Located at 255 Main Street in Concord, Massachusetts, this was Henry Thoreau’s home for the last 12 years of his life. Known as the “Yellow House” because of its color, it was built in 1849 by Josiah Davis and John Thoreau bought it in August 1850 for $1,450.00. There was an ell attached to the back of the home that the Thoreaus used as their pencil-making shop, although by 1850 they were no longer actively making pencils; instead, they were grinding and selling high quality graphite to printing companies in Boston.

It was in this house that Thoreau wrote the last few drafts of “Walden”; it would go through seven drafts before it was published on August 9, 1854. Thoreau’s first book, “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers” was published the year before the family moved into the Yellow House. Few copies were sold, and Thoreau was left with several hundred extra copies, and went into debt. When the unsold books were returned to him in 1853, Thoreau carried them up to the attic of the Yellow House and wrote in his Journal, “I have now a library of nearly 900 volumes, over 700 of which I wrote myself.”

John Thoreau, Sr. died in this home on February 3, 1859 from tuberculosis. He was 71 years old. Henry would succumb to the same illness, dying in the front parlor on May 6, 1862 at the age of 44. Thoreau’s mother, Cynthia Dunbar Thoreau would pass away in the home on March 12, 1872. The last surviving member of the family, Sophia, would sell the home and move to Bangor, Maine to live with relatives, where she would die in 1876. In 1877 the Yellow House was sold to Louisa May Alcott for her sister Anna Alcott Pratt and her two sons. Bronson and Abba Alcott also lived here, and Bronson added additions to the side and back of the home. Abba (AKA Marmee) would pass away here on November 25, 1877.

The Yellow House is still a private residence. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 12, 1976, the 159th Anniversary of Henry Thoreau’s birth.

 Please respect this private property.

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.