William Munroe Special Collections
The William Munroe Special Collections is the most comprehensive archive of primary and secondary source materials documenting Concord history, literature, culture, social and political life, government, people, and landscape and related works of art.
Governance
The William Munroe Special Collections are owned by the Concord Free Public Library Corporation. They are overseen by the Library Corporation’s Special Collections Committee and managed by the Library’s Curator.
Mission
The mission of the William Munroe Special Collections is to foster understanding and appreciation of Concord’s history and culture by developing, preserving, interpreting, sharing, and promoting the Collections.
Description
The Collections document the Colonial, Revolutionary, and literary history of Concord, Massachusetts and shed light on a wide range of Concord individuals (major and minor), events, institutions, and organizations. Archival materials include manuscripts, pamphlets, ephemera, broadsides, maps, photographic and pictorial holdings, family papers, church records, municipal records, genealogical volumes, etc. along with related works of art and artifacts.
Access
The Special Collections holdings are available to researchers, scholars, and anyone interested in learning more about Concord’s rich history. The Special Collections are also highlighted and interpreted through unique programming, exhibitions, and publications.
Hours and Contact Information
Please see the Concord Free Public Library’s website. Contact Special Collections at 978-318-3342 or SpecColl@minlib.net.
A Brief History of Special Collections
The Library’s Special Collections has its roots with the founding of the Concord Free Public Library in 1873. The vision of Library founder William Munroe included art as a way of bringing culture to the people of Concord. Library Committee Chair, Ralph Waldo Emerson, asked residents to donate material of local significance to ensure “an appropriate gift of the present generation to posterity.”
During the first decades following the establishment of the Concord Free Public Library, the collections increased dramatically through the generosity of many donors. The Library’s annual reports for the years immediately following the Library dedication document impressive donations of books, pamphlets, periodicals, manuscripts, personal and family papers, organizational records, paintings, sculptures, and even coins. These early donations began what would develop into the Concord Free Public Library’s William Munroe Special Collections.
Requests to use the material were primarily handled by the Reference Department, with a staff member managing the Special Collections area. However, working with researchers became more pressing with the Bicentennial of the Concord Fight in 1975. Special Collections was first called a department in 1975, and the head of Reference, Marcia Everson Moss, was named the first Curator of Special Collections in 1977. A permanent home for Special Collections was created upon the agreement in the mid-1980s between the Town of Concord and the Corporation to fund a vault to house both the Town’s historical records and the Special Collections materials. The vault and the Special Collections reading room were opened to the public in 1991. The workspace and vault were extended as part of the renovation project completed in 2022.
Highlights of the Collection:
- Henry David Thoreau: Special Collections holds the largest collection of primary Thoreau material in New England. This includes his hand-drawn 1846 map of Walden Pond, his personal land-surveying tripod and tools, and the original handwritten manuscript of his famous essay “Walking.”
- Literary Masters: Extensive personal papers, original manuscripts, and letters belonging to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
- Fine Art: Munroe firmly believed that “paintings, engravings, and statuary are fit companions for books.” Today, the Library functions as an art museum, displaying a massive statue of Emerson carved by Daniel Chester French (the sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial), original 1936 paintings by N.C. Wyeth illustrating Thoreau’s Men of Concord, and historic photographic glass plates by Herbert Wendell Gleason.
The Munroe Society
The Munroe Society is an affinity group for people interested in enhancing their understanding and appreciation of Special Collections through members-only guided tours, programs, exhibition previews, and receptions. Also opportunities to support the Collections through conservation, preservation, and acquisitions. For information on becoming a member, contact Director of Development Sofia Ghannam, at sghannam@cfplcorp.org or 978-318-3355.