Orchard House, 1800s writer's home in Concord, United States
Orchard House is a colonial-era residence in Concord, Massachusetts, where writer Louisa May Alcott composed most of her best-known novel. The two-story Greek Revival building preserves the furniture, personal items and workspaces of the Alcott family, including the small desk between two windows where Louisa wrote.
The building originated in the late 1600s and was later remodeled in the early 19th century with Greek Revival elements. The Alcott family purchased the house in 1857 and lived there for two decades, during which Louisa wrote her most famous novel between 1868 and 1869.
The family used the house as a meeting point for poets, thinkers and reformers from across New England. Louisa May Alcott and her sisters experienced here the everyday scenes and conversations that later shaped their novels.
The interior can be visited only through guided tours offered year-round and should be booked in advance. Rooms are located on two levels, with narrow staircases that may limit access to the upper floor.
Sister May Alcott painted several walls and furniture pieces with floral motifs and landscapes that remain visible today. Her artistic talent shows especially in the decorative panels in Louisa's bedroom, which she created as a surprise gift.
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