About Spirits of the Old Manse: A Candlelit Encounter with the Past
Step inside the Old Manse after dark for a rare, intimate experience through the rooms where history was lived – and still lingers.
This is not a haunted house. This is something older, quieter, and more unsettling. Guided by candlelight, you’ll move room by room through the 18th-century home once occupied by Revolutionaries, philosophers, and writers like Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne. Along the way, you’ll hear true stories pulled from letters, journals, and the etched words left behind – literally – on the windows and walls.
You’ll sit where Hawthorne wrote. See the view where the family watched the battle of the North Bridge. Stand in the attic where ministers practiced sermons and scratched their names into the beams.
New this year: this is a fully guided, story-driven experience designed to bring out the emotional resonance and layered past of the house – not just what happened here, but how it felt.
Space is limited. Flashlights provided. This experience is best suited for guests 10 and up.
Please arrive at your designated time slot. Late entry may not be accommodated.
This tour involves going up several flights of steep stairs and is not wheelchair accessible. This tour may at times be conducted in low light situations; flashlights are provided. There are no public restrooms on site. They are located nearby in Concord’s Visitor’s Center. Parking is available in front of the museum in The Old Manse parking lot.
Cancellation Policy: In the event The Trustees cancels a program due to severe weather, low enrollment, or other circumstances, we will notify registrants by email and issue a full refund or transfer to another scheduled program within two weeks of the cancellation. To cancel a reservation, please contact The Old Manse 7 days prior to the start of the program to receive a full refund. Refunds and transfers will not be granted for cancellations placed fewer than 7 days before the start of the program. As a general policy, The Trustees does not issue refunds for weather-shortened programs, in keeping with our standard approach to outdoor programs and the unpredictability of New England weather.
Questions? Want to become a Trustees member and enjoy free and/or discounted programs? Contact ibohling@thetrustees.org.
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