Orchard House was the family home of the Alcott family for almost 20 years. Bronson Alcott and his wife Abigail were the parents of 4 daughers, with 3 of them they moved into Orchard House in 1858 (Elizabeth had died a few months earlier).
This is a truly amazing family. I have always loved Louisa after falling in love with Little Women as a girl but I had no idea that she was not extraordinary in her own family. Her father was a very forward thinking philosopher and educator, her mother was the first paid social worker in the United States, her sister May had her art exhibited at the Paris Salon.
Can you think of another American familiy who have as much celebrity in one generation?
So, the tour of Orchard House, and you must take a tour, was not as focused on Louisa as I would have liked but it certainly was eye opening about the rest of the family. You will enjoy the many photos throughout the house.
The tour begins in Bronson Alcott's study . Here we see his books and desk and a painting by May of a black woman. Our tour guide gave us plenty of trivia about Bronson's views on education and the trouble they got him into with a variety of school boards. He had a black student, which lost him the rest of his other students, he advocated exercise and fresh air and healthy living, radical in the 1860's. The Alcotts were vegetarians and grew much of their own food.
From the study we visit the bedrooms. Louisa's has the desk her father made her at the window(where she wrote Little Women), a painting on the woodwork of callalilies by May and also an owl on the fireplace wall. May's bedroom has sketches that she did on the wall and doors angels and mythological figures). She was really very talented and a friend of Mary Cassatt. There is a door to a back stairway in May's room that the girls used to get down to the dining room where they put on their plays for guests in the parlor.
In the parlor the ghost of Jo, Amy, Meg and Beth with Marmie is felt the most. It looks exactly like you would expect. Louisa wrote Little Woman in response to her publishers request for a book for girls and she based it loosely on her family, the rest of course is history. On the couch is a pillow that Louisa used to signal her mood; -up good, down-bad, evidently she was quite temperamental and guests needed to be warned.
Orchard House is a House in the process of restoration. The kitchen was unavailbale and there was scaffolding on the exterior.
The gift shop here is wonderful and worth a visit on its own. Lots of interesting books and other small gift items.
Entrance is $7 . Hours vary so call ahead.