Walden Pond
Also known as: Walden Pond State Reservation
Why it's listed
Walden Pond is a glacial pond of 64.5 acres in Concord and Lincoln, Massachusetts, surrounded by woodland that forms Walden Pond State Reservation. On its northern shore, above Deep Cove, rough-cut granite posts and a cairn mark where Henry David Thoreau built a one-room cabin in 1845. He lived there from July 4, 1845, until September 6, 1847, testing a life of simplicity and reflection. In those years he finished his first book, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, and gathered the material for Walden, or Life in the Woods. The land belonged to Ralph Waldo Emerson, and in 1922 Emerson's heirs deeded the cabin site, the pond and the surrounding land to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with restrictions meant to preserve the Walden of Emerson and Thoreau. The reservation grew from 144 to about 250 acres. Visitor facilities, including a beach and bath houses, sit at the eastern end of the pond.
Significance in brief: Thoreau lived at the pond from July 4, 1845, to September 6, 1847, in an experiment in simple living and philosophic meditation. During those years he completed A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers and gathered the material for Walden, or Life in the Woods. The site is tied to one of the major figures of American literature.
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 66000790, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1.5 mi. S of Concord, Concord |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000790 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1845-1847 |
| Areas of significance | Literature |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 29, 1962 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | State reservation open to the public daily from sunrise until dark. The cabin site is regularly maintained and appears to be in good condition, though the visitor buildings are in need of repair. |
| Acreage | 250 |
| Coordinates | 42.43686, -71.33910 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 66000790.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2023853
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.