by Bonnie McGrath

This beautiful color rendition of a pond in Concord, MA, that Henry David Thoreau made famous, is available as a poster, printed on heavy stock, varnished (coated) for protection, and signed by the artist. Size is 17 " x 20 " and is available for $22.00, including shipping and handling. This view of Walden Pond entitled "Late Spring ", may also be available in other forms, such as photo note cards, prints, postcards and bookmarks, along with the many other views of Walden and Historic Concord, MA, as seen on this web site.

A Brief History of Henry David Thoreau and Walden Pond

Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817, at his grandmother's farmhouse on Virginia Road in Concord, Massachusetts. He grew up loving nature and books. Thoreau graduated from Harvard University in 1837, where among other things he studied Greek culture.

In 1845, Thoreau built a cabin, a small house, on a pond near his home in Concord, and there he lived for more than two years.

He later wrote a book, among many, called "Walden", which has become one of the classic books of all time, and later made him one of the world's most famous thinkers and writers. His friends were Emerson, Hawthorne and Horace Greeley, to name a few.

Thoreau and his friends believed that everyone was part of the same spirit that is in nature ---- a leaf, a drop of water, or a moonbeam are all part of the entire universe and all connected to the source. They discussed what the "real world" was about---- things we see, hear, touch and taste they said, are signs and symbols of the world of spirit.

By being close to nature, we can get a hint of the spirit that transcends material things. What we need to do more often is to go outdoors, leave the material things behind and "listen" to nature. Thoreau spent more time outside than indoors, loved the wind, breeze, rain and snow ---- all of nature. He played the flute, worked as a writer, handyman, gardener, pencil maker and surveyor.

Walden Pond was one of Henry David Thoreau's favorite places on earth. You can still find peace and tranquility at Walden Pond in Concord, MA, and on a summer night you can still hear the orioles singing their evening song when dusk is descending on the pond.