Imagine Emerson’s children giggling as they named this place. This is Fairyland Pond. It is a small but significant body of water in Concord, Massachusetts. This pond resides within the Hapgood Wright Town Forest. It’s a conservation area with a rich history.
Fairyland Pond isn’t just any pond. Its name likely originated in the 1850s. Emerson’s children and their friends, including Louisa May Alcott, frequently played here. They lived nearby. They transformed this place into their own fairyland.
This pond is mentioned in writings. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau referenced it. These literary giants shaped Concord’s identity. Their words immortalized this natural space.
The Fairyland Pond you see today is man-made. It was created in the late 19th century. A dam was constructed. This dam shaped the pond’s current form. The drainage culvert was rebuilt in 2011.
Water flows into Fairyland Pond from Brister’s Spring. The spring is about 500 feet south. It’s named for Brister Freeman. Thoreau mistakenly called him “Scipio” or “Sippio” Brister. Brister was a freed slave. He lived with his family on the hill where the spring emerges. Today, Brister’s house location is marked. It’s part of the Drinking Gourd Project. This project commemorates Concord’s role in abolition. Emerson valued this spring. He often brought visitors to drink its water.
Like nearby Walden Pond, Fairyland Pond sits in a kettle hole. This is a depression formed by a retreating glacier. The pond covers 2.75 acres. It is shallow. The maximum depth is only four feet. Its watershed spans 60 acres. This area remains largely undeveloped.
A certified vernal pool lies west of Fairyland Pond. The surrounding forest is mixed. Hardwood, hemlock, pine, and maple trees thrive here. This habitat supports diverse wildlife.
Edith Emerson Forbes, Emerson’s daughter, protected this area for years. In 1935, the town of Concord bought the land. It became the centerpiece of the Hapgood Wright Town Forest. This forest now covers 183 acres.
In the 1970s and 80s, development threatened Fairyland Pond. Plans included a cloverleaf interchange. It would have been between MA Rte 2 and Rte 126. This would have destroyed Brister’s Spring. Local conservationists fought back. Musician Don Henley helped. He donated funds. He mobilized celebrity support. Even President Clinton visited. They preserved this area as part of the Walden Woods Project.
Fairyland Pond is on the Bay Circuit Trail. You can reach it by foot. Park on Walden Street. The parking lot is opposite Concord-Carlisle High School. There’s also a handicapped parking lot near the Brister house site.
Fairyland Pond invites you to reflect. Think of Emerson’s children playing here. Imagine the literary giants finding inspiration in its beauty. It is a place where nature and history intertwine.