In Search of Thoreau’s “Lost” Cabin | Walden Pond (‪@TheNatureBreak‬)

Starting at the replica of Henry David Thoreau’s famous one-room cabin near the Walden Pond Visitor Center. The modest little house gives us an idea of the simple life Thoreau chose when he moved to the woods beside Walden Pond on July 4, 1845. Thoreau built his cabin largely himself, reusing materials whenever possible. He bought and dismantled a small shanty that had belonged to a railroad worker, used secondhand glass and shingles, and cut young pine trees for additional lumber. From the replica, we follow the trail along the edge of Walden Pond and into Walden Woods. The path winds beneath a canopy of trees, hugging the shoreline as we make our way toward something very different from the replica: the actual site of Thoreau’s cabin. Thoreau lived here for just over two years, leaving Walden in 1847. His little cabin survived for a time afterward, but was eventually dismantled and its materials reused. As the decades passed, the exact location of the house was lost. Then came a remarkable discovery. In 1945, nearly a century after Thoreau first moved to Walden, archaeologist Roland Wells Robbins began searching for the cabin site. After studying historical records and exploring the woods, Robbins located and excavated the site, uncovering the original hearth stone and evidence of the cabin’s foundation, chimney and cellar. Today, granite posts outline the footprint of the small house, while a stone cairn nearby has become a memorial visited by generations of people drawn to Thoreau and Walden. It’s remarkable to stand there and realize that this modest patch of ground beside a Massachusetts pond became the setting for one of the most influential experiments in simple living in American history. Anytime is the perfect time to follow Thoreau’s footsteps. #WaldenPond #HenryDavidThoreau #Walden #WaldenWoods #Thoreau #ConcordMA #NewEnglandFall #FallFoliage #Massachusetts #NatureWalk #AmericanHistory #TheNatureBreak Nature can heal. Nature is a cure for our daily stress, sadness, depression, and an elixir to a world that is moving too fast. The natural world helps to relax, revitalize, rejuvenate, and uplift us. A simple walk in the woods, a trip to the ocean, or even a car ride down a tree-lined country road can relieve anxiety and allow us to decompress from our hectic lives. But when we cannot take the opportunity to visit Mother Nature in person, we can take a quick break and enjoy the essence of the experience through peaceful, tranquil snippets of the natural world. Heal yourself, calm yourself, unwind, and take a mental repose with these short videos to give yourself a positive gift in your day.