Oldest operating inn....Wayside Inn and other Concord, MA Off The Beaten Path Tips

Just down the road from Concord we come to Sudbury. Here you find Longfellow's Wayside Inn. After publication of "The Tales of a Wayside Inn" in 1863, the Red Horse Inn became Longfellow's Wayside Inn by popular acceptance. It started as a 2 room homestead-turned-inn in 1702, licensed as an inn from 1716.
Please see my Travelogue for more pics of the interiors at the Inn.

The Wayside Inn is a non-profit educational and charitable trust. The original trust was established by Mr. Henry Ford in 1946. After a disastrous fire the Inn was restored in 1956 by a grant from the Ford foundation.
Revenue from the Inn's operation is used to maintain and continue its restoration.

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Phone: 978-443-1776
Website: www.wayside.org
Other Contact: 1-800-339-1776

The Grist Mill is a reproduction built by Henry Ford in 1929. He cared about the importance of remembering the water powered mills and so he had this one built to resemble David How's 1700 grist mill. There are wonderful park like grounds surrounding it....a wonderful babbling brook running through it. Easy to find in Sudbury. There are signs to the Wayside Inn and all the little surrounding buildings which I will picture here are clearly visible along the small two lane road.

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I quote from the literature... "Built in 1940 by Henry Ford in memory of his mother-in-law and mother; this non-denominational chapel is one of six Henry Ford built in the U.S. Here is served as daily chapel for the Wayside Inn Boy's School, The Red Stone School House and the South West School. It is now the site of many weddings and events."
I'm afraid I never did find out why Henry Ford took such an interest in this particular area. If any of you know, I'd like to hear from you. Funny that he would have six different churches built around the country.

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To sit on a bench and read a book in the shade of a big old tree.....just walk over the little bridge...it's not far.

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The water would actually wear down the mill stones after a while, but the old timers would just pile them here and there. Use them for steps...whatever.

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Fascinating to stand close by and stare into the waterfall...sparkling in the sun.

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Beautiful job of recreating an old grist mill. Altho it isn't the authentic thing...they have done an admirable job with the stone work.

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