By Jennifer Ciotta
 
Louisa May Alcott's legend remains alive in Concord, MA at Orchard House, one-time residence of the family.  Bronson Alcott, Louisa's father, bought the house in the 1800s; it included twelve acres of apple orchards.  Louisa wrote Little Women in Orchard House, and she even used the family home for the book's setting.  The interior remains well-preserved since three quarters of the Alcotts' possessions are still here.  However, the curator's collection, including family photographs, is only visible for a fee.  One can visit Louisa's desk in her room along with a bookcase of her favorite reads.  In the kitchen, guests can conjure up an Alcott-esque experience; the whole family was vegetarian, a rarity for the time period, and Louisa thought apples were the best food.
 
The Wayside, a house owned by the Alcotts and later by Nathaniel Hawthorne, stands in Concord as well.  The Alcotts named the house Hillside.  Part of the Minute Man National Historic Park, The Wayside was a source of inspiration for Louisa, since most of the childhood scenes of Little Women were drawn from experiences here.  A visitor can see sculptures of Louisa, Hawthorne and Margaret Sidney, the third famous author who owned the residence.  Guided tours of the house are available and last forty-five minutes. 
 
Lastly, a tourist can pay their respects to Louisa at Sleep Hollow Cemetery, right nearby.  Other notable literary figures buried here are: Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne