“Write while the heat is in you.” —Henry David Thoreau
Pen your masterpiece in the very room where author, philosopher, and environmentalist Henry David Thoreau was born.
Spend a unique day working at replica of the desk Thoreau used at Walden Pond. The Thoreau birthplace is the perfect country setting for writers who want uninterrupted concentration and a reprieve from urban stress.
What people say about The Writer’s Retreat at Thoreau Farm:
“I highly encourage anyone who needs a space for quiet reflection or to pursue literary endeavors to spend a day or two at the Writer’s Retreat.”
– Donna Marie Przybojewski,
author of four children’s books on Thoreau
“The thing I remember most about my day in the room where Thoreau was born was the dappled sunlight and shadow falling over the pages of my notebook…I felt at one with nature in that room, which would’ve made Thoreau glad, I think.”
– Kendra Adele Hinkle
Thoreau Farm is a 290-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 here that, as his friend Ellery Channing wrote, Thoreau “first saw the light” and “drew his first breath in a pure country air, out of crowded towns, amid the pleasant russet fields.”
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.
Guidelines:
- The space is available Monday-Friday from May-October, and seven days a week November-April.
- Wifi is provided.
- Transportation, lodging, and meals are not included, but there are several lovely, historic inns and restaurants nearby.
- Photography for non-commercial, personal use is permitted.
- All reservations will 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.
Pricing:
$200 per six-hour day, $50 additional charge per person with up to 5 people.
Time in our inspiring Writer’s Retreat also makes a unique gift for the writer in your life.
All proceeds support the Thoreau Farm Trust and the preservation of Thoreau’s birthplace.
Email info@thoreaufarm.org to make a reservation today.
Interested in a group event at Thoreau Farm? Our downstairs meeting room may be great spot for your next book club or committee meeting. Email info@thoreaufarm.org for more information.