After she married and moved away, the Emersons’ younger daughter, Edith Emerson Forbes, was missed at home and the family looked forward to her visits. Born in late November, Edith’s birthday wishes included invitations to return to Concord for Thanksgiving, bringing her own growing family. The Emersons celebrated the holiday over two days and often hosted dozens of relatives for the occasion, preparing for weeks in advance.

The history of the barn behind the Emerson House in Concord, built circa 1828 and used for a variety of purposes by the Emerson family. The Ralph Waldo Emerson Memorial Association—RWEMA— completed an extensive restoration of this historic structure in August 2020.

On this day in 1847, Bronson Alcott and Henry David Thoreau began work on an elaborate summerhouse for their friend Ralph Waldo Emerson. The unusual design became a neighborhood curiosity.