Walden, Thoreau and the Environment

WALDEN COMES HOME:
The Sesquicentennial of an American Classic

In an unprecedented collaboration with The Huntington Library in San Marino, CA, the Walden Woods Project will bring the seventh and final (extant) manuscript draft of Thoreau’s classic, Walden, or Life in the Woods back to the place where it was written 150 years ago. Since Thoreau’s death in 1862, the book has never been out of print, has been published in hundreds of editions, and has been translated into virtually every modern language. Few books have had such significant impact worldwide and enjoyed such enduring popularity, inspiring millions to ponder how to live their lives.

For two months, from July 15th through September 13th, the final manuscript draft of Thoreau’s seminal work -- one of the classics of American literature -- will be on exhibit at the Thoreau Institute in celebration of the sesquicentennial of its publication. The Institute is owned and managed by the Walden Woods Project.

Henry E. Huntington (builder of the Pacific Electric Railroad) acquired the Walden manuscript in 1918 when he purchased the entire library of another collector, William K. Bixby. Huntington accumulated one of the finest private library collections in America. The Huntington Library is one of the largest and most complete research libraries in the United States. Since its acquisition by Huntington, the manuscript has never been loaned. New Englanders and those visiting the area this summer, will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view this significant literary and historical document of American culture, philosophy and nature.