A visit to Thoreau's Walden Pond
On July 4 in the year 1845, Henry David Thoreau moved to his cabin in the woods. Built by his own hands on land owned by his friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson, his home in the woods was his writing sanctuary and served to greet many visitors.
Thoreau did not remain exclusively at the cabin for those two years. He made trips to town, during which many townspeople peppered him with questions about his time in the woods. Seven months before his time at Walden concluded, Thoreau delivered two lectures at the Concord Lyceum - a compilation of material written in answer to how he spent his time, how he earned money, if he got lonely.
Upon leaving Walden in September 1847, A Week was published but was not well received by the public. This stalled the publishing of Walden, which was delayed five years and went through seven revisions. After its publishing in 1854, Walden went on to receive moderate success and continued good sales for several years.
Following Thoreau's death in 1862, critics went on the attack of his lifestyle and character until the 1890s when interest resumed in his writings. Then in 1939 the first biography was written, and in 1941 The Thoreau Society was formed.
One week ago, I visited Walden Pond for the first time and was greeted with the spectacular sunset captured in these photos. The staff in The Thoreau Society gift shop were so very kind and welcoming for the few minutes I was able to visit. In just a week, Thoreau's followers, those inspired by his writing and philosophies, will return to Walden for the annual gathering and Bicentennial Celebration hosted by Thoreau Society. For now, this photo and a reminder of his words...
"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
~ Henry David Thoreau