Writers Retreat

“Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Time in our inspiring writing studio also makes an unforgettable gift for the writer in your life!

Don’t wait – make your reservation today!

Contact us at info@thoreaufarm.org 

Introducing a new sanctuary where you can write your own novel, short story, poetry… or whatever magnum opus is in you! Pen your masterpiece in the very room where author, philosopher, and environmentalist Henry David Thoreau was born — “the birthplace of ideas” — and soak up the influential author’s literary vibe.

Write at a replica of the desk Thoreau had at Walden Pond.

Write at a replica of the desk Thoreau had at Walden Pond.

The Thoreau birthplace Writers Retreat is the perfect country setting for writers who want uninterrupted concentration and a reprieve from urban stress. Thoreau Farm is a 295-year old colonial New England farmhouse adjacent to a working twenty-acre organic farm in Concord, Massachusetts. Quiet pastures and woods surround the house and serve as inspiration through every window. It was in this room in this house that Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817, where, his friend Ellery Channing wrote, “he first saw the light” and “drew his first breath in a pure country air, out of crowded towns, amid the pleasant russet fields.”

The historic house and its immediate surroundings have been restored to Thoreau’s time in a recent preservation project. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and won a 2012 Massachusetts Preservation Award.

Of all the 19th-century literary luminaries associated with Concord – Emerson, Hawthorne, Sidney, the Alcotts, and others – Thoreau was the only one actually born in the town. His birthplace is located close to other beloved Concord literary landmarks connected to the author and his fellow Transcendentalists, including Walden Pond, Emerson House, Orchard House, The Old Manse, and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

The lovingly restored and furnished second floor Thoreau birth room can be rented for $150 per day. All proceeds support the Thoreau Farm Trust, the preservation of the site, and educational programming.

Wifi is provided.

Transportation, lodging, and meals are not included, but there are several lovely, historic inns and restaurants located nearby.

The space is available Monday-Friday (no weekends) May-October, and seven days a week November-April.

All reservations must include a scheduled arrival time, so we can coordinate welcoming you to Thoreau Farm. Please provide at least 48 hours notice for a cancellation or change in arrival time. In the event of a cancellation, we are unable to offer a refund, but will reschedule your reservation for another time.

Email us at info@thoreaufarm.org  to make a reservation today. We are also happy to assist you in planning your trip to the area.

Places to stay:

Concord’s Colonial Inn

Best Western, Concord

There are numerous bed and breakfasts in Concord as well as listings on airbnb.com.

Friendly Crossroads Hostel, Harvard (16 miles from Concord – great place to stay on a budget or for extended visits)