Concord, Massachusetts has witnessed landmark events in American art, literature, philosophy, and the ongoing struggle to win freedom and justice for all—not bad for a small suburban town. This blog tells these stories in the larger context of American history. Hopefully you’ll discover things they didn’t teach you in history class.
The Death of Nathaniel Hawthorne
161 years ago, on May 19, 1864, Nathaniel Hawthorne died at the age of 59. He was in Plymouth, New Hampshire, on a vacation with former U.S. President Franklin Pierce, who had been a close friend to Hawthorne since they were students at Bowdoin College. His best writing years behind him, Hawthorne had been in…
Extraordinary Accomplishments of Ordinary People
Today Concord celebrates the 250th anniversary of the battle that launched the war for American independence. Describing that day, one of my students spoke of “the extraordinary accomplishments of ordinary people.” We often hear historic battles characterized as the deeds of generals and presidents: Washington, Grant, Eisenhower. What makes the American victory on April 19,…
Concord Women Who Answered the Call in 1775
As Concord prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Minutemen’s victory over the Redcoats at the North Bridge, let’s remember that many of those who made a difference on April 19, 1775 were neither Minutemen nor Redcoats. When the Minutemen mustered in anticipation of battle, some came prepared with cartridges, consisting of a musket…
Concord History/Guide Course: No Rain, No Gain
Every year since 2019, I’ve taught the Concord History/Guide Course, sharing the stories of 12,000 years of human activity in this town that Thoreau called “the most estimable place in all the world.” Some take this class simply to learn this remarkable remarkable history, but most take it to become qualified for a town tour…
Francis Williams: from Spanish Town to the Stars
My favorite part of doing history is to follow a trail of evidence that reveals a compelling story that was forgotten or suppressed for hundreds of years. This article is outside my usual focus of Concord, but it’s an outstanding example of this kind of detective work by Fara Dabhoiwala, published in the London Review…
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History Lives 