Emerson, Ralph Waldo, House
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Why it's listed
This house at 28 Cambridge Turnpike in Concord, Massachusetts, was the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson from 1835 until his death in 1882. John T. Coolidge built it in 1828-29 for his son Charles, and Emerson bought it with about 2 acres, later expanding the grounds to 9 acres. In 1836 he added two rooms to the southwest corner, and in 1857 a bay window and an attic room called "the den" were added. Emerson wrote his major works here, including Nature, "The American Scholar", two series of Essays, Representative Men and English Traits. A fire in July 1872 destroyed the roof and much of the second floor, but friends funded a full restoration. After the last of Emerson's children died in 1930, the Ralph Waldo Emerson Memorial Association took over the property. The rooms remain as they were after the 1872-73 restoration, except the study, whose original contents went to the Concord Antiquarian Society and were replaced by duplicates around 1930.
Significance in brief: It was the home of poet, essayist and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson from 1835 until his death in 1882. All of his major works, including Nature, "The American Scholar", Essays, Representative Men and English Traits, were prepared here. The house was restored after a 1872 fire and remains largely as it was after that work.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 66000365, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 18 Cambridge Tpke. (Lexington Rd. and Cambridge Tpke.), Concord |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000365 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1828-29; 1835-82 |
| Architect / builder | Built by John T. Coolidge for his son Charles (1828-29); the form's builder/architect field reads "not known" |
| Areas of significance | Literature |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 29, 1962 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Maintained in good condition and operated as a museum open to the public in season; the Ralph Waldo Emerson Memorial Association administers it. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Within district | Concord Monument Square-Lexington Road Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.45653, -71.34264 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 66000365.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7288218
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.