Fruitland: The Utopian Experience - Harvard MA

May 25, 2014

 Months ago, we visited Orchard House in Concord, the home of Bronson Alcott. Bronson was the father of Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women.  At Orchard House, we learned of a Utopian experience in Harvard MA in which the Alcotts were involved. Bronson moved his family to Fruitlands, convinced that he would find the utopia he sought there. We decided to visit to learn more about the Alcotts and their experience in so-called "utopia". 

                    

To start, it was a beautiful day. Secondly, Fruitlands is located on Prospect Hill in Harvard and the views from atop the hill are incredible. One can literally see for miles.

View across a magnificent stone wall toward the mountain rang and five major peaks.

Ironically, we can thank philanthropist Clara Endicott Sears who had purchased the property to build a house on Prospect Hill with saving Fruitlands. She discovered an abandoned farmhouse in ruins tucked in one corner of the property It was the Fruitlands farmstead where the Alcotts lived. They remained here only seven months before Bronson had to admit the Utopian experience was a failure.  Sears was intrigued and thankfully rich and set out to restore the site and created the Fruitlands Museum.

The restored Alcott Farmstead

                                          

While researching for the restoration, Sears also discovered the connection between Alcott and the Harvard and Shirley Shaker communities. When the Shaker communities closed, Sears was able to purchase the Harvard Shaker house and artifacts and moved them to the Fruitlands site to create a Shaker Museum.

The Shaker Museum

During the excavations for the museums, an arrowhead was found. This find led Sears to the decision to create a Native American Museum on site as well.  The museum would focus primarily on local tribes, but would also have exhibits from tribes from all over the U.S.. This was definitely a favorite of mine. The clothing exhibits were particularly good and displays of axes, celts and arrowheads reminded me of collections from my youth.

Native American kayak 

I became one with the bear rug.

Outside the Native American Museum were two great bronzes. 

                                                

Sears also had an avid interest in art and added an art museum to the site. While we were there, there was a special exhibit of the Elaine Ehrenkranz Basket Collection and one on The Changing Landscape of Fruitlands. The permanent collections included the Hudson River School Landscapes and portrait collections. 

We finished the day with lunch at the cafe (associated with the Gibbet Hill Grill) - excellent by the way, but passed on the available hiking trails.  Instead, we checked out a few of the sculptures scattered about the property and the work of the artist-in-residence. 

                                                         

                            

What a day! It turned out to be perfect for a retirement adventure. Should I attribute finding Fruitlands to coincidence, luck or divine intervention? 

I shot and arrow in the air

where it landed

I know not where

I think not!

                              

Help from above?

I think not!

Whatever the cause … 

… whatever led us here … 

it does not matter.

Whatever the reason

I felt closer to Louisa May Alcott

than I had ever felt before.

And that was enough.