Today In History: Thoreau Moves to Walden Pond

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life. And see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not yet lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation unless it was quite necessary..."

-- Henry David Thoreau, Walden, "What I Lived For," p. 98.

On July 4th, 1845 essayist and philosopher Henry David Thoreau moved at the age of twenty-eight to the northern shore of Walden Pond, south of the village of Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau built a small cabin and modestly lived in semi-isolation there for two years, writing his masterwork, Walden; or Life in the Woods. His influential book comprised eighteen essays on nature, labor, self-reliance, and individualism -- inspired by simple living and transcendental beliefs.

Thoreau was among a group of influential nineteenth century transcendentalist writers that included Ralph Waldo Emerson, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, Margaret Fuller, and Louisa May Alcott.  Their broad, progressive views on education embraced the whole child, individualism and independence,  interconnectedness with nature, and the ultimate goal of happiness. The New England movement reacted against science, rationalism, and typical norms and standards that sought meaning and truth in a more conservative and structured society.

The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• Longstreth, B. T. M. (1945/07/01/, 1945 Jul 01). The Man Who Sought Peace with Himself: A Century Ago Henry Thoreau Moved to Walden Pond to Learn the Art of Living. The Man Who Sought Peace. New York Times (1923-)
• Concord to Honor Thoreau July 4 at Walden Pond. (1945/07/03/, 1945 Jul 03). The Christian Science Monitor (1908-) 
• Flower of New England. (1945/07/05/, 1945 Jul 05). The Washington Post (1923-1954) 
• Willard, D. (1954/08/09/, 1954 Aug 09). Thoreau's Walden Pond Unchanged After Century. Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960) 
• Charon, C. (1957/08/06/, 1957 Aug 06). What People Talk About: Leave Walden Pond As It Is; Nectar and Ambrosia for Spirit. Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960) 
• Hazeltoln, J. (1969/11/30/, 1969 Nov 30). Pilgrimage to Thoreau's Hut. Boston Globe (1960-) 
• Anderson, Q.(1971/07/04/, 1971 Jul 04). Thoreau on July 4: The Writings of Henry D. Thoreau: Walden. New York Times (1923-) 
• Theroux, A. (1995/08/20/, 1995 Aug 20). On Walden Pond. Chicago Tribune (1963-1996) 
• Heitman, D. (2010/07/02/, 2010 Jul 02). Fourth of July and Thoreau Remind Us That US Progress Is Linked with Its Ecology: If War Is a Way of Teaching Americans Geography, Then Environmental Disasters Such as the BP Oil Spill Seem to Be the Primary Way that Americans Learn About Ecology. The Christian Science Monitor (1908-) 
• Heitman, D. (2011/07/04/, 2011 Jul 04). Fourth of July: An Excellent Day to Stay Home: On July 4, 1845, Henry David Thoreau Took the First 'Staycation' and Authors Have Been Debating Its Merits Ever Since. The Christian Science Monitor (1908-) 

Tips:

• Cain, W. E. (Ed.). (2023). A Historical Guide to Henry David Thoreau (1st ed.). Oxford University Press. e-book.
• Jones,  J. (1955). Index to Walden, with Notes, Map, and Vocabulary Lists. Hemphill. e-book
• Thoreau, H.D. (1882, c1854). Walden. Houghton Mifflin. e-book.
• Thoreau, H. D. (1990). Walden. Courage Books. e-book.
• Thoreau, H. D., & Cramer, J. S. . ed. (2004). Walden: A Fully Annotated Edition. Yale University Press. e-book.

Images:

• The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. (1907 - 1908). Thoreau's Cove, Lake Walden, Concord, Mass.  Courtesy of New York Public Library.
• Poster Image by N. Matsubara, Walden (Artist’s Print),  1970, from the Federico Castellon Memorial Print Collection, Courtesy of Teachers College, Columbia University.