Orchard House Business Office

Hidden within Concord, Massachusetts, lies the Orchard House Business Office. This unassuming name hides a vibrant past intertwined with literary history and philosophical thought. The Orchard House wasn’t always a business office. It was once the family home of Amos Bronson Alcott, a prominent transcendentalist philosopher, and his family, including his daughter, Louisa May Alcott, author of “Little Women”. The Alcotts moved into Orchard House in 1858. It was originally a dilapidated two-story clapboard farmhouse situated on a twelve-acre apple orchard, which inspired its name. Bronson Alcott, a man of ideas, transformed the house. He added alcoves to display busts of his favorite philosophers, Socrates and Plato. He built a studio for his daughter May’s artwork. He even crafted a rustic fence around the property. Orchard House became more than just a home. It was a hub of intellectual and creative activity. Discussions on abolitionism, women’s suffrage, and social reform often filled the dining room. Theatrical performances, with the dining room as the stage, entertained guests in the adjoining parlor. May, a gifted artist, adorned her bedroom with sketches and painted calla lilies and an owl in Louisa’s room. Copies of Turner landscapes, created by May, graced the walls of various rooms. In this vibrant atmosphere, Louisa May Alcott penned her masterpiece, “Little Women,” in 1868. She wrote at a special shelf desk built by her father. The novel, set within Orchard House, drew inspiration from her family and their life. The characters were based on her sisters, and the plot loosely mirrored the family’s experiences. The Orchard House remained the Alcott family home until 1877. Louisa purchased a home for her sister Anna on Main Street, and after their mother’s passing, Louisa and Bronson moved there as well. Orchard House was later sold to a family friend. While the Orchard House currently serves as business offices, its rich history remains. The spirit of the Alcott family and the legacy of “Little Women” continue to resonate within its walls.