The historic streets of the Beacon Hill neighborhood in Boston were once home to some of the most brilliant writers of the 19th and 20th centuries. While these writers may have passed on, their legacies survive through their widely read works and physical fragments of their lives, such as their homes. Household names like Sylvia Plath, Robert Frost, Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and many others lived in the Beacon Hill neighborhood, and you can still visit their homes today!
Last weekend, I went on my own personal walking tour where I visited the homes of three famous writers: Sylvia Plath, Robert Frost, and Louisa May Alcott. Although I could not go inside the homes (since residents do still live in some of these brownstones), I truly felt the energy from each and every location. As I walked the rocky streets of Beacon Hill, I reflected on my own desire to be a writer and my place in the city as a young adult.Â
My first stop was 9 Willow Street, where Sylvia Plath lived with her husband, Ted Hughes, while she was studying poetry under Robert Lowell at Boston University. She is famous for her novel, The Bell Jar, and her books of poetry, Colossus and Ariel. I didn’t expect to have such an emotional reaction upon viewing Plath’s once home, but as a long-time lover of Plath’s work, I felt quite existential over my own life.
As a student in a poetry class at Boston University myself, the moment felt quite full circle, and I felt very connected to her. From the time I began reading Plath during my freshman year of high school, I’ve always resonated deeply with her writing and found comfort and inspiration in it, so seeing somewhere she lived meant a lot to me.
My next stop was 88 Mount Vernon Street, where Robert Frost lived from 1938 to 1941 after the death of his wife, Elinor. One of the most beloved American poets, Frost is most famous for his poems “Nothing Gold Can Stay” and “The Road Not Taken.” Visiting the home of a poet I’ve been reading since I was a small child was super surreal and very exciting. Seeing these sites where great writers lived makes me wonder if destinations can inspire great writing, like living in Boston could make anyone a better writer.
My last stop was 20 Pinckney Street, where Louisa May Alcott lived when she was 20 years old. She is most famous for her classic novel, Little Women. Again, it’s sort of strange to me that one of my favorite childhood authors lived in Boston at the same age I’m living in Boston! On one hand, this makes me feel sort of inadequate, but on the other, it reminds me that she also hadn’t written what she is most famous for yet, and I, too, have a lot to learn and accomplish.
Overall, I had a very enjoyable and valuable experience that I’ll keep as a happy memory.
The next sunny day, take a trip to Beacon Hill and live out your inner bookworm’s dream!
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, watch us on TikTok, and read our latest Tweets!