroad 

network to freedom plaque 

No Yes No The plaque was placed near the barn in 

2001, identifying the Alcotts’ role in 

sheltering two run away slaves during the 

winter of 1846-1847. 

National Historic Landmark 

Plaque 

No Yes No The plaque was placed near the front door 

of the house in 1985 to recognize the 

designation of The Wayside as a National 

Historic Landmark. 

Uncovered drain on the hillside 

in back of the house 

No Yes No The drain was installed by Margaret 

Lothrop, probably after 1932. 

ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES

Characteristic or Feature Extant 

1904 

Extant 

2008 

Contribut

ing 

Notes 

Eliphelet Fox House foundation Yes Yes Yes The foundation dates to the seventeenthcentury. 

Possible Minot House 

archeological site (western end of 

Larch Path) 

Unknown Unknown Unknown Research indicates large semi-square 

opening at the western end of the Larch 

Path may be the location of the Minot 

house, moved to Concord center in the 

1800s. 

ENDNOTES 

 

1

 Seven aspects of integrity defined by the National Register: Location is the place where the historic property was constructed or the historic event 

occurred. Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure and style of a property. Setting is the physical environment 

of a historic property. Materials are the physical elements of a particular period, which include plant materials, paving and other landscape features. 

Workmanship includes the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular period. Feeling is a property’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of 

a particular period. Association is the direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property. 2 Commemorative activities have long been associated with The Wayside, though with a focus on Nathaniel Hawthorne, a prominent nineteenth 

century author who resided at The Wayside in the 1850s and 1860s. The Lothrop family hosted a Centenary event on the anniversary of Nathaniel 

Hawthorne’s birth and other events thereafter to celebrate his contributions to American literature. Extant Wayside landscape features that contribute 

to the significance of the literary commemorative landscape include the house and barn, Larch Path, Hawthorne Path (on the ridge line), and 

Hawthorne Centennial Plaque.

3 For more information on the Eliphilet Fox house site, refer to “Public Interpretation of the Site” in Archeological Collections Management at Minute 

Man National Historical Park, Volume 3, ACMP Series No. 4, edited by Linda A. Towle and Darcie A. MacMahon, 1986, p. 306.
133 

ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

Figure 78. View east of unidentifi ed man standing in front lawn c. 1905. Note the piazza, Hawthorne tree, 

numerous evergreens and privet hedge from left to right (Everett’s Thesis III, HMLFP, box 40 folder 1, MIMA 

Archives).

Figure 79. View from the same vantage point as Figure 78, as seen in June 2008. The Hawthorne tree is 

mature, a single white pine remains in the lawn and the privet hedge is thicker and broader in the full sun. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

134

Figure 80. View southwest of the open landscape from the west lawn in c. 1905. On the right is the eastern 

entrance to the Larch Path. Mature evergreens partially screen the view. Across Hawthorne Lane on the left is 

Emerson Field (Everett’s Thesis III, HMLFP, box 40 folder 1, MIMA Archives).

Figure 81. View southwest in 2008 from a similar vantage point as Figure 80. The southwest parcel is now a 

parking lot. Across Hawthorne Lane is a portion of the 8-acre Emerson Field (left). Note the abundance of trees 

bordering the southwest parcel and a black locust seedling obscuring the original entrance to the Larch Path. 
135 

ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

Figure 82. Looking east down the 

Larch Path, c. 1892. Note the well 

defi ned path edges and numerous 

larches on the south side of the 

path (right) and Norway spruce 

overhanging the north side of the 

path on the left (MIMA archives 

publication photographs, magazine 

article, The Interior, “Hawthorne at 

Wayside,” Margaret Sidney, Nov. 26, 

1896, in scrapbook, 102 and 102A; 

also in Sidney’s Old Concord, Her 

Highways and Byways, 1892).

 

Figure 83. View east in 2008 from 

the same vantage point as Figure 82. 

Note the understory of predominantly 

maple saplings that line the Larch 

Path. There are also more deciduous 

trees creating the border than 

evergreens. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

136

Figure 85. View from the same vantage point as Figure 84, as seen in June 2008. The driveway is now lawn, the shudders 

gone from many windows, the elm removed, and a privet hedge appears in the foreground (right.)

Figure 84. View northwest of the barn, house, cellar, driveway in c. 1922 (MIMA photographic collection, #24569, MIMA 

Archives). 
137 

ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

Figure 86. This northerly view shows the unpaved road and sidewalk in the foreground and the piazza connected to 

the west side of the house c. 1905 (MIMA Library 101). 

Figure 87. View north in 2008 from the same vantage point as Figure 86. The road and sidewalk are paved, the elms 

and Norway spruce have been removed, and the piazza is a much more prominent feature. Also removed is the stone 

step that connected the entrance path to Lexington Road.
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

138

Figure 88. This northeasterly view of The Wayside parcel shows the northern edge of the house (right), the 

ascension of Alcott’s terraces (middle), and the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and boulder (left) c. 1927 (Charles 

Darling, photographer, courtesy of Concord Free Public Library). 

Figure 89. View east in 2008 from similar vantage point as Figure 88. The terraces are now blocked by thick 

shrubs and trees and the Norway spruce shades the area surrounding the Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and 

boulder. 
139 

ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

Figure 90. The Hawthorne 

Centennial Plaque and 

boulder and setting as they 

appeared in 1905. Note the 

lack of understory vegetation 

(Hawthorn Centenary at the 

Wayside, Concord, 1904).

Figure 91. The Hawthorne 

Centennial Plaque as they 

appear in 2008. Foliage is 

thicker, trees are more mature 

and some grass has managed to 

grow on the slope. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

140
TREATMENT

141 

CHAPTER FOUR: TREATMENT 

This chapter describes the preservation strategy for long-term management 

of the Wayside Unit cultural landscape based on its significance, existing 

condition in 2008 and current use. According to National Park Service 

policy, the cultural landscape report (CLR) serves as the primary supporting 

document guiding the treatment of a cultural landscape, and is required 

before any major intervention. For the Wayside Unit property, the treatment 

recommendations address issues associated with a mature landscape, 

drainage issues at the base of the steep hillside, visitor circulation and 

universal accessibility, educational and interpretive objectives, and 

maintenance requirements. The overall goal of the treatment 

recommendations is to provide a basis for the sound stewardship of the 

Wayside Unit landscape as outlined in the National Park Service Cultural 

Resource Management Guideline (1997) and the Secretary of the Interior’s 

Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (1996). The cultural 

landscape report also provides documentation that supports park 

consultation responsibilities under Section 106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act. 

FRAMEWORK FOR TREATMENT 

RELATIONSHIP TO PLANNING DOCUMENTS 

Prior to acquisition by the National Park Service, the Wayside Unit buildings 

were carefully documented in 1962 by a Historical American Buildings 

Survey (HABS) team. When the park purchased the property from Margaret 

Lothrop in 1965, she voiced her opinion that future stewards should preserve 

the “continuity of history” inherent in the property. She considered The 

Wayside a “teaching tool” beyond a single era or author, which represented 

“the history of the best of our country and its development.”1 The following 

year, the park completed a master plan, which included the Wayside Unit. 

The plan called for restoration of the property to its circa 1924 appearance, 

the year which Harriet Lothrop (penname Margaret Sidney) passed away. 

Four documents guided early site restoration work: two volumes of the 

historic structure report for the home by Robert Ronsheim and Orville 

Carroll completed in 1968, a historic grounds report by Anna Coxe Toogood 

completed in 1970, and a historic structure report for the barn by Orville 

Carroll completed in 1973. These documents described the relatively poor 

condition of the property and guided improvements that included the 

removal of post-1924 alterations, with the exception of modern devices for 

fire protection and safety. Most of the repair work was complete by April of 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 142 

1971 when the National Park Service held a formal re-opening ceremony for 

the property. That same year the park prepared an Interpretive Prospectus 

for the property with the objective to interpret the property as “a family 

home, altered by the needs of successive family occupations.” Furthermore, 

interpretive efforts focused on the former occupants as “people living in a 

changing and growing house within the context of philosophical, literary, 

and other changes occurring in the Concord and broader national 

community—the American Renaissance.”2 

In 1989, the park issued a General Management Plan (GMP) for Minuteman 

National Historical Park to serve as an update of the 1966 Master Plan. This 

update recommended that the NPS make no change in the management of 

the Wayside Unit and to continue to implement the recommendations in the 

historical structure reports, historic grounds report, as well as the 

recommendations from a historic furnishings report completed in 1983.3

The 1989 GMP is the most up-to-date planning document for the park and 

continues to set the direction for management for the Wayside Unit. Two 

more recent documents, a collections management plan completed in 1994 

and historic furnishings report completed in 2003, recommended revising 

the restoration treatment date of 1924 for the home to an earlier date of 1904 

for reasons detailed in the next section. As of 2008, an Amendment to the 

GMP is in progress but it pertains primarily to the Battle Road Unit, which 

follows the route of the 1775 Battle Road for about five miles from 

Revolutionary Ridge and Meriam’s Corner in Concord to Fiske Hill in 

Lexington. 

TREATMENT PERIOD 

The character and composition of the Wayside Unit landscape evolved 

throughout its 304-year period of significance from 1655 to 1959. In order to 

develop a treatment plan, it is necessary to identify the historic character to 

which the landscape will be managed. The treatment period provides a 

reference to guide treatment efforts by identifying a time during the period of 

significance when the landscape reached its height of development and when 

it best reflected the characteristics for which it is significant. Further 

consideration is given to the level of historical documentation and to the 

existing conditions. The determination of a treatment period is informed by 

the site’s history, documentation, existing conditions, and interpretive goals. 

For the Wayside Unit, the park’s GMP (1989) recommended that the 

landscape be managed to preserve the character as it had developed through 

1924, the year Harriett Lothrop died. More recently, the Collections 

Management Plan (1994) and Historic Furnishings Report (2003) 
TREATMENT

143 

recommended a treatment date of 1904 for the home. The rationale for this 

earlier date includes: 

• There is substantially more documentation for the 1890 to 1914 

period. In 1905, Charles Everett completed his Landscape 

Architecture I thesis that described the landscape and was illustrated 

with numerous photographs. In October 1914, the Lothrops 

completed a room by room inventory for the house and on May 1, 

1915 completed another inventory to justify the selection of 

furnishings for each room. 

• In 1904 Harriett Lothrop organized a three-day celebration at The 

Wayside in honor of the one-hundredth anniversary of the birth of 

Nathaniel Hawthorne. There is substantial documentation of the 

site for this time. 

• By 1924, the house had been vacant or rented for almost 15 years, 

while Harriett traveled or lived in California with her daughter. The 

1924 appearance was very different from when Harriett lived there 

full time. 

• Focusing on the celebration offered a way to discuss Hawthorne as 

seen “through the eyes of Harriett and Margaret Lothrop.” 

Nathaniel Hawthorne is the most significant author, who lived at 

The Wayside, but the furnishings for the house are almost wholly 

associated with the Lothrops. Using the 1904 celebration offered a 

unique way to bring Hawthorne to life amid the Lothrop furnishings 

and to understand what Hawthorne meant to the Lothrops and why 

Harriett would undertake an elaborate celebration of his life. 

• The Lothrops purchased The Wayside specifically because it had 

been Hawthorne’s home. The anniversary celebration, planned by 

Harriett, reflected the continuing esteem the Lothrops had for 

Hawthorne.4 

Based on discussions with the park and findings of this report, the 

recommended approach for the landscape is to manage the property to 

preserve and interpret the character that existed in c. 1904. A comparative 

analysis of the c. 1904 period plan with existing conditions allowed a 

determination of the overall integrity of the site and identification of the 

landscape’s historic features. The c. 1904 date highlights the commemorative 

activities of 1904 (the Hawthorne Centenary), the fact that much of the 

character of the landscape in c. 1904 strongly reflected the influences of the 

famous authors who had lived there, and the wealth of documentation of the 

property from that time. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 144 

RECOMMENDED TREATMENT: REHABILITATION 

As a federally owned property listed on the National Register of Historic 

Places and a designated National Historic Landmark, decisions regarding the 

treatment of The Wayside should be consistent with the 1992 Secretary of the 

Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. These standards 

specify four distinct, but interrelated, approaches to the treatment of historic 

properties, Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration and Reconstruction. 

Application of these treatments to historic landscapes is further defined in 

the Secretary’s 1996 Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes. 

The treatment approach specified for the home in the 1989 is restoration. 

Based on the extent of changes in vegetation on the property due to the 1938 

hurricane, as well as considerations of feasibility, maintenance requirements, 

interpretation, public access and safety, environmental sustainability, cost, 

and park operations, the recommended treatment for the 6.11-acre Wayside 

Unit landscape is rehabilitation. 

Rehabilitation 

Rehabilitation acknowledges the need to meet continuing or changing uses 

through alterations or new additions while retaining the historic character of 

the property. It allows for repairs and alterations of the cultural landscape, 

and for improving the utility and function of landscape features. It is used to 

make an efficient, compatible use while preserving those portions or features 

of the property that contribute to its historical significance. For some 

historic properties, changes are necessary to accommodate visitor use, such 

as the addition of parking, concessions, and visitor facilities or the 

modification of circulation surfaces to withstand high use and meet ADA 

accessibility standards. In other cases, modifications are necessary for 

sustainable management, such as the reduction of formal gardens or the 

elimination of agricultural practices. A rehabilitation strategy allows for the 

replacement of missing features as they existed historically based on 

documentary evidence, or replacement with compatible features. 

Standards for Rehabilitation 

• A property will be used as it was historically, or be given a new use 

that maximizes the retention of distinctive materials, features, 

spaces, and relationships. 

• The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. 

The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces, 

and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided. 

• Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, 

place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical 
TREATMENT

145 

development, such as adding conjectural features or elements from 

other historical properties, will not be undertaken. 

• Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in 

their own right will be retained and preserved. 

• Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques 

or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property will be 

preserved. 

• Deteriorated historical features will be repaired rather than 

replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement 

of a distinctive feature, the new material will match the old in 

composition, design, color, texture, and where possible, materials. 

Replacement of missing features will be substantiated by 

documentary and physical evidence. 

• Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken 

using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to 

historic materials will not be used. 

• Archeological resources will be protected and preserved in place. If 

such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be 

undertaken. 

• New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will 

not destroy historical materials, features and spatial relationships 

that characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated 

from the old and will be compatible with the historical materials, 

features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the 

integrity of the property and its environment. 

• New additions or related new construction will be undertaken in 

such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and 

integrity of the historic property and its environment would be 

unimpaired. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 146 

TREATMENT PHILOSOPHY 

A treatment philosophy consists of broad principles derived from the site’s 

significance that help guide decisions and provide justifications for design 

guidelines, recommendations and specific treatment actions. The treatment 

philosophy articulates the essential qualities in the landscape that convey its 

significance and establishes principles intended to preserve those qualities. 

The primary park management goals for the Wayside Unit landscape are to 

protect and preserve the historic landscape features by developing strategies 

to enhance public use and enjoyment while managing contemporary needs 

for parking, safe access, and modern utilities. Of particular importance given 

current financial realities, are identification of sustainable, collaborative 

approaches to support the maintenance of historical structures and 

landscapes and to sustain visitor programs and services in the park. 

The overall treatment goal for the Wayside Unit is to reestablish the 

character of the c. 1904 landscape, corresponding with the residence of the 

Lothrops and the 1904 centennial celebration of the birth of Nathaniel 

Hawthorne. With rehabilitation as the treatment approach, treatment 

actions should recognize the continued ownership and use of the property 

by the Lothrops until 1965 and the parks management present and future 

goals to sustain visitor programs and services. 

TREATMENT PRINCIPLES BY AREA 

Wayside house and barn setting 

The house and barn landscape consists of the two prominent structures sited 

upon a relatively flat lawn area and bounded by a hedge to the south along a busy 

road and stone retaining walls to the east, north and west. During the historic 

period, notable features in the domestic landscape included mature elms, a 

screen of evergreen trees, a few perennials and vines, a hitching post out front 

and a bench in the west lawn. To reflect the historic character of the landscape, 

the house and barn setting should be preserved as a well-tended domestic 

landscape setting, which by the early 1900s had also become a popular setting for 

commemorative gatherings and special events hosted by the Lothrops. As such, 

the house should be framed by stately elms, walks should be carefully edged, 

perennial and shrub beds weeded and edged, hedges routinely trimmed, and 

vines trained to trellises on the structure. Residential features such as the 

hitching post and bench in the west lawn should be reintroduced to help convey 

the residential character of the site. As reflected in historic photographs from the 

early 1900s, the home and surrounding landscape were simple in design, yet 
TREATMENT

147 

elegant and well maintained—and always ready to receive guests, whether invited 

or uninvited. 

Wayside Hillside, terraces and paths 

The Wayside hillside, terraces and paths are characterized by the steep terrain 

and contrast with the relatively flat lawn terrace surrounding the home and barn. 

The character of the hillside has been altered by the loss of Hawthorne’s 

monoculture of Norway spruces, which covered the hillside and framed the 

buildings and remnant structures in the landscape. Yet, a forested landscape 

persists, creating the same feeling of contrast between the open public lawn area 

surrounding the house and a wooded hillside for retreat and contemplation. 

Treatment should strive to preserve the wooded character of the hillside while 

actively managing hillside erosion. Evergreens should be encouraged to enhance 

the contrast of the dark secluded woods with the open bright lawn area. 

In the early 1900s, numerous well-defined walkways and paths guided 

pedestrian circulation throughout the property. Existing footpaths should 

be maintained and, in some cases, rehabilitated. Social paths that exacerbate 

erosion should be obscured or stabilized with constructed features. 

Extant paths, notably the Larch and Hawthorne paths should be preserved as 

walks for interpretation and contemplation in the property’s wooded setting. 

Connections to the Hawthorne Path should be rehabilitated to improve access, 

encourage exploration of the historic landscape, and minimize erosion. 

Eight-acre Parcel Remnant 

While difficult to preserve the feeling of the eight-acre parcel with the .34-acre 

remnant, maintaining this small area in the manner of an open field contributes 

rather than detracts from the historic setting and feeling of the property. The 

remnant parcel should be maintained by infrequent cutting so as to resemble a 

hayfield. 

Visitor Parking lot 

The visitor parking lot is essential for visitor access to the Wayside Unit and 

simple in layout and character, with numerous NPS signs. Overall the parking lot 

detracts from the historic setting but is not overly intrusive. The lot is set back 

from the edge of the property and the screen of shade trees should be preserved 

and maintained. As much as is feasible the area should resemble a meadow or 

hayfield. As such, a band of meadow grass, maintained with the same frequency 

as the remnant of the eight-acre parcel, would enhance the character of the 

agricultural setting. Numerous mature, native trees lining the edges of the 

parking lot should be preserved for screening and shade. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 148 

TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND TASKS 

This section contains a list of treatment recommendations and tasks, which 

are also depicted in Drawing 5. Several of these recommendations are also 

identified in Orville Carroll’s Historic Structure Report for The Wayside (1968) 

on pages 90 and 91 and Anne Cox Toogood’s Historic Grounds Report (1970) 

on pages 149 to 153. Table 3 at the end of the chapter summarizes the 

recommendations and notes whether the task is a high or low priority based 

on input from the park and the condition of the resources. 

SPATIAL ORGANIZATION, TOPOGRAPHY AND LAND USE 

TP-1. Preserve hillside terraces and reduce hillside erosion 

Bronson Alcott regraded the hillside in the 1840s to create a dozen terraces 

for his extensive gardens and orchard. Five of these terraces are still easily 

discernable on the hillside. The terraces should be preserved by minimizing 

erosion—specifically limiting foot traffic, maintaining a vegetative cover and 

understory, and leaving organic matter and leaf duff in place. If foot paths 

are reintroduced to the hillside in the vicinity of the terraces, they should run 

as parallel to the slope as possible so as to minimize erosion (see CR-15). 

Erosion can be further minimized by placing fallen trees across the slope 

flush with the ground and allowing them to decay in place. During heavy 

rains, the logs will help to slow the flow of water down the steep hillside and 

catch sediment. 

TP-2. Monitor the base of the hillside for erosion and maintain trench drain 

By 2005, a substantial amount of soil and organic matter had washed down 

the hillside and accumulated behind the house and barn. In 2006, the 

accumulated soil was removed and a retaining wall was built. The park 

should monitor the erosion of the hillside and remove any excessive 

accumulation. An open trench drain was installed above the retaining wall 

between the house and barn. This trench should be cleaned annually to 

ensure that it continues to collect and redirect water away from the house. 

The trench drain is most evident in the winter and spring when the plants 

have died back. 

CIRCULATION 

CR-1. Rehabilitate sidewalk along Lexington Road 

The sidewalk along Lexington Road is visible in the earliest photographs of 

the site dating to the 1860s and in all subsequent photos from the historic 

period with a gravel/compacted earth surface. It is unknown when the 

sidewalk was paved with asphalt. The sidewalk is presently in poor 
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149 

condition. The asphalt surface is broken and the edges are eroded and 

detract from the historic setting. Discussions should be held with the town 

of Concord to lower the level of the sidewalk. After the level is lowered, the 

sidewalk should be repaired, resurfaced, and coated with a gravel chip-seal to 

create a gravel surface walk, which would be more in character with the 

historic landscape and safer for visitors. Where the slope is steep, turf and 

retaining stones should be added to hold the steep slope as shown in Figures 

15, 16, 24, 36 and 38. As seen in Figure 42 and 43, a granite step could be 

added where paths to the property intersect the sidewalk. 

CR-2. Shift path entrance from front door to align with bay window then split 

toward front door and barn 

As shown in Elizabeth Alcott’s 1846 sketch, Bronson Alcott’s 1847 sketch, 

and photographs from the 1880s, the path to the front door was originally 

centered on the gable and bay window (see Figures 10, 15, 24, 36 and 38). 

The earthen, or fine gravel, path began at the roadway, ascended a granite 

step, crossed the sidewalk, ascended another granite step, and split in front 

of the bay window with the path to the left leading to the front door. In the 

dooryard and near the house, Bronson Alcott laid gravel and sod to establish 

a clearly defined path. 

In about 1902, the Lothrops installed a wooded boardwalk to connect a path 

from the sidewalk to the piazza to the front door and barn (see Figures 39, 40 

and 43). Shortly after this—in the 1920s or 30s—the Lothrops eliminated this 

path to the front door and extended the hedge across the central 

entranceway. While the boardwalk was subsequently replaced with a lessdefined earthen path, the hedge closure persisted through the 1960s and was 

subsequently opened by the park service when they reestablished the path to 

the front door and surfaced it with stepping stones. The current path from 

the sidewalk to the front door aligns with the front door instead of its earlier 

alignment with the bay window then split to lead to the front door and the 

barn (see Drawings 4 and 5). 

To match the early 1900s appearance, the hedge should be opened in 

alignment with the bay window and an earthen/fine gravel path should be 

installed along the front of the house. This reconfiguration of the paths was 

also recommended by Orville Carroll in the Historic Structure Report for The 

Wayside (1968) so as to portray the historic character of the home entrance. 

Installing boardwalks similar to those visible in Figures 40 and 43 is 

discouraged as the narrow boardwalks are likely to be tripping hazards. 
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CR-3. Re-establish path from sidewalk to west lawn, front door and back yard 

As early as the 1860s, a path extended from the sidewalk along Lexington 

Road to the west lawn (Figure 92 and 93). The path split before the house, 

with one branch leading to the front door and the other extending along the 

west side of the house and leading around to the back of the house. Historic 

photographs show the clearly defined and neatly edged paths as 

approximately two feet in width (see Figures 7 and 8). The paths are visible 

in photographs through the 1800s, though the piazza, when built in 1887, 

altered the route of the branch around to the back of the house. These paths 

likely facilitated the circulation of the many guests that came to the property 

as shown in Figure 26. A photograph from 1922 shows the path with a 

granite step (most likely moved from the path to the front door) and a 

boardwalk (see Figure 43). By the 1960s, the path was no longer clearly 

defined. 

To match the early 1900s appearance, the hedge should be opened and a 

granite step and earthen/fine gravel should be installed, which is neatly edged 

as shown in Figures 14, 40 and 43. As noted under CR-2, this path 

configuration was also recommended in the Historic Structure Report for The 

Wayside (1968). As also noted under CR-2, installing narrow boardwalks is 

discouraged. 

CR-4. Reset steps in the west lawn 

A set of steps with an associated low retaining wall (see BS-1) ascend the rise 

in grade in the west lawn just beyond the northwest corner of the piazza 

(Figure 94). These steps may have been installed in c. 1890 in response to the 

change in grade when the piazza was built. The walkway described above 

(see CR-3) connected to these steps but did not extend into the west lawn 

(see Figure 35). By the 1960s, the path was no longer visible and the steps 

were bounded to the south by a small bed of perennials (see Figure 52). The 

steps have shifted and are half covered by turf. The steps should be reset. 

CR-5. Re-establish entry drive 

Hawthorne moved the barn to the east side of the house in 1860 and, until 

recently, the area to the southeast of the barn has been the entry drive. A 

1922 photograph shows the earthen/gravel area as clearly bounded by the 

front lawn with a mature elm and a woodpile on the eastern end of the house 

(see Figure 44). The entry drive area should be re-established and clearly 

delineated to contribute to the domestic character of The Wayside while 

providing visitors with a clear indication of the site entrance. To prevent 

vehicles from entering the drive, a chain hung from simple posts should be 

placed across the drive’s entrance. 
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CR-6. Retain non-historic NPS walkway to barn 

The park service added a compacted sand and fine gravel walk and ramp to 

the east side of the barn to enable access in compliance with the Americans 

with Disabilities Act (ADA). The walk is in good condition, serves as a 

primary access point for park programs, and should be retained as much as 

possible after the entry drive is shifted. The ADA ramp should be retained. 

As described further under Vegetation, the hedges that parallel this walkway 

are non-historic and can be removed so that visitors can better see the 

entrance for park programs. 

CR-7. Retain boardwalk between barn and house 

The Lothrops constructed a boardwalk between the house and barn at some 

time between 1900 and 1920 to prevent the tracking of mud into the interior 

of the buildings. The walkway between the barn and house also allows for 

access between the two buildings without a step or change in grade. The 42-

inch wide boardwalk, however, is not used for ADA access to the house 

because the house has many interior steps. The boardwalk is in character 

with narrow boardwalks that were installed by the Lothrops in the early 

1900s (see Figures 40 and 43). The boardwalk should be preserved and 

maintained in good condition. 

CR-8. Preserve Larch Path 

The Larch Path, initially created by Bronson Alcott under the direction of 

Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1859, runs along trees that had previously been 

planted by Alcott in 1846. The path has been a key feature in the historic 

landscape since this time, as it was frequently referred to by the Hawthorne 

and Lothrop families. The path also became known as the Alcott Path as it 

connected to their residence to the west. Local residents currently use the 

paths on the site, including the Larch Path, for daily walking and jogging. 

The path and corresponding larches (see VG-3) should be preserved though 

some rehabilitation work is needed at the east and west ends of the path as 

detailed below. 

CR-9. Re-open original eastern end of Larch Path and preserve the current 

alignment 

From early narrative accounts and photographs, it appears that the Larch 

Path originally followed a straighter alignment at its east end, running parallel 

to the trees along Lexington Road, descending in grade to meet the west 

lawn as seen in Figures 17 to 20 and Figure 95. However, the eastern end of 

the path appears to have suffered extensive damage during the 1938 

hurricane as shown in Figure 45. By 1950, the southwest corner of the west 

lawn appears as a perennial bed with lilacs, which were removed in 2006 and 
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have since regenerated. Vegetation should be removed, and the original 

alignment of the eastern end of the Larch path should be re-established. 

The steep grade of the path from the Centennial boulder to the west lawn has 

resulted in substantial erosion. The increased amount of foot-traffic on the 

re-established route will result in a lesser amount of traffic on the current 

path to the boulder. Overall, less erosion should occur. Stabilizing checks 

could be added to provide a firmer walking surface and halt further erosion. 

CR-10. Add steps between Larch Path and sidewalk at crosswalk. 

Visitors walking on the Larch Path frequently cut down the steep slope near 

the crosswalk to the visitor parking lot. The slope should be stabilized with 

the addition of rough granite steps similar to those found in the retaining 

walls (see Figure 92). While not historically placed in this location, the steps 

would improve visitor safety and aid in stabilizing the steep eroded slope. 

Alternatively, relocate wayside about “Casey’s Home” on the Larch Path so that it 

is not as visible from the crosswalk and sidewalk. Many visitors see the sign and 

scramble up the slope from the sidewalk to read the wayside.

CR-11. Rehabilitate west end of Larch Path 

The west end of the Larch Path is currently overgrown and its intersection 

with the Hawthorne Path up the ridge is obscured and unclear. Because of 

the presence of an archeological site, the possible site of the Minot House, 

any regrading should be done with review by an archeologist and vegetation 

should be removed without disturbing the soil. Poison ivy in the area should 

be controlled (see VG-4). To make a safe and resource-sensitive entrance to 

the Larch Path, the current access from the sidewalk near the intersection of 

Lexington and Alcott roads should be preserved. A short connector should 

be improved from the Larch Path, past the potential Minot House site up to 

the Hawthorne Path. The steep trail section that leads from just west of the 

potential Minot House site down to Alcott Road should be obscured. Any 

vegetation blocking views of Alcott Road or safe access to the sidewalk 

should be trimmed or removed. 

CR-12. Preserve Hawthorne Path 

First noted in an 1853 letter from Sophia to her father, the path on the ridge 

became a place for Nathaniel Hawthorne to pace to and fro, while working 

on his novels. The path up the ridgeline from Alcott Road is easy to follow, 

consists of compacted earth about one foot in width, and is lightly traveled. 

The path should be preserved though some rehabilitation work is needed at 

its east and west ends as detailed below. 
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153 

CR-13. Establish connection at the eastern end of the Hawthorne Path 

At its eastern upper end, the Hawthorne Path currently terminates in sight of 

private residences on the north side of the ridge. Ideally one of Hawthorne’s 

paths up the ridge from the terraces would be maintained so that visitors can 

make a loop around the property (see CR-14 and CR-15). The path should 

be sited carefully in consultation with trail professionals to ensure that it 

does not contribute to erosion in this area. 

CR-14. Create connection between west ends of Hawthorne and Larch paths 

The west end of the Hawthorne Path terminates steeply at Alcott Road with 

no clear connection to the Larch Path. Though there is no historic 

documentation that the paths were connected, ideally visitors would connect 

with the Hawthorne Path from the Larch Path rather than descend the steep 

road cut onto Alcott Road. Because of the presence of an archeological site, 

the possible site of the Minot House, the connector should skirt the south 

and west edges of this site and any regrading should be done with review by 

an archeologist. Poison ivy in the area should be controlled (see VG-4). Any 

vegetation blocking views of Alcott Road or safe access to the sidewalk 

should be trimmed or removed. 

CR-15. Re-establish path to terraces and summer house site and extend to ridge 

to form a loop path 

Bronson Alcott established his garden terraces on the hillside behind his 

home in 1846 and 1847. The stone steps and path that led up to the terraces 

started by the kitchen door (Figure 96). This path is one possible route for 

connecting to the Hawthorne Path on the ridge, allowing visitors to see the 

remains of Alcott’s terraces and the ridge where Hawthorne contemplated 

while working on his novels. Unfortunately the direct route is steep and 

could potentially exacerbate erosion of the hillside and terraces. An 

alternative route would be wind the path up the slope, first heading west to 

the possible site of the summer house. 

Bronson Alcott constructed a summerhouse on the hillside to the northwest 

of the house in 1847. Alcott cut a “serpentine walk through locust grove” 

that may have also led to the summerhouse. Hawthorne family writings 

described an “avenue of locust trees” leading up the hillside to Alcott’s 

summer house, which was sited “on top of [the] terrace.” and in his journal in 

1853 Alcott noted his “arbour” was “amidst the locusts and apple trees.”5 

Given these two statements, and the location of the locust grove as depicted 

on Elizabeth Alcott’s 1846 drawing, the summerhouse probably stood near 

the border between the locust grove and the apple orchard on the hillside 

above the lawn. Julian Hawthorne recalled in 1938 that the summer house 
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 154 

was located halfway up the slanting path. A number of black locust snags are 

still evident on the hillside, possibly indicating the site of the summer house. 

After passing the potential summer house site, the path would then turn east 

above the extant terraces, then west again to meet the Hawthorne Path at the 

ridge. This trail connection from the terraces to the ridge should be laid out 

by trail professionals to ensure that it does not contribute to erosion of the 

hillside or terraces. 

CR-16. Re-establish short path from west lawn up steps to terraces 

A second set of steps, now in poor condition, leads from the west lawn to 

Alcott’s terraces ending at the path described above (see CR-15). The stones 

should be reset and the path rehabilitated to allow visitors to explore the 

Wayside landscape (Figures 97 and 98). 

CR-17. Obscure path from boulder directly up the hillside to ridge 

A steep path for which there is little documentation leads from the 

Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and boulder to the ridge. This route is steep 

and susceptible to erosion. An alternate route, which leads northeast up a 

hillside route to the eastern end of the Hawthorne Path and east to the 

terraces is a more suitable route. The path should be blocked with logs or 

fallen trees. 

CR-18. Do not reopen path from terraces to Hawthorne Centennial Plaque 

A possibly historic utilitarian path used by Alcott traveled along the terraces 

above the west lawn to the area which later became the site for the 

Hawthorne Centennial Plaque (Figure 99). This route is steep and uneven 

and should not be reopened. 

CR-19. Re-establish path running west to ridge from Hawthorne Centennial 

Plaque 

Traces of a hillside path are apparent running from the Hawthorne 

Centennial Plaque west to the ridge. This path could be established to 

connect to the ridge allowing visitors to walk in a loop up to the ridge and to 

the Larch Path. As this path would meet the ridge path midway up the ridge, 

it is not as practical for creating a loop as a path that would run east by a 

hillside route to the eastern end of the Hawthorne Path (see CR-15). 

However, the path is evident in many historic photographs and a bench at its 

upper end (see SF-6) would be in keeping with the continuity of history of 

the path system initiated by Alcott, used extensively by Hawthorne, and 

preserved by the Lothrops. More information on the construction of sidehill 

trail construction and bench cuts can be found in the NPS Trails 
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155 

Management Handbook (1994) by Lennon Hooper and the Acadia Trails 

Treatment Plan (2006) by Barter et al. 

CR-20. Create natural barrier with logs and hemlocks to screen neighboring 

property at the top of Hawthorne’s Path 

At the top of the ridge, the Hawthorne Path leads toward a neighboring 

property. A natural barrier with hemlocks and logs should be created so that 

visitors stay on the loop path and on National Park Service property. The 

barrier would also contribute to the secluded character of the wooded 

terraces. 

VEGETATION 

VG-1. Preserve wooded hillside and add Norway spruce where feasible 

Hawthorne described the hillside in 1853 as covered with young locust, elm, 

white pine, oak and an orchard of apple trees. Bronson Alcott notes in 1860 

that he removed birches from the hillside and planted some of the 450 

Norway spruce that came from England. Extant species on the hillside 

include Norway spruce, linden, sugar maple, and red oak with understory 

saplings of beech, Norway maple, linden, and hickory as well as fern and 

poison ivy. 

The presence of Norway spruce on the hillside should be preserved, as is 

feasible, given the current growing conditions. There is concern of trees 

falling and damaging the house, so trees should be planted in areas where 

their falling is not a threat to the house. The dense shade cast by mature 

deciduous trees prevents the replanting of the hillside with Norway spruce 

without extensive clearing and slope management. Norway spruce can be 

planted where there is more sunlight—when other trees are removed. For 

example, a mature red oak on the terraced slope, above the retaining wall and 

to the northwest corner of the house, is in decline and leaning toward the 

house. When the tree is removed, it should be replanted in-kind as it is 

visible in an 1890 photograph (see Figure 11). However, several young 

Norway spruce can also be planted in this area of the terrace to attain the 

character illustrated in a 1905 photograph of this area (see Figure 35). 

Norway maple (an invasive non-native) should be removed and Norway 

spruce (non-native but not invasive) should be planted in their place to retain 

the character of the historic landscape. 

VG-2. Preserve and maintain privet hedge 

The hedge between the house and sidewalk dates to the 1880s or earlier, has 

been replaced at least once, and was preceded by a picket fence with a hedge 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 156 

on the opposite side of the road (see Figures 5, 8, 15 and 24). During the 

early 1900s, the vigor of the hedge was compromised, possibly by the mature 

pines and spruce that were planted by Alcott between the house and road 

(see Figure 33). Elm trees planted between the sidewalk and the road had 

less of an impact on the health of the hedge (see Figure 37). Most of these 

trees were lost during the 1938 hurricane, allowing the hedge to receive more 

light and grow more vigorously. Based on historic photographs from the 

early 1900s, the hedge should be neatly clipped three times a year at a height 

of 3 feet and width of slightly less than 3 feet (see Figures 36, 37 and 38). 

VG-3. Preserve and replant trees along the Larch Path 

In 1845 and 1846, Bronson Alcott transplanted trees from the hillside in back 

of the house to the front of the property to serve as a screen from the road. 

Species included pines, spruce, larch, hemlock, maple, birch, and locust. 

Fifteen years later in his journal he refers to the larches along the road as the 

“Larch Row.” The Hawthornes referred to the path along the inside of the 

row of larches as the Larch Path or Larch Avenue. The Lothrops frequently 

mentioned the Larch Path in association with Hawthorne. It appears that the 

row of larches were originally planted nine to ten feet on center and that 

some of the larches were lost in the 1938 hurricane. Six larches currently 

stand along the south side of the path. The Larch Path should be preserved. 

If any mature trees along the row decline and need to be removed, larch trees 

should be planted in their place if enough sun penetrates the tree canopy. 

Species that likely grew up or were planted after the 1938 hurricane are still 

present and include Norway and sugar maple and linden. Once the extant 

larches decline other trees should be removed and the entire larch row 

replanted at the same time to reestablish the uniformity that is evident in 

historic photographs (see Figure 82). 

VG-4. Retain open field character of eight-acre parcel remnant and edge of 

parking lot parcel 

Ralph Waldo Emerson purchased the eight-acre parcel in 1845 and leased 

the land to the Alcotts who actively raised crops on the land. Emerson then 

sold the parcel to Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1852. Although only 0.34 acres of 

the eight-acre parcel remain, its open character should be preserved by 

cutting the meadow area two or three times a year (early June, July, late 

September) with a sickle bar mower, as is done for hay fields—allowing the 

grasses and wildflowers to attain a height of 12 to 16 inches. More frequent 

mowing would create an overly manicured landscape that would be 

inappropriate for the historic setting. 

A similar treatment could be applied to a band of lawn along the north and 

east sides of the parking lot. The edges of the band should be cut short, as is 
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157 

the current practice to create a manicured lawn surface. However the center 

of the band should be allowed to grow and be cut two to three times a year 

with a sickle bar mower—the same times as the .34-acre parcel—to establish 

more of the hayfield character. This taller grass will also provide a bit more 

of a screen for the parking lot. Trees along the edge of the parking lot should 

be retained to provide a partial screen of the cars from the house. 

Vegetation along the west side of the parking lot contains numerous nonnative invasive species and should be cut two to three times a year. Wet soils 

in this area may dictate how wide a strip of vegetation is cut and the 

frequency of cutting. 

VG-5. Replant four elms 

Four elms stood in the The Wayside yard, but all are gone (Figure 100). One 

elm grew along the sidewalk to the southwest of the house. The V-shaped 

trunk of the tree, with a fork close to the ground, is visible in 1905 

photographs and the spectacular canopy is visible in Figures 45, 48 and 50. 

As shown in Figure 48, the tree withstood the 1938 hurricane remarkably 

well as compared to the surrounding evergreens. The tree eventually 

succumbed to disease. 

The second elm stood in front of the southeast corner of the house and is 

visible or partially visible in many of the historic photographs taken between 

1880 and 1922 (see Figures 10, 15, 16, 24, 36, 38, 42 and 43). The tree is quite 

large in 1880, but by 1922 is showing signs of decline in its canopy and is gone 

by the late 1930s. Its location between the sidewalk and road is best shown in 

Figures 15 and 16. 

The third elm was located at the edge of the lawn near the driveway. The 

tree is visible in Figures 15, 16, 37, 43, 44 and 47. Figure 44 best illustrates its 

location and size at maturity. The tree was likely removed in 1946 when 

Margaret Lothrop hired an arborist to remove two elms. 

The fourth elm stood at the northwest corner of the lawn above the retaining 

wall. The large stump is still visible. 

All four elms should be replanted to enhance the historic setting. Several 

varieties of elms are now available that are resistant to Dutch elm disease 

including Ulmus americana ‘Princeton,’ Ulmus americana ‘Valley Forge,’ and 

Ulmus americana ‘New Harmony.’ 
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VG-6. Replant selected evergreens south of the west lawn 

Bronson Alcott planted transplanted many evergreens in 1846 to the front of 

the house in an effort to cut out the dust and noise from the nearby busy 

road. Eventually the trees matured and towered over the house. In 1938 

most of the evergreens were destroyed by the 1938 hurricane, though one 

pole-like white pine remains on the south side of the west lawn. Once the 

trees were lost, light returned to the home, prompting Margaret Lothrop to 

write in her book on The Wayside, “I catch myself reflecting that the 

sunshine which now floods Mrs. Hawthorne’s parlor has changed it from the 

gloomy place I had always known to the cheerful room Mrs. Hawthorne 

must have had when the trees were little.” Indeed the trees cast heavy 

shadow on the home and likely contributed to moisture problems that 

required a major rehabilitation of the home in the 1960s and 70s. Replanting 

of the evergreens in front of the home is discouraged for this reason. 

However, the extant white pine should be removed as it is in poor condition, 

and be replaced in kind with four white pines as noted on the treatment plan. 

The replanted trees—set at a distance from the house—would create a 

greater sense of separation of the west lawn from the busy road, enhancing 

the feeling of the historic writer’s residence. 

VG-7. Remove invasive species 

Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), is a non-native plant determined to 

be “of Management Concern” because it spreads into woodland areas and is 

difficult to control. Indeed, the plant was documented as a foundation plant 

in the 1960s though its origin is unknown and has spread throughout the 

woods in the hillside area. Japanese barberry was removed from the 

foundation planting in 2006 and should be removed from the hillside. 

However, as there is no documentation regarding the plant’s introduction to 

the site—it was possibly introduced by birds. Japanese barberry was 

introduced to the United States in 1875. Photographs from 1904 and 1905 

indicate that there were no shrubs in front of the house at this time. 

Another non-native plant of management concern is Oriental bittersweet 

(Celastrus orbiculatus) , which is currently growing above the retaining wall. 

The plant was likely introduced by birds and should be removed. The plant 

should be cut back then spot treated with a systemic herbicide. 

A third species that was recently removed from the property is Forsythia 

(Forsythia spp.), which is a non-native but not listed as a species of 

management concern. There is no documentation regarding the plant’s 

introduction to the site and it was most likely introduced in the later 

twentieth century. The plant was removed from the foundation planting in 

2006 during the rehabilitation of drainage systems. Forsythia persists above 
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159 

the retaining wall and should be removed from this location with day lilies 

planted in its place, or as noted above, Norway spruce, which will shade the 

area. As noted by Orville Carroll in the Historic Structure Report for The 

Wayside (1968), trees and shrubs should not be planted too close to the wall 

as the invading roots can destabilize the wall and steps. 

A number of non-native invasive plants are growing in the wet area to the 

south and west of the parking lot that should be removed including: Oriental 

bittersweet, bedstraw (Galium spp.), honeysuckle, privet, multiflora rose 

(Rosa multiflora), and buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.). 

VG-8. Maintain groomed lawn 

The presence of a well-groomed lawn—with mixed species—in front of and 

to the west of the home is reflected in the earliest photographs from the 

1860s to the end of its tenure as a private residence in 1965. In the 1840s 

Bronson Alcott’s journal indicates that he sowed his lawns with grass and 

clover and installed sod and gravel to create clearly defined paths. For the 

Hawthorne Centenary celebration in 1904 and other special events, the west 

lawn was typically the focal point for gatherings and speeches (see Figures 27 

and 41). 

At times during the site’s history, the west lawn has been punctuated by first a 

building, then a succession of trees. Bronson Alcott moved the Barn to the 

west lawn in 1845 from across the road, but then Hawthorne moved the barn 

to the east side of the home in 1860. His daughter Rose Hawthorne observed 

that without the barn, the space was a “large lawn, around which the 

embowered terraces rose like an amphitheater,” foreseeing the suitability of 

the space for future public gatherings. In the early 1890s the open expanse of 

the lawn was punctuated by a remnant apple tree stump with shoots, which 

was removed soon after (see Figure 11). A young sapling, visible in the lawn 

near the piazza in the 1930s grew quickly to overshadow the house, but was 

removed by 1967, when only a stump remained (see Figures 48, 49 and 52). 

Margaret Lothrop planted a Norway spruce in the lawn west of the piazza in 

circa 1960. The tree became a dominant feature in the lawn area before it 

was removed in 2006. 

In keeping with its appearance in the early 1900s, the west lawn should 

remain open and well-tended with mixed species of fescue grasses and 

clover, though evergreens for screening and an elm should be added to its 

southern edge (see VG-20). Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) has invaded the lawn 

in many areas and needs to be removed and monitored. 
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VG-9. Preserve annuals, perennials, vines and ornamental shrubs that date to the 

historic period 

Journal entries, magazine articles and photographs from the Alcott, 

Hawthorne and Lothrop periods provide insights regarding the perennials, 

vines and ornamental shrubs that were present during the historic period. 

These species should be preserved and new species should not be 

introduced. Annuals include petunias, morning glories and sweet peas. 

Perennials and ground covers include lily-of-the-valley, wild bergamot, day 

lilies, iris and foxglove. Shrubs and vines include roses (Queen-of-theprairies rose), privet, lilac, and woodbine (Virginia creeper). By 1904, 

however, many of these species were no longer on the property, particularly 

after the piazza was built on the site of a small garden. Specific locations for 

species as seen in 1904 and 1905 photographs show day lilies in front of the 

bay window, lilacs on the northeast corner of west lawn near retaining wall, 

and woodbine on the southwest corner of the piazza and east side of the 

house. There were no ornamental plants along the base or on top of the 

retaining wall due to the overhanging branches of Norway spruce. 

After the 1938 hurricane many spruce trees were removed from the hillside, 

opening the area up to increase sunlight. As a result a mix of evergreen and 

deciduous trees and shrubs dot the hillside. Most recently, the National Park 

Service built a section of retaining wall between the house and barn in 2006. 

As part of the project, perennials were planted above the wall. As specified in 

the planting plan and details, the planting included 130 myrtle (Vinca minor), 

86 lily-of-the-valley, 10 lady fern (Athyrium felix-femina), 17 maidenhair fern 

(Adiantum pendatum), and 16 Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides). 

Some of these plants remain and should be maintained to cover the sunny 

area and minimize the establishment of invasive non-natives. 

Trees and shrubs should not be planted in close proximity of the wall as their 

roots can destabilize the dry-laid walls and steps. 

VG-10. Replace day lily and lilac planting at southwest corner of west lawn with 

Norway spruce and larch 

In addition to reopening the original entrance of the Larch Path evergreens 

should be planted along the path to retain the character of the landscape as it 

was in 1904. The lilac, day lilies, and volunteer black locust should be 

removed from this area. Norway spruce and larch should be planted along 

the edge of the lawn, though not in the historic Larch Path corridor. 

VG-11. Remove sections of privet hedge along visitor entrance to barn 

The privet hedges in the east lawn bordering the entrance walk to the barn 

are not historic and should be removed to increase visibility of entrance. 
TREATMENT

161 

VG-12. Plant vine and rose adjacent to house and piazza 

Many vines grew on the house during the Hawthorn and early Lothrop periods, 

though most were trained on the west side of the house prior to the construction 

of the piazza in 1887. Thereafter, vines (most likely Virginia creeper, also known 

as woodbine) were trained to the posts of the piazza as depicted in Figure 26 

dating to 1895. Also evident in historic photographs is a vine trained over the east 

wing door and window (see Figure 37). To restore the vine over the east side 

door and windows, a detachable trellis should be secured to the house as 

described under small-scale features (see SF-9). An appropriate vine to train 

onto the trellis would be Virginia creeper. A trellis would not be necessary to 

reintroduce the sweet briar rose (Rosa eglanteria) mentioned in 1890s accounts 

that may have been present on the site in the early 1900s (see deciduous plant on 

southwest corner of piazza in Figure 33). The rose would be best planted by one 

of the southwest facing posts of the piazza, where it would receive ample sun, or 

on the west side of the barn, in the location of a former trellis structure depicted 

in a 1965 HABS photograph of the southwest corner of the barn. The fragrant 

rose grows to a height of 6 to 7 feet. 

BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES AND UTILITIES 

BS-1. Preserve retaining walls 

There are four sections of stone retaining walls and three sets of stone steps 

on the property which require monitoring and repairs. The retaining wall 

that extends around the west lawn dates to the Alcotts residence when 

Bronson Alcott reconfigured the area to relocate the barn and establish 

garden terraces. The wall was damaged during the 1938 hurricane when the 

Norway spruce growing above it were blown over. The wall was 

subsequently repaired and is currently in fair condition with some bulges. 

The wall sections should be monitored, particularly in the spring, and repairs 

made as needed so that major sections of the wall do not collapse. 

A low retaining wall in the west lawn near the piazza is covered with turf. 

This section should be uncovered and the steps reset. 

A section of wall runs east from the barn and along the east property line. 

This stone wall is in fair condition. The wall should be monitored and the 

stones reset as needed. 

The park service added a new section of wall in 2006 which is compatible yet 

distinguishable from the historic wall. This wall is in good condition and 

should be monitored for signs of bulging and erosion. Plantings were also 

installed as detailed in VG-9. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 162 

BS-2. Monitor and maintain sub-surface drains

Site rehabilitation work in 2006 included the repair of sub-surface drains at 

the base of the hillside and in the vicinity of the house that were no longer 

functioning. The drains should be monitored and maintained to protect 

historic resources. 

VIEWS AND VISTAS 

VW-1. Establish partial view of the house 

In the 1840s Bronson Alcott transplanted many evergreens to the front of the 

house creating a screen. Four elms also grew around the home creating a 

canopy and frame for the house. These trees eventually towered over the 

house, but most of the evergreens fell over during the 1938 hurricane and the 

elms all succumbed to diseases. Consequently the house is more visible from 

Lexington Road than it was during the historic period. As detailed under 

Vegetation (see VG-1 and VG-2), the elms and selected evergreens should be 

replanted, creating a partial screen of the house from the road. 

VW-2. Preserve vista along Larch Path 

Saplings are growing up along the edges of the path and narrowing the vista 

down the straight path corridor. Saplings should be removed if they grow 

into the path. When the existing European larch decline, any remaining trees 

should be removed and the allee of trees should be replanted with evenly 

spaced larch as depicted in Figures 17 and 82. 

VW-3. Preserve views of open parcels to the south 

Views to the open landscapes of the parcels south of Lexington Road should 

be preserved. 

VW-4. Preserve screen of trees along parking lot edges 

Preserve screen of trees along parking lot edges to obscure view of cars from 

The Wayside. 

SMALL-SCALE FEATURES 

SF-1. Retain non-historic signs but improve appearance 

Interpretive and directional signs throughout the property should be 

retained. The sign in the east lawn holding brochures needs to be replaced 

with a more refined sign to match the domestic setting and set at a lower 

height. 
TREATMENT

163 

SF-2. Mark a loop path 

Mark a loop path for visitors to explore the more secluded wooded portions 

of the property as Hawthorne used the hillside. Use a small marker, such as a 

3-inch diameter colored disk on trees to mark a loop trail that would include 

the path from the steps behind the home, up the terraces and past the 

summerhouse site to the ridge, Hawthorne Path to Larch Path back to west 

lawn. 

SF-3. Preserve three plaques in the landscape 

There are currently three plaques on the property, one that dates to the 

historic period and two that are more recent. The Hawthorne Centenary 

Plaque placed on a boulder in the woods just beyond the west lawn dates to 

1904 and should be preserved. Site work is needed to stabilize the eroding 

slope around the site as recommended above under Circulation (see CR-9). 

The National Historic Landmark plaque was placed in c. 1985 by the front 

door and should be retained. The National Underground Railroad to 

Freedom plaque was placed southeast of the barn in 2001 and should be 

retained. 

SF-4. Retain split-rail fence 

Very little documentation was found for the split rail fence at the southeast 

corner of the property. The fence may be retained to delineate the corner of 

the NPS property or removed. 

SF-5. Preserve wood and coal bin and cellar doors 

The cellar doors and wood and coal bin are visible in historic photographs 

and should be preserved. 

SF-6. Add benches to the landscape that evoke the character of the Hawthorne 

and Lothrop benches 

During the Hawthorne and Lothrop periods there were numerous places to 

sit in the landscape. Presently there are none. The lack of seating diminishes 

the feeling of the property as a residence. The addition of seating would 

provide a place for visitors to rest. Benches in the style of those present 

during the period, such as those captured in 1890s photographs, including 

the bench on the west lawn and the seats between the trees (see Figures 11, 

21 and 22), should be added. 

SF-7. Do not reconstruct viewing platforms 

Two viewing platforms were present along the Hawthorne Path in the late 

1800s and early 1900s (see Figures 23 and 29). Built of wood and somewhat 

whimsical, these structures would be difficult to maintain and would 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 164 

potentially be considered hazardous. The structures should not be 

reconstructed. 

SF-8. Restore hitching post

A hitching post appears in photographs from the turn of the century south of 

the sidewalk bordering the west lawn (see Figures 42, 43, and 86). According 

to Orville Carroll, author of historic structure reports for the house and barn, 

the hitching post was moved to be used as a barn step (as noted in a May 24, 

1971 memoradum to the Park Manager). The hitching post should be 

relocated to the front of the house, though on the inner side of the sidewalk 

so as not to be hit by street snowplows. 

SF-9. Install detachable trellis on east side of house

In the early twentieth century, vines grew on the home and piazza as detailed 

in VG-12 and depicted in Figures 33 and 37. To restore the vine over the east 

side door and windows, a detachable trellis should be secured to the house as 

described in Preservation Tech Notes, Site Number 1, “Restoring Vine 

Coverage to Historic Buildings,” by Karen E. Day (October 1991). An 

appropriate vine to train onto the trellis would be Virginia creeper. A trellis 

would not be necessary to reintroduce the sweet briar rose (Rosa eglanteria) 

on the southwest corner of the piazza. 

ARCHEOLOGICAL FEATURES 

AR-1. Preserve well site 

The well between the home and barn is protected by an iron grate and 

should be preserved. 

AR-2. Preserve Eliphelet Fox home site 

The foundation of the Eliphelet home should be preserved. 

AR-3. Preserve potential Minot home site 

Archeological review is needed before improving the path circulation in this 

area as recommended in under Circulation above (see CR-11 and CR-14). 

Further research and field investigations are needed to validate the Minot 

House site, and a wayside similar to the one placed outside the Eliphelet Fox 

home site should be installed. 
TREATMENT

165 

TABLE 3: SUMMARY OF TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS, WAYSIDE UNIT, MINUTE MAN NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK 

Rehabilitation Task Notes 

Priority for Action 

1 - high priority 

2 - medium priority 

3 - low priority, but requires 

ongoing monitoring 

4 - no action

SPATIAL ORGANIZATION, TOPOGRAPHY AND LAND USE 

TP-1. Preserve hillside terraces and reduce 

hillside erosion 

3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

TP-2. Monitor the base of the hillside for 

erosion and maintain the trench drain 

3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

CIRCULATION 

CR-1. Rehabilitate sidewalk along 

Lexington Road 

To be carried out in 

collaboration with the Town of 

Concord 

2 - plan for future action 

CR-2. Shift path entrance from front door 

to align with bay window then split to front 

door and barn 

 1 – high priority for action 

CR-3. Re-establish path from sidewalk to 

west lawn, front door and back yard 1 – high priority for action 

CR-4. Rehabilitate steps in the west lawn 1 – high priority for action 

CR-5. Re-establish entry drive 1 – high priority for action 

CR-6. Retain non-historic NPS walkway to 

barn 

3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

CR-7. Retain boardwalk between barn and 

house 

3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

CR-8. Preserve Larch Path 3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

CR-9. RE-open original eastern end of 

Larch Path and preserve current alignment 

to boulder 

Larch Path will fork at east end 

with one branch leading straight 

to south lawn and other branch 

leading to boulder 

1 – high priority for action 

CR-10. Add steps between Larch Path and 

sidewalk at crosswalk 

Alternatively, relocate wayside 

so it is not visible from the 

crosswalk and sidewalk. To be 

carried out in collaboration with 

the Town of Concord 

1 – high priority for action 

CR-11. Rehabilitate west end of Larch Path 1 – high priority for action 

CR-12. Preserve Hawthorne Path 3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

CR-13. Establish connection at the eastern 

end of the Hawthorne Path 2 - plan for future action 

CR-14. Rehabilitate west end of Hawthorne 

Path 2 - plan for future action 

CR-15. Re-establish path to terraces and 

summer house site and extend to ridge to 

form loop path 

Task will require professional 

trail crew to lay out and 

construct path to minimize 

erosion 

2 - plan for future action 

CR-16. Re-establish short path from west 

lawn up steps to terraces 

Short-term task to create 

interpretive walking loop for the 

terraces 

1 – high priority for action 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 166 

CR-17. Obscure path from boulder directly 

up the hillside to ridge 1 – high priority for action 

CR-18. Do not reopen path from terraces to 

Hawthorne Centennial Plaque 4 - no action 

CR-19. Re-establish path running west to 

ridge from Hawthorne Centennial Plaque 1 – high priority for action 

CR-20. Create natural barrier to screen 

neighbors 2 - plan for future action 

VEGETATION 

VG-1. Preserve wooded hillside and add 

Norway spruce where feasible 2 - plan for future action 

VG-2. Preserve and maintain privet hedge 1 – high priority for action 

VG-3. Preserve and replant trees along the 

Larch Path 

3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

VG-4. Retain open field character of eightacre parcel remnant and edge of parking lot 

parcel 

 1 – high priority for action 

VG-5. Replant four elms 2 - plan for future action 

VG-6. Replant selected evergreens south of 

the west lawn 2 - plan for future action 

VG-7. Remove invasive species 1 – high priority for action 

VG-8. Maintain groomed lawn 1 – high priority for action 

VG-9. Preserve perennials that date to 

historic period 1 – high priority for action 

VG-10. Replace day lily and lilac planting at 

southwest corner of west lawn with Norway 

spruce and larch

 2 - plan for future action 

VG-11. Remove sections of privet hedge 

along visitor entrance to barn 1 – high priority for action 

VG-12. Plant vine and rose adjacent to 

house and piazza or barn 2 - plan for future action 

BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES AND UTILITES 

BS-1. Preserve retaining walls and reset 

steps in wall 1 – high priority for action 

BS-2. Monitor and maintain sub-surface 

drains 1 – high priority for action 

VIEWS AND VISTAS 

VW-1. Preserve partial view of the house 3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

VW-2. Preserve vista along Larch Path 3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

VW-3. Preserve views of open parcels to the 

south 

3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

VW-4. Preserve screen of trees along 

parking lot edges 

3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

SMALL-SCALE FEATURES 

SF-1. Retain non-historic signs and improve 

appearance 1 – high priority for action 

SF-2. Mark a loop path 2 - plan for future action 
TREATMENT

167 

SF-3. Preserve three plaques in the 

landscape 

3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

SF-4. Retain split-rail fence 3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

SF-5. Preserve wood and coal bin and cellar 

doors 

3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

SF-6. Add benches to the landscape that 

evoke the character of Hawthorne and 

Lothrop benches 

 2 - plan for future action 

SF-7. Do not reconstruct the viewing 

platforms 4 - no action 

SF-8. Restore hitching post 

To be carried out in 

collaboration with the Town of 

Concord 

2 - plan for future action 

SF-9. Install detachable trellis on east end of 

house 2 - plan for future action 

ARCHEOLOGICAL FEATURES 

AR-1. Preserve well site 3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

AR-2. Preserve Eliphelet Fox home site 3 - requires ongoing monitoring of 

condition 

AR-3. Preserve potential Minot home site 2 - plan for future action 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

 168 

ENDNOTES 

 

1

 Lothrop noted that “After facing and overcoming the hardship of settlement and establishment of a nation, the people 

were able to turn their attention to ‘thoughtful living.’” Ronsheim report, no date, attached to Small to Herbert Kahler, 16 

November 1962, 1, File MIMA Legislation, NRHE Files, pp. 2-6. In Joan M. Zenzen, “Bridging the Past: A History of 

Minute Man National Historical Park,” December 2007, p. 108. 

2

 Allen Kent and Douglas Scovill, MIMA Interpretive Prospectus, 1971, 23-24 (includes quotes), File IP, NPS Reports 

Files, Park Library, MIMA. In Joan M. Zenzen, “Bridging the Past: A History of Minute Man National Historical Park,” 

December 2007, p. 152. 

3

 National Park Service. General Management Plan. September 1989, p. iv, 51. 

4

 Terrie Wallace, Ph.D., Curator, “Introduction to the Historic Furnishings Plan, Wayside Unit, November 2006. 

5

 Sophia Hawthorne to Mother, June 13, 1852, as quoted in HGR p. 117; Alcott Journal, May 7, 1853, as quoted in HGR p. 

119. 
169 

TREATMENT

Figure 92. View looking southeast showing walks surrounding the southwest, west and north sides of the piazza and home in c. 1890 

(MIMA Archives, WE-7an DE and 24502).

Figure 93. View looking northeast in c. 1890 showing remnant apple tree at far left and walks on the west and south sides of the piazza 

(MIMA Archives, WE-30an-1a).
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

170

Figure 94. View west of steps and low retaining wall at northwest corner of piazza leading onto west lawn, c. 1900 

(MIMA Archives, 30781).

Figure 95. View west of the original entrance to the Larch Path. Note the 

elm tree visible on the left side of the tree-lined corridor, c. 1890 (MIMA 

Archives, 30750).
171 

TREATMENT

Figure 96. Looking north at steps behind house leading to Alcott’s 

terraces, c. 1905 (MIMA Archives, 30779). 

 

Figure 97. Looking northeast at steps at the northeast corner of the lawn in c. 1905. Note the erosion and exposed 

roots of the nearby Norway spruce. The shrubs to the right may be lilac shoots (MIMA Archives, 30786). 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

172

Figure 99. View northeast of Hawthorne Centennial Plaque and path leading northeast then east to terraces also thought 

to be Alcott’s serpentine walk above the barn, c. 1930 (MIMA Archives, 30776).

Figure 98. View looking southeast of path from steps at back of 

house up to Alcott’s terraces, 1937 (MIMA Archives, 24555). 
173 

TREATMENT

Figure 100. View looking northeast of two of the mature elms surrounding The Wayside, 1945. The elm in front of 

the house is gone and the elm in the west lawn (left foreground) and by the barn (right) remain. The fourth elm on 

the northwest corner of the lawn is not visible from this vantage point (MIMA Archives, 24613, SW-12an). 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

174
16"

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X X X

X

X

X

X

X

X

91

92

90

95

SIGN

115

110

105

100

155

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

95

125

130

135 140

145

150

155

160

100

100

105

110

115

120

95

90

X

X

X

115

110

155

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

125

130

135 140

145

150

155

160

100

105

110

115

120

6"

9595

X

X

95

92

X

X

X

SIGN

90 90

Eight-Acre Parcel(.34-acre remnant)

hedge

piazza

Hawthorne Lane

Alcott Road

Lexington Road_

CR-12. PreserveHawthorne Path

CR-9. Stabilize erodingtreadway

TP-1. Preserve hand reduce hills

TP-2. Monitor hillside base for erosion andmaintain trenchdrain

CR-3. Re-establish path

CR-2. Remove stones,shift path to bay window

CR-4. Reset steps

CR-5. R entry 

CR-7. Retain boardwalk

CR-9. Preserve alignment

CR-10. Add steps

CR-11. Stabilizeeroding treadway,remove overgrownvegetation

CR-8. PreserveLarch Path

CR-13.Establish connection

CR-14. Obscuresteep entrance

CR-15. Re-establish path CR-16. Re-establish short path

CR-17. Obscure path

CR-19. Re-establish path

VG-1. Preserve wooded hillsideand add Norway spruce where feasible

VG-2. Preserve andmaintain hedge

VG-3. Preserve and replant trees

VG-4. Retain open field character,mow tall grasses with sickle bar mower 2-3 times per year

VG-5. Replant elm

VG-5. Replant elm

VG-5. Replan

VG-5. Replant elm

VG-6. Remove pine, replace with (4) younger specimens 

CR-18.Obscure path

BS-1. Preservewalls

VW-1. Preserve views of house

SF-1. Retain non-historic signs

SF-2. Mark loop path

SF-3. PreserveHawthorneCentennialPlaque

SF-5. Retain cellar doors

CR-1. Rehabilitate sidewalk

SF-6. Add bench

SF-6. Add bench

SF-6. Add bench at summerhouse site

SF-7. Do notreconstructviewing platforms 

AR-2. PreserveEliphelet Foxhome site

AR-3. Preserve potentialMinot home site 

BS-2. Monsub-surfac

CR-20. Create natural barrier

VG-4. Preserve screen,mow tall grasses 2-3times per year

CR-14. Mark andstabilize treadway

VG-8. Maintain groomed lawn

CR-9. Re-open

SF-5. Preserve bin

SF-8. Restorehitching post

VG-9. Preserve plants 

VW-2. Preserve vista

VW-3. Preserve views of south parcels

VW-4. Preserve screen, plantmedium heightgrasses

BIBLIOGRAPHY

177 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

COLLECTIONS 

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PUBLICATIONS 

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Houghton, Mifflin and Company. Boston, MA and New York, NY. 1898. 

 

Bartlett, George Bradford. Concord: Historic, Literary and Picturesque (3rd 

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_____. “Concord Dramatics.” Wide Awake. July-August, 1893. 

_____. The Concord Guide Book (2nd revision). D. Lothrop and Company. 

Boston, MA. 1880. 

Capen, Oliver Bronson. “Country Homes of Famous Americans.” Country Life 

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Carroll, Orville W. Historic Structure Report, The Wayside Barn, Architectural 

Data Section. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park 

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_____. Historic Structure Report, The Wayside Barn, Part II, Architectural Data 

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1910. 

Cooke, George Willis. “Concord History and Life.” New England Magazine. 

June, 1898. 

Curtis, G.W. Homes of American Authors. G.P. Putnam. 1853. 

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Domestic Monthly, The. “The Town of Concord.” September, 1887. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

178 

Drake, Samuel Adams. Historic Homes. 1873. 

_____. Historic Fields and Mansions of Middlesex. James R. Osgood & Company, 

Boston, MA. 1873. 

_____. Old Landmarks and Historic Fields of Middlesex. Roberts Brothers. 

Boston, MA. 1876. 

_____. Historic Mansions and Highways Around Boston. Little & Brown. Boston, 

MA. 1899. 

Eldridge, Eugenie. “Concord Days.” The Cottage Hearth. November, 1888. 

Everett, Charles. Landscape Architecture I, Thesis III. Minute Man NHP 

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Harrington, M. K, et al. National Register of Historic Places Documentation, 

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Harris, William Torrey. Letter to Harriett M. Lothrop. Minute Man NHP 

Archives. December 10, 1900: HMLFP, box 39, folder 3. 

Hawthorne, Julian. Hawthorne and His Circle. New York: Harper & Brothers. 

1903. 

_____. “Hawthorne’s Last Years” The Critic. Minute Man NHP Archives. 

HMLFP, box 34, folder 20. 1904. 

Heath, Addie E. “Margaret Sidney.” The Woman’s Magazine. September, 1887. 

Herrnstadt, Richard L., ed. The Letters of A. Bronson Alcott. Iowa State 

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Johnson, Clifton. Highways and Byways of New England. The MacMillan 

Company. New York, NY. 1915. 

Kincaid, Jean. “The Wayside, Hawthorne’s Old Home in Concord, Mass.” The 

Home-Maker Magazine. December, 1890. 

_____. “Boston Letter.” Brains. August, 1891. 

Lathrop, Rose Hawthorne. “The Concord Guide Book.” The Concord Freeman. 

May 13, 1880. 
BIBLIOGRAPHY

179 

_____. Memories of Hawthorne. 1897. 

Little Journeys to the Homes of American Authors. Various authors. The 

Knickerbocker Press. New York, NY. 1896. 

Logan, Mr. John A. “Margaret Sidney.” The Home Magazine. December, 1890. 

Logan, Mrs. John A. “Hawthorne’s Home.” The Home Magzine. November, 

1890. 

Lothrop, Margaret M. “Hawthorne in Old Concord.” Everywoman. July, 1915. 

_____. Letter to Mauck Brammer. Minute Man NHP Archives. August 29, 1939: 

HMLFP, box 78 folder 4. 1939. 

_____. Letter to W.T.H. Howe. Minute Man NHP Archives. June 3, 1939: 

HMLFP, box 78 folder 4. 1939. 

_____. “Wayside-The Home of Three American Authors.” Old Time New 

England. 1929 

_____. The Wayside: Home of Authors. New York: American Book Company. 

1968. 

_____. The Wayside. (compiled from Concord Town Records and Middlesex 

Deeds.) Minute Man NHP Archives. HMLFP, box 79, folder 7; box 43, folder 7. 

1937. 

Loveless, Andrew M. “The Wayside, Home of Three Authors.” Daughters of the 

American Revolution Magazine. 1965-1970. 

McOmie, Margaret. “Wayside, Home of Three Authors.” Issue AAA Travel. 

May, 1933. 

Petrides, George. A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs. Boston: Houghton Mifflin 

Co., 1958. 

R.W.K. “Centennial Concord.” Appleton’s Journal. April 24, 1875. 

Ronsheim, Robert D. The Wayside, Minute Man National Historical Park, 

Historic Structure Report Part II, Historical Data Section. Washington D.C.: U.S. 
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT FOR THE WAYSIDE UNIT

180 

Department of the Interior, NPS, Division of History, Office of Archeology and 

Historic Preservation. February 1968. 

Sabin, Douglas P. April 19, 1775, A Historiographical Study, Part I, The British are 

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Sidney, Margaret. “’Old Concord,’ Her Highways and By-ways.” The Woman’s 

Review. October, 1892. 

Smith, Harriette Knight. “The Children Love Them.” The Interior. April, 1895. 

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Swayne, Josephine Latham, ed. The Story of Concord told by Concord Writers. W. 

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Toogood, Anna Coxe. The Wayside, Historic Grounds Report, Minute Man 

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1970. 

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Office, History Program. 2002. 

Wolfe, Theodore Frelinghuysen. Literary Shrines: the Haunts of Some Famous 

Authors. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott. 1895. 

WEBSITES 

Waksman, Peter. “Concord Lithics,” http://neara.org/lithic/lithotx1.html. New 

England Antiquities Research Association. March 2002, Accessed July 24, 2007. 

American Memory Website, Library of Congress, accessed July 2008, LOT 12003, 

p. 41 <P&P>, Digital file ID det 4a31668 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/det.4a31668. 

OLMSTED CENTER FOR LANDSCAPE PRESERVATION

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