Wayside, The
Also known as: Home of Authors
Why it's listed
Built before 1717 on Lexington Road in Concord, The Wayside grew from a colonial lean-to house into a layered home shaped by its owners. Bronson Alcott's family, including his daughter Louisa May Alcott, lived there from 1845 to 1848 and added dormers, wings and garden structures. Nathaniel Hawthorne bought it in 1852, named it The Wayside, and added a three-story tower study and other rooms after returning from England. In 1883 Daniel and Harriett Lothrop acquired the property; Harriett wrote the Five Little Peppers books as Margaret Sidney. The Lothrops added a west piazza in 1887 and modernized the house. This succession of writers gave it the name Home of Authors, and the house is also linked to Emerson and Thoreau through visits to the Alcotts and Hawthornes. The house is kept as it appeared in 1924, with a barn, grounds and archaeological remains of a former slave's house nearby, within Minute Man National Historical Park.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant as the home of three 19th-century American authors: Bronson and Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Harriett Lothrop (Margaret Sidney), earning it the name 'Home of Authors'. It is also tied to the Transcendentalist circle in Concord. Its architectural interest comes from alterations made by each notable owner.
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 80000356, listed July 11, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 455 Lexington Rd., Concord |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 11, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000356 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799, 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Areas of significance | Literature, Architecture, Philosophy, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated February 4, 1985 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Administered by the National Park Service as part of Minute Man National Historical Park since 1965; maintained as it appeared in 1924, with the barn serving as the visitor orientation center. |
| Acreage | 3.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.45923, -71.33356 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 80000356.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3523325
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.