An interlude...
Before I finish telling you about my trip to Williamsburg and Jamestown, I have to write this post. My guardian took me to Concord, Massachusetts in honor of Little Women Week just before Christmas.
My first stop was The Wayside where Louisa and her family lived when Louisa was a teenager. Many of the events in Little Women actually take place right here.
The Alcotts, who owned the house from 1845-1852, called it "Hillside." I went to call on the Alcotts in the 1840s. You'll have to imagine the house as it looked then. In your time it looks very different because some man, a writer named Nathaniel Hawthorne changed it and then one of my other favorite writers, Harriet Lothrop (Margaret Sidney, author of the Five Little Peppers) lived there to and preserved the house.
You may recognize Orchard House instead. That's where Louisa wrote Little Women. I've been there many times. I have been to The Wayside too, back when I was first adopted. I don't remember much about that trip.
The Alcotts purchased the house in 1845 with money Marmee inherited and help from their neighbor, Mr. Emerson. They fixed up and house and made changes. A shed on the property was cut in half and attached to either side of the main house. Can you see it?
When the Alcotts lived here Louisa (Jo) was 12, Anna (Meg) was 14, Elizabeth (Beth) was 9 like me and Abby May (Amy) was only 4.
In the barn here at Hillside the Alcott sisters performed plays written by Louisa.
One play was called "Norna : or The Witch's Curse" featured terrible villains and damsels in distress. In Little Women, Louisa called the play "Operatic Tragedy."
Bronson Alcott, Louisa's dad, added terraces behind the house.
This is where the children would play.
It is cold and snowy right now but I can imagine running with Louisa through the trees.
This is the original end of the house and most importantly, Louisa's own room! She had her own room for the first time. She was happy to have a place where she could be alone to write as she pleased.
Louisa told made up fairy tales, including "The Frost King" to Ellen Emerson, daughter of the famous writer. Louisa also wrote stories about places she had never seen before like Italy.
Louisa's first book, Flower Fables, was written here. Do you remember when I went to visit Louisa at Orchard House? Flower Fables was reprinted and I bought a copy. Louisa published her first story at this time too, called "The Rival Painters- a Tale of Rome." My guardian won't let me read it right now. It's a grown-up story.
The Alcotts helped runaway slaves! My friend Kendall, asked May Alcott about helping the slaves but she was too young to remember so she didn't know. This fireplace once housed a runaway slave. It must have been bigger.
This room is in the original part of the house built in 1717.
Mr. Alcott wrote in his diary about a 30-year-old man who was "athletic, dextrous, sagacious, and self-relying" who stayed at Hillside for a week in 1847 on his way to Canada. Louisa wrote about it much later.
This is the original staircase where Louisa and her sisters played Pilgrim's Progress, carrying their burdens on their backs up to the roof.
Did the Alcotts have fancy wallpaper like this? What did the house look like I wonder?
Were any of these dishes or pictures here when Louisa lived here?
Is this Marmee? Why no, it's a peek into the future with Margaret Sidney. She looks nice and grandmotherly. I love her books too!
Upstairs in the addition to the house is Louisa's parents room.
That Nathaniel Hawthone guy slept here too.
Louisa would say the three-and-a-half years she spent at Hillside where her happiest.
I run into Anna Alcott on my way out. She was happy to stop and talk to visitors.
After visiting with the residents of Hillside, walked down to Orchard House past the woods where Louisa and her sisters play and learn.
At Orchard House we call in to say "Merry Christmas!" I remember two Christmases in Little Women. The story begins at Christmas: "'Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without any presents!' grumbled Jo."
See the garret at the top? That's where Jo writes her stories in the book. That's Louisa's room upstairs on the second floor above me to your right, (I think).
We went back into town to modern times to visit the Concord Public Library.
They have lots of rare books I have never seen or read before.
I need to visit Louisa more often so I can get some of these to read. We do have a few copies I picked up on my time travel adventures and a lot of newer copies too! My guardian has almost all the novels and many short stories.
Look who I found! I know these people. They're on display in my house too.
That's Marmee and Jo in red.
Our Marmee looks just like that one!
A new movie version of Little Women is coming out very soon. I can't wait to see it! I hope it's true to Louisa's story. Little Women is one of my most very favorite books!
Merry Christmas from Concord!
Before I finish telling you about my trip to Williamsburg and Jamestown, I have to write this post. My guardian took me to Concord, Massachusetts in honor of Little Women Week just before Christmas.
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| The Wayside, home of the authors. An 18th century yellow saltbox house with many additions. |
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| illustrations from Little Women by Frank T. Merrill 1886. |
The Alcotts, who owned the house from 1845-1852, called it "Hillside." I went to call on the Alcotts in the 1840s. You'll have to imagine the house as it looked then. In your time it looks very different because some man, a writer named Nathaniel Hawthorne changed it and then one of my other favorite writers, Harriet Lothrop (Margaret Sidney, author of the Five Little Peppers) lived there to and preserved the house.
You may recognize Orchard House instead. That's where Louisa wrote Little Women. I've been there many times. I have been to The Wayside too, back when I was first adopted. I don't remember much about that trip.
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| Author photo of Louisa May Alcott |
The Alcotts purchased the house in 1845 with money Marmee inherited and help from their neighbor, Mr. Emerson. They fixed up and house and made changes. A shed on the property was cut in half and attached to either side of the main house. Can you see it?
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| Shed added to Hillside by the Alcotts |
When the Alcotts lived here Louisa (Jo) was 12, Anna (Meg) was 14, Elizabeth (Beth) was 9 like me and Abby May (Amy) was only 4.
In the barn here at Hillside the Alcott sisters performed plays written by Louisa.
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| The barn where Louisa and her sister put on plays |
One play was called "Norna : or The Witch's Curse" featured terrible villains and damsels in distress. In Little Women, Louisa called the play "Operatic Tragedy."
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| Louisa May Alcott in costume plaster statue |
On Christmas night, a dozen girls piled onto the bed which was the dress circle, and set before the blue and yellow chintz curtains in a most flattering state of expectancy.There was a good deal of rustling and whispering behind the curtain, a trifle of lamp smoke, and an occasional giggle from Amy, who was apt to get hysterical in the excitement of the moment. Presently a bell sounded, the curtains flew apart, and the "Operatic Tragedy" began.Here is Louisa in her costume! She always played the boy parts
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| Louisa as Rodrigo plaster statue |
Bronson Alcott, Louisa's dad, added terraces behind the house.
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| Standing in the window overlooking one of the terraces |
This is where the children would play.
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| Overlooking a terrace |
It is cold and snowy right now but I can imagine running with Louisa through the trees.
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| a terrace with classic New England stone wall and wooded area behind |
This is the original end of the house and most importantly, Louisa's own room! She had her own room for the first time. She was happy to have a place where she could be alone to write as she pleased.
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| Standing at the end of the house looking out Louisa's bedroom window |
"I have at last got the little room I have wanted so long, and am very happy about it. It does me good to be alone, and Mother has made it very pretty and neat for me. My work-basket and desk are by my window, and my closet is full of dried herbs that smell very nice.The door that opens into the garden will be very pretty in summer, and I can run off to the woods when I like."
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| Thinking about Louisa staring out the window as she thought up new stories |
Louisa told made up fairy tales, including "The Frost King" to Ellen Emerson, daughter of the famous writer. Louisa also wrote stories about places she had never seen before like Italy.
Louisa's first book, Flower Fables, was written here. Do you remember when I went to visit Louisa at Orchard House? Flower Fables was reprinted and I bought a copy. Louisa published her first story at this time too, called "The Rival Painters- a Tale of Rome." My guardian won't let me read it right now. It's a grown-up story.
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| a picture of Flower Fables |
The Alcotts helped runaway slaves! My friend Kendall, asked May Alcott about helping the slaves but she was too young to remember so she didn't know. This fireplace once housed a runaway slave. It must have been bigger.
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| historic fireplace |
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| fireplace with Hawthorne kettle |
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| standing in front of the fireplace where a runaway slave once hid |
Mr. Alcott wrote in his diary about a 30-year-old man who was "athletic, dextrous, sagacious, and self-relying" who stayed at Hillside for a week in 1847 on his way to Canada. Louisa wrote about it much later.
This is the original staircase where Louisa and her sisters played Pilgrim's Progress, carrying their burdens on their backs up to the roof.
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| Playing Pilgrims |
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| Climbing the stairs to the Celestial City |
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| The Wayside original front entrance |
Were any of these dishes or pictures here when Louisa lived here?
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| The Wayside dining room |
Is this Marmee? Why no, it's a peek into the future with Margaret Sidney. She looks nice and grandmotherly. I love her books too!
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| Margaret Sidney plaster statue |
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| Bronson and Abigail Alcott's sleigh bed |
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| Sleigh bed in the master bedroom |
That Nathaniel Hawthone guy slept here too.
Louisa would say the three-and-a-half years she spent at Hillside where her happiest.
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| I stop in Mr. Alcott's study to say hello. |
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| Bronson Alcott writing away (a plaster statue). |
I run into Anna Alcott on my way out. She was happy to stop and talk to visitors.
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| an area high school student portrays a resident of The Wayside. |
After visiting with the residents of Hillside, walked down to Orchard House past the woods where Louisa and her sisters play and learn.
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| woods behind The Wayside |
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| Merry Christmas greetings from Orchard House |
See the garret at the top? That's where Jo writes her stories in the book. That's Louisa's room upstairs on the second floor above me to your right, (I think).
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| Orchard House always looks pretty decorated for Christmas |
We went back into town to modern times to visit the Concord Public Library.
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| Tower of books sculpture at the Concord Public Library |
They have lots of rare books I have never seen or read before.
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| Lots of rare books! |
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| Antique and rare books by Louisa May Alcott |
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| Books I've never seen before |
I need to visit Louisa more often so I can get some of these to read. We do have a few copies I picked up on my time travel adventures and a lot of newer copies too! My guardian has almost all the novels and many short stories.
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| 1880s-early 1900s copies of Louisa's books. We have some of the same series. |
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| wonderfully old books |
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| Foreign editions and very rare books plus a few new ones |
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| Foreign editions and very rare books plus a few new ones |
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| Beautiful antique books |
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| a new copy of Flower Fables mixed in with the old books. We have that same copy of Flower Fables. |
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| Aunt Jo's scrapbag. We have two! |
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| Aunt Jo's Scrapbag and other stories |
Look who I found! I know these people. They're on display in my house too.
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| Madame Alexander Little Women dolls |
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| vintage Madame Alexander Marmee doll |
Our Marmee looks just like that one!
A new movie version of Little Women is coming out very soon. I can't wait to see it! I hope it's true to Louisa's story. Little Women is one of my most very favorite books!
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| Little Women movie poster |
Merry Christmas from Concord!
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| Wow! Look at this giant gingerbread house! Samantha would love it! |
Happy Little Women Week!
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| Book drop and book pile sculpture outside the library |
