All photos ©Concord Tour Company
Transcending Sight:
Thoreau in the Eye of the Beholder
H
BY CYNTHIA BAUDENDISTEL
Have you ever felt a compelling need to be
possibly could about Henry David Thoreau: his
to rely on her other senses – and to work with
somewhere? More than a desire to visit a place
family, his friends, his quirks, the subtle nuances
someone who could bring alive this experience
and more, even, than a wish to learn. A need to
of his personality, and his sense of humor.”
through environments, sounds, and even physical
experience and to understand? It was that kind of
That desire to experience the places that
objects that meant so much to Thoreau. This is
need that drew Kara Snyder of Pittsburgh, PA to
shaped Thoreau and to know him as a person is
where Alida Orzechowski and Richard Smith of
Concord, MA this past summer.
only one of many things that made Kara’s visit to
Concord Tour Company came in. Alida worked
Concord unique. One of the other things is that
closely with each venue, and was able to open up
in a recent interview. “The simple answer is I
Kara is legally blind. Kara has extremely limited
some amazing opportunities, to ensure that Kara
went there to experience Walden Pond and to
vision in one eye and none in the other. Even more
would get the most from her trip.
learn more about Henry David Thoreau. Reading
challenging, her support dog, Haven, wasn’t able
Thoreau’s Walden back in 1982 began a lifelong
to join her on this trip. But nothing was going to
mind of Henry David Thoreau began with a
obsession for me. Since that first time, I think I
stop Kara from fulfilling her lifelong dream of
visit to The Walden Woods Project’s Thoreau
have re-read it about 27 times! In fact, this book
visiting Concord and immersing herself in the
Institute Library. The Library houses the most
is quite literally my daily guide for living. I delve
world of Henry David Thoreau.
comprehensive body of Thoreau-related material
“Why did I go to Concord?” Kara pondered,
into its pages every single day. So, needless to
In order to experience Thoreau’s Concord, Kara
The two-day journey into the world and
available in one place. With more than 60,000
say, I wanted to see the pond. I wanted to simply
would need a bespoke experience: tour guides
items, including books, manuscripts, art, maps,
be there and experience the place … breathe its
with in-depth knowledge not just of the area, but
correspondence, and more, the Library offers a
air, walk its shores, feel its water. My other reason
of Thoreau’s history and who he was beyond his
unique, in-depth view into the life of Thoreau.
for going to Concord was to learn everything I
writings. Being visually impaired, Kara would need
Jeffrey Cramer, Curator of Collections, a Thoreau
18
Discover CONCORD
| Fall 2019