In 1846 Thoreau began his surveying activity by mapping 61
acres at Walden Pond including depth measurements for the pond bottom using readings taken through the ice :at locations shown on his survey map.
133a Walden Pond [1846]
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/133a.htm
His next survey of
5.7 acres was three years later and a mile to the northeast:
135 Isaac
Watts’ Woodlot Nov. 1849
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/135.htm
Streams and ditches
shown suggest land located between Lexington Road and Cambridge Turnpike (?)
During 1849-1850 Thoreau surveyed a lot adjacent the railroad:
32 Moore & Hosmer’s Lot by RRoad 1849-50
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/32.htm
One year later in February 1851 he surveyed White’s Pond
148
White Pond Feb. 17 [1851]
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/148.htm
and later that year a property of 94.2
acres including Cambridge Turnpike and Sandy Pond Road was surveyed as:
60a Plan of Edmund Hosmer’s Farm in Concord Mass. … June 17, 18,
& 21, 1851
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/60a.htm
Six months later Thoreau surveyed an adjacent large lot of
1,650 acres that he divided into 18 lots approximately 92 acres each (?):
90a Plan of Part of the Ministerial Lot, in the
Southeast Part of Concord … Dec. 9, [18] 51
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/90a.htm
After two more years in 1853 Thoreau surveys 205 acres of adjacent land
and maps existing and
potential drainage ditches on John B. Moore’s farm:
94a Plan of John B. Moore’s Farm Concord
Mass. … Feb. 1853
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/94a.htm
(Seven years later in April 1860 the farm
was surveyed again in preparation for its sale at auction.)on May 10, 1860.
That second survey created a
valuable first example of redundant recording of geographic coordinates .g. of
Mill Brook stream crossings of
Hawthorne Lane and Cambridge Turnpike in 1853 and 1860.
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/94c.htm
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/94b.htm )
Later that year (1853) a survey was made of an
adjacent property of 93 acres for:
131 Plan
of Augustus Tuttle’s Farm, Concord Mass. … Aug. 1853
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/131.htm
Two years later Thoreau extended the survey by adding 2 acres more to the east
as:
132a Plan of a Woodlot
in Lincoln Mass., Belonging to Augustus Tuttle … June 21, 1855,
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/132a.htm
Four years later he
worked across the street to prepare a 12 acre:
2a
Plan of A. Bronson Alcott’s Estate; Concord, Mass. … Sept. 22, 1857
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/2a.htm
Then going next door
the following year to survey 26.8 acres for:
74 Plan of
the Kettell Farm (so called) in Concord Mass. Belonging to Samuel Staples …
Apr. 8 & 9, 1858
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/74.htm
The
shape of this property suggests a need for Mill Brook access whether for crops,
livestock of fishing or other resources.
Next he worked on a
second survey since 1853 of the 100.5-acre John B. Moore’s Farm:
94c
plan of John B. Moore’s Farm … Apr. 1860
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/94c.htm
That led the following month to a new drafting for a public
auction of John B. Moore’s farm covering 100.5 Acres spanning both sides of
Lexington Road:
94b [Printed item] Plan of John B. Moore’s Farm in
Concord Mass. Surveyed by Henry D. Thoreau. To be Sold at Public Auction on the
Premises on Thursday May 10th 1860 at 1 o’clock p.m. N.A. Thompson &
Co. Auctioneers. Office Old State House, Boston.
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/94b.htm
Later that year in
the fall of 1860 Thoreau surveyed the 22 acres of land adjacent to the Alcott
property to create:
51a
Plan of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Estate in Concord Mass. … Aug. 20, 1860
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/51a.htm
Ten days later Thoreau records a 7.7-acre:
91 Plan of Geo. Minot’s Land on the Mill Brook … Aug. 30 & 31, 1860
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/91.htm
The shape of this property suggests a need for Mill Brook
access whether for irrigating crops, watering livestock, Fishing or other water
related activities in 1860 Concord,
Conclusion:
Thoreau’s Surveys of the Upper Mill Brook tended to occur in a geographic sequence that appears to reflect a proximity to his prior survey in the Upper Mill Brook area.
He may have merely been providing his services to the next nearest neighbor, based upon a prior customer’s recommendation. Good business.
An index map of the above surveys may be displayed with each survey’s estimated location outline plotted on a 1906 map by Gleason:
Comments, corrections and suggests are welcomed. Future versions should be far more accurate, this is a work in progress.
On-line access to Thoreau’s Surveys provided “Courtesy Concord Free Public
Library”
