Wheeler-Minot Farmhouse

What it is

The Wheeler-Minot Farmhouse, also called the Thoreau Farm, is a historic house at 341 Virginia Road in Concord, Massachusetts. It was originally built around 1730 by John Wheeler. Later the farm was bought by Deacon Samuel Minot for his second son Jonas. Thoreau was born on the family farm on July 12, 1817. The house is a wood-frame structure with clapboard siding and a large central chimney. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the public as a museum.

Why it matters

Thoreau was the only major Concord writer born in the town. Emerson, Hawthorne and the Alcotts all came from elsewhere. The house roots his story in the rural landscape he later wrote about. Jonas Minot was the stepfather of Thoreau's mother. Shortly after Thoreau's death in 1862, scholars, disciples and tourists began seeking out the birthplace. The Thoreau Farm Trust acquired the house in 1995 and restored it as a museum.

Look closer

• What does this house suggest about the farm life Thoreau grew up in?
• Why do people want to visit a birthplace long after the person has died?
• What might a restored museum show, and what might it leave out?