Concord's Colonial Inn
This historic hotel was once home to Henry David Thoreau and rumored to be haunted by ghosts of fallen soldiers from the American Revolution.
Within the town of Concord, Massachusetts, history is everywhere. Whether it be sites related to the famed battle in 1775 or literary icons like Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, it seems like almost every street corner has a story to tell. Including the Colonial Inn, a renowned establishment within the town which was once owned by the Thoreau family and according to some, still resided by people who once came to the inn but never left.
The Colonial Inn today is comprised of three historic homes which were combined together in 1897. The original structure was built in 1716 by James Minot and his family later sold it to John Thoreau, the maternal grandfather of Henry David Thoreau in 1799. The property remained in the Thoreau family for many years and it’s where the famed writer and poet resided while he attended Harvard from 1835-1837. It later came to be known as the Thoreau House and was purchased at auction by John Maynard Keyes who combined it with two other homes to form its current structure.
But perhaps the most iconic aspect of the Colonial Inn’s history is the role it played during the very first battles of the American Revolution on April 19, 1775. The central section of the main building was used as a storehouse for arms and ammunition which helped supply the Concord Minutemen during the battle. However, when the smoke cleared and the guns fell silent, the Colonial Inn found itself at the center of a much more gruesome spectacle. Many injured soldiers required medical care and the local doctor Timothy Minot Jr., grandson of the original builder had them taken to the inn. Dr. Minot converted room 24 into a makeshift operating room and given the rather primitive understanding of battlefield medicine at the time, many died. Room 27 was converted into a morgue and guests report that these two rooms in particular have a very creepy and unsettling atmosphere. Visitors have reported flickering lights, waking up with the TV on, seen floating orbs, and heard disembodied voices.
The first documented record of paranormal activity occurred in 1966 when Mrs. Judith Fellenz wrote to innkeeper Loring Grimes after she celebrated her wedding night with her husband in room 24. Fellenz recalled how she was awoken in the middle of the night seeing a grayish figure at the side of her bed which stood still for a moment then slowly floated to the foot of the bed in front of the fireplace. Grimes replied back saying perhaps it was the ghost of Dr. Minot making his rounds or maybe the spirit of Ralph Waldo Emerson trying to find the courage to give advice on achieving a good marriage for the newlyweds. Strange activity isn’t limited to just room 24 and 27 as both visitors and staff seen various apparitions including an older woman and a slim man sitting in the Liberty Room which some theorized might be Thoreau and his aunt keeping the area company. Another reported phenomenon are items mysteriously vanishing only to reappear sometime later in unusual and strange locations.
Whether you are a history enthusiast, a fan of Thoreau, or have in interest in the supernatural, Concord’s Colonial Inn is certainly worth a visit. Between its rich history, the rustic atmosphere, and fine dining of its restaurants, it is surely to leave an experience and memory one is going to remember.
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