Autumn Trees at Walden Pond, a site made famous by Henry David Thoreau
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Boston, a city steeped in a rich literary history, has been the home to numerous iconic writers and intellectuals. Here are 20 of Boston’s most significant literary sites, including pubs, hotels, and restaurants that were once the haunts of important literary figures. These sites, each with its unique historical significance, are a testament to Boston’s deep-rooted literary heritage.
The Omni Parker House, 60 School St, Boston, MA 02108
The oldest continuously operating hotel in the U.S., frequented by Charles Dickens, who gave his first American reading of A Christmas Carol here, and by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau.
The Old Corner Bookstore, 283 Washington St, Boston, MA 02108
Once the headquarters of the publishers Ticknor and Fields, who published works by authors like Nathaniel Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Charles Dickens. Now home to a commercial business, but still a critical historical literary site.
Brattle Book Shop, 9 West St, Boston, MA 02111
Brattle’s is one of the oldest and largest antiquarian bookstores in the U.S., founded in 1825. It’s a treasure trove for book lovers.
The Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138
An independent bookstore established in 1932, known for its author events and connection to Harvard University’s intellectual community, where figures like T.S. Eliot and E.E. Cummings studied.
The Charles Street Meeting House, 70 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114
A historical site where Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered his famous “Divinity School Address.” It’s an essential site for transcendentalist history.
The Union Oyster House, 41 Union St, Boston, MA 02108
Daniel Webster frequented the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the U.S. and reportedly consumed large quantities of oysters there.
Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House, 399 Lexington Rd, Concord, MA 01742
The home of Louisa May Alcott, where she wrote Little Women, is in nearby Concord. It’s a must-visit for literary tourists in the Boston area.
The Athenaeum, 10½ Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108
One of the oldest independent libraries in the U.S., it has been frequented by literary figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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Longfellow House, Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Home of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and a center for 19th-century literary and intellectual life.
The Dickens Room at The Parker House, 60 School St, Boston, MA 02108
Named after Charles Dickens, who stayed at the Parker House while on his American tours. The room preserves memorabilia from his time there.
The Grolier Poetry Book Shop, 6 Plympton St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Grolier is the oldest continuous poetry bookstore in the U.S., a haunt of poets like T.S. Eliot and Robert Lowell.
The Bell in Hand Tavern, 45 Union St, Boston, MA 02108
The Bell in Hand, established in 1795, is one of the oldest bars in America and has been frequented by many writers and journalists.
Grendel’s Den, 89 Winthrop St, Cambridge, MA 02138
A popular restaurant and bar in Harvard Square, frequented by students, professors, and writers alike, including the likes of Seamus Heaney.
The Concord Museum, 200 Lexington Rd, Concord, MA 01742
This museum houses artifacts from famous local authors, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Louisa May Alcott. You can also visit Walden Pond while in Concord.
Site of Thoreau’s Cabin at Walden Pond in Massachusetts.
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Walden Pond, 915 Walden St, Concord, MA 01742
Henry David Thoreau, who lived here and wrote Walden, made it famous. It’s a pilgrimage site for fans of Transcendentalist literature.
Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138
The resting place of numerous literary figures, including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Amy Lowell.
The Blue Room at the Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, Cambridge, MA 02138
A well-known restaurant in Harvard Square, popular with literary figures and academics.
The Green Dragon Tavern, 11 Marshall St, Boston, MA 02108
Known as the “Headquarters of the Revolution,” this historic pub was a meeting place for revolutionaries and writers. Among the historical figures who frequented the tavern were Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, John Hancock, Joseph Warren, Joseph Webb, Thomas Melville, and Samuel Peck. The tavern dates to at least 1714 and possibly as far back as 1654.
Trident Booksellers & Café, 338 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02115
A famous independent bookstore and café on Newbury Street, often visited by students and local writers.
The Plough and Stars, 912 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
A cozy pub in Cambridge known for its connection to local writers and poets, including Seamus Heaney.
These sites provide a rich literary experience in Boston, allowing visitors to explore the city’s deep connections to some of America’s most celebrated writers and intellectuals. Boston offers many opportunities for literary enthusiasts to visit historical libraries, explore authors’ homes, or enjoy a drink at a historic pub.