Consisting of three connected buildings, the oldest part of the Inn was built in 1716.  Throughout the 1800’s parts of the Inn were used as a store and a private residence. Just one of several buildings in Concord that the Thoreau family called home, they lived in the building to the right of the main entrance while Henry was attending Harvard from 1833 to 1837. Later in the Century that part of the building was a boarding house and small hotel called “Thoreau Girls”, named after his aunts who lived there at one time. The hotel as we know it today began operations in 1900 under the name The Colonial Inn.

This site is included on the itinerary Following in Thoreau’s Footsteps: Exploring the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area created by The Thoreau Society with support from the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area Partnership Grants Program.