Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House
Executive Director Jan Turnquist portraying Louisa May Alcott at Orchard House.
Who didn't groan in pain when Jo cut off her beautiful mane in Little Women, and feel a surge of admiration for this young woman's sacrifice? The strong women, young and old, that Louisa May Alcott created in her masterpiece permeate all her other literary creations, and most were written in the family home Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts. An early preservation story, the 300-year-old home once belonged to a Concord Minute Man and was rescued from certain destruction in 1857 by Louisa's father. The site offers a wealth of programming and is visited by thousands each year. Its talented Executive Director, Jan Turnquist, regularly appears as Louisa May Alcott much to the delight of visitors to this special place.
Alcott's family were unique thinkers. Her father was a transcendental philosopher and teacher; her mother, an independent-minded 19th century woman who was one of the first paid social workers in Massachusetts and her sister had a talent for acting. It is therefore no surprise that Louisa May became not only one of the greatest American female writers of her century but also an advocate for social reform. So much creativity in one house soon made it a center of intellectual talent and a second-home to such literary masters as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau. Today, eighty percent of this house's collection consists of Alcott personal possessions and household furnishings, including Louisa's writing desk and inkwell, priceless original artwork drawn directly on the walls by Louisa's younger sister May, family papers, books and photographs.
In recognition of its significance, former first lady Laura Bush chose Orchard House as the site for her 2002 debut appearance as Save America's Treasures' (SAT) Honorary Chair. SAT at the National Trust for Historic Preservation considers Orchard House a top priority and has raised over $150,000 in individual and corporate contributions to help match its $400,000 federal Save America's Treasures challenge grant. The site also has received other high-profile recognition in cooperation with SAT and the National Trust, including awards from Lowes ($100,000) and Tourism Cares ($20,000).
