The population is approximately 17,500 residents.The area which became the town of Concord was originally known as "Musketaquid," situated at the confluence of the Sudbury and Assabet rivers. Concord, signifying agreement and harmony, was incorporated as the first inland settlement in Massachusetts through a grant from the Massachusetts General Court dated September 12, 1635. As the scene of the first battle of the American Revolutionary War (War for Independence) on April 19, 1775, it is considered the birthplace of the nation, where the “shot heard ‘round the world” for liberty and self government was fired. During the middle of the 19th century, Concord was home to some of the greatest literary and transcendental minds in America. Authors Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bronson and Louisa Alcott, and Nathaniel Hawthorne all lived, worked and wrote in Concord, and signs of their presence in the community remain to this day through the abundance of historic and cultural resources offered. Within walking distance of Concord Center are The Concord Museum, Orchard House, the Old Manse, the Old North Bridge, Minuteman National Historic Park, Emerson House, and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Walden Pond, which served as the inspiration for Thoreau’s Walden in 1854, is nearby and offers a variety of recreational opportunities and hiking trails. The Concord Free Public Library, Concord Art Association, Emerson Umbrella studios for visual and performing arts, and the Performing Arts Center (which is home to the Concord Orchestra, the Concord Band, and the Concord Players) are all in the downtown area. It is a picturesque New England community of handsome residences, preserved open spaces, family-owned farms and thriving commercial centers. The town is served by MBTA commuter rail to Boston, Cambridge and Fitchburg; and a commuter bus to Boston. State highway Route 2 runs through Concord, and Routes 128/95 and 495 are conveniently accessed. Concord has an Open Town Meeting and a five member Board of Selectmen/Town Manager form of government. The Concord Municipal Light Plant distributes electricity, enabling rates to be lower and service more reliable than investor owned utilities. Concord Public Works provides water to most of the Town, with about one-third of the homes connected to town sewer. Police and Fire Departments are full time and emergency ambulance service is provided by the Concord Fire Department. The K-12 public school system includes three elementary schools, one middle school (on two campuses), and a regional high school with the Town of Carlisle. Concord is also a member of the Minute Man Regional School District, with a campus located in neighboring Lexington, offering an alternative high school in Applied Arts & Sciences to residents. Private schools located in Concord include Fenn School, Nashoba Brooks, Concord Academy, and Middlesex School. Several pre-schools, nursery schools, and day care centers (full-time, part-time and co-op) are located in Concord.
