The name ‘Fairyland’ probably dates to the 1850s and is attributed to Emerson’s children and their companions, including Louisa May Alcott, who lived nearby and often played there.

[2] Like the nearby Walden Pond (about half a mile to the south), Fairyland lies within a kettle hole, a depression formed by a retreating glacier.

In 1984 part of Brister’s Hill was acquired by the prominent real-estate developer Mort Zuckerman, who intended to create a large office park on the site.

These plans provoked strong opposition, given the perceived cultural significance of ‘Thoreau country’ in the origin of the environmental movement, and were ultimately defeated through the efforts of local conservation advocates, along with the musician Don Henley (lead singer of The Eagles), who donated funds and mobilized political and celebrity support (including a visit by President Clinton[8] ) to acquire and preserve the threatened site as part of the Walden Woods Project.

[2][9] The Fairyland Pond lies on the Bay Circuit Trail, and is accessible by foot from the small parking lot on Walden Street opposite the entrance to the Concord-Carlisle High School.