| Named in 1635, Concord is an old historic town on the western axis of suburban Boston. Located at the junction of the Concord/Sudbury/Assabet Rivers, Concord was settled early by the English as a frontier outpost of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was the first interior, non-tidal water town in Massachusetts. The community had also been the site of seasonal Indian camps because of the plentiful runs of shad, salmon and herring. Concord still retains many well-preserved colonial houses, nine of them on or near Concord green and witnesses of the famous Battle of Concord. In this historic battle which ushered in the Revolutionary War, a column of British infantry was badly mauled by colonists during a 16-mile long running battle that saw 273 British and 95 American dead. Concord also has a significant literary history, having been the home of the leaders of the intellectual movements of 19th century America. Louisa May Alcott, Bronson Alcott, Emerson and Hawthorne lived in Concord at one time or another and Thoreau wrote his internationally known philosophical treatise at Walden Pond in Concord. Concord evolved from a frontier town into a prosperous regional center with a mixed society including small yeoman farmers, affluent gentry and immigrants from Italy and Norway. There are high-style, handsome houses as relics of this affluent society along with some country estates. One of the well-preserved sights in the community is the Victorian Gothic state prison built in 1878 and still housing prisoners. Skyrocketing land prices in the real estate boom of the 1980's resulted from Concord's proximity to Boston and the 128 technical/industrial corridor, coupled with a vigorous regional economy. Considerable concern is felt by Concord residents about the pressures on the town from its significant tourist industry and suburban development. (Narrative based on information provided by the Massachusetts Historical Commission) |
View more information from the MA Dept of Housing and Community Development. |
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