December 16, 2024

Have you ever stood in a place and felt the weight of history beneath your feet? I often get that feeling at 51 Walden, especially late in the evening after a rehearsal, when the building settles into its familiar creaks and whispers.

It could be because before this building housed soaring symphonies and dramatic monologues, it stood as Concord’s armory. In this place, citizens gathered to protect what they held dear. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the “shot heard round the world” at the Old North Bridge, I can’t help but think about how we’re still gathering here, still protecting something precious: our community’s artistic soul.

The walls that once stored muskets and cannon now resonate with the Concord Orchestra’s strings and the Concord Band’s brass. The same wooden floors that echoed with soldiers’ footsteps now hear the Concord Players running their lines. 

And so late at night, after one of those rehearsals, I can’t help but think about all the shows, all the concerts, and the memories made here. And I know that when we rehearse, perform, or witness art together in this space, we write our chapter in 51 Walden’s ongoing story.

As we look toward 2025’s momentous anniversary, I remember that revolutions don’t always come with musket fire. Sometimes, they come with a violin’s bow, a conductor’s baton, or an actor’s first tentative step onto the stage. Sometimes, they come as a child seeing their first play or a grandmother watching her granddaughter perform in her first orchestra concert.

These are our modern-day minutemen and women – our volunteers, performers, audience members, and donors. Like those gathered here 250 years ago, they show up when called, ready to serve their community and protect what makes Concord unique.

However, old buildings need a lot of TLC, and 51 Walden is no exception. As we get ready to mark 250 years since that spring morning at the Old North Bridge, I can’t help but think about what this place means to Concord. It’s more than just an old armory turned theater – it’s where our community comes together to create something extraordinary. But we need your help to keep it going strong.

Will you stand with us? Will you help ensure that 51 Walden remains a gathering place for the arts for the next 250 years? After all, revolutions don’t end – they evolve. And this one’s still going strong at 51 Walden.

In shared creativity and community,

Nick T. Miller 

President, 51 Walden Board