Walden Pond

Walden Pond is located in Concord, Mass. It is 102 feet deep covering 61 acres with a 1.7 mile circumference. While seemingly unimpressive and indistinct as a natural feature, Walden Pond is nonetheless one of the most famous places in the United States. Often called the birthplace of the conservation movement, Walden Pond served as the inspiration and subject for Henry David Thoreau’s classic "Walden; or Life in the Woods." Thoreau’s book inspired awareness and respect for the natural environment for generations.

While recognized now as a great American writer, Thoreau was a former school teacher when he ventured to Walden Pond at the age of 27. Thoreau wanted to live in the woods as an experiment in simplicity and to embark on a career in writing. Thoreau’s friend and fellow legendary author, Ralph Waldo Emerson, knew of Thoreau’s ambitions and offered him a 14-acre woodlot on the northwestern shore of Walden Pond to conduct his experiment. In the summer of 1845, Thoreau and his friends built a one room cabin on the property. Thoreau moved in on July 4, 1845.

While not completely isolated - the cabin was less than half an hour walk from his parent’s house and had a distant view of the railroad - the location still offered solitude. Thoreau kept a journal detailing his simple life in natural surroundings, reflecting on nature and society. This was the groundwork for "Walden." Thoreau left Walden Pond in September 1847, ending his stay after precisely two years, two months and two days.

Walden Pond is now part of Walden Pond State Reservation and serves as a National Historic Landmark. The reservation contains 462 acres of protected open space and is surrounded by 2,680 acres of underdeveloped forest called Walden Woods.

The pond itself does have one interesting characteristic, it is a kettle hole. Kettle holes are bodies of water created by retreating glaciers. As glaciers retreat, large blocks of ice occasionally break off. The ice blocks become surrounded by sediments deposited by streams flowing from the glacier. As the blocks melt, they leave behind an indentation that eventually fills with water. Walden Pond was created about 15,000 years ago when the last glacier to cover New England retreated.

Currently, Walden Pond is threatened by environmental issues common to urban lakes. This includes contamination from municipal landfills and septic systems and the invasion of exotic species. But conservation efforts are in place to protect the pond and the surrounding woods.

More information on Walden Pond State Reservation

Related Resources

Environmentalism in Literature (Language Arts, English 9-10, English 11-12)

Nature Transformed: The Environment in American History (American History, Social Studies, Biology, Science, Language Arts, English 9-10, English 11-12)

Studying Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (Science, Language Arts, Chemistry, Environmental Science, English 9-10, English 11-12)

Photos: Wikipedia User Bikeable (Top); Walden Pond State Reservation (Bottom)