Explore the real-world places that appear in Our Town by Thornton Wilder. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Webb House, Gibbs House, Town Square, Congregational Church, Morgan's Drugstore and 7 more.
Emily's childhood home
Emily Webb grows up in this house across the street from George Gibbs. The iconic moonlight scene occurs at her bedroom window in Act I. Emily's return from the dead in Act III brings her back to this house on her twelfth birthday.
Peterborough was settled in 1738 and became a typical New Hampshire mill town. Victorian-era homes like the Webb house were common in late 19th century New England, housing middle-class families.
Modern Peterborough maintains its small-town character with preserved 19th century homes. The MacDowell Colony nearby continues to attract artists and writers, honoring the area's creative legacy.
The doctor's family home
Dr. Gibbs and his family live here, including son George who falls in love with Emily Webb. The morning conversations between Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs reveal the rhythms of daily life. George's decision to give up college happens in this house.
Country doctors in early 20th century New Hampshire often maintained their practices from their homes. These houses served both as family residences and informal medical offices for rural communities.
Similar homes in Peterborough now serve as private residences. The tradition of small-town medical practice has largely been replaced by regional healthcare centers.
Heart of Grover's Corners
The Stage Manager frequently references the town square and its monuments. This is where community gatherings occur and where the time capsule is placed for future generations to discover.
New England town squares date to colonial times, serving as meeting places and markets. Peterborough's square was established in the 1700s and became the center of civic life.
Peterborough's town square remains active with local government, shops, and community events. It continues to serve as the heart of this New Hampshire community.
Visit: Peterborough Town Square (landmark)
Where weddings and faith meet
George and Emily's wedding takes place here in Act II, officiated by the minister who speaks about marriage's meaning. The church represents the spiritual dimension of community life.
New England Congregational churches emerged from Puritan traditions in the 1600s. These churches were typically the most prominent buildings in town, reflecting their central role in colonial society.
Peterborough's historic churches continue to serve active congregations. They remain important architectural landmarks and community gathering places.
Town's social hub
The drugstore serves as a meeting place where townspeople gather for ice cream sodas and conversation. It represents the commercial heart of the community's social life.
Early 20th century drugstores combined pharmacy services with soda fountains and general merchandise. They were crucial social institutions in small American towns.
While traditional drugstore soda fountains are rare, Peterborough maintains local businesses that serve similar community-gathering functions.
Where young love blooms
George and Emily attend high school together, where their romance begins. George's decision to skip college to marry Emily and help with his father's practice stems from their high school relationship.
Public high schools expanded rapidly in early 20th century New Hampshire as communities recognized the need for education beyond elementary level. Rural consolidation created central schools serving multiple towns.
Peterborough's ConVal High School continues to serve the region's students. Education remains a central community value and investment.
Where the dead await eternity
Act III takes place in this cemetery where Emily joins the dead, including Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Soames. The dead sit in chairs, waiting and gradually forgetting earthly life. Emily's painful return to life occurs here.
19th century New England cemeteries moved from churchyards to dedicated hills outside town centers. These 'garden cemeteries' reflected changing attitudes about death and remembrance.
Historic cemeteries around Peterborough preserve centuries of local history. They remain active burial grounds and places of reflection for the community.
Visit: Peterborough Historic Cemetery (historic site)
Eternal backdrop to mortal lives
The Stage Manager refers to these mountains as an eternal backdrop to human drama. They represent the cosmic perspective that puts individual lives in context.
The Monadnock Region's mountains formed millions of years ago. Native Americans and later European settlers used these peaks for navigation and spiritual significance.
Mount Monadnock and surrounding peaks remain popular hiking destinations. They continue to inspire reflection on humanity's place in the natural world.
Visit: Mount Monadnock (park)
Center of civic life
Referenced as part of the town's civic infrastructure. The Stage Manager mentions town records and the democratic processes that govern Grover's Corners.
New England town halls embodied direct democracy through town meetings. Citizens gathered to debate and vote on local issues, maintaining colonial traditions of self-governance.
Peterborough's town hall continues to host town meetings and local government. The building represents ongoing civic engagement and democratic participation.
Visit: Peterborough Town Hall (landmark)
Gateway to the wider world
The train's whistle is heard throughout the play, representing connection to the outside world. It symbolizes both the possibility of leaving and the pull of home.
Railroads reached New Hampshire in the mid-1800s, transforming isolated agricultural communities. Stations became symbols of progress and connection to broader American society.
While passenger rail service has largely disappeared from rural New Hampshire, former rail corridors now serve as recreational trails connecting communities.
Dr. Gibbs's morning rounds
Dr. Gibbs travels this route delivering babies and caring for the sick. His conversations with other characters often occur along these paths, revealing the rhythms of daily life.
Country doctors were essential to rural New Hampshire communities. They traveled established routes between farmhouses, providing medical care to scattered populations.
Former farm roads in the Monadnock Region are now hiking trails and scenic routes. The landscape still reflects the agricultural heritage that shaped community life.
Visit: Monadnock Region Hiking Trails (park)
Where voices unite in harmony
Simon Stimson leads the church choir, representing both artistic aspiration and personal struggle. Choir practice embodies community cooperation and shared beauty.
Church choirs maintained musical traditions in New England communities. They preserved hymns and fostered musical education in areas with limited cultural resources.
Community choirs continue to thrive in New Hampshire towns. They represent ongoing traditions of collective musical expression and cultural preservation.
More by Thornton Wilder: All Thornton Wilder books
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