I'm excited to announce that my first "Scene from the Screen" story features the Lyman Estate in Waltham, Massachusetts. I visited the Lyman Estate back in the fall of 2018 for their Fall Orchid Sale and to tour the home. The Lyman Estate, which is also known as the "Vale", is a property built in the late 1700s and is currently owned and operated by Historic New England, an organization dedicated to preserving New England properties and sharing their stories with visitors of all ages. Areas of the Lyman Estate were used in the 2019 film adaptation of Little Women, a period drama directed by Greta Gerwig. The original novel that has become the basis of so many adaptations over the years was written by Louisa May Alcott and published in two volumes, released in 1868 and 1869. The story follows the four daughters of the March family (Jo, Amy, Meg, and Beth): their life in Concord, Massachusetts, their sisterhood, relationships, trials, tribulations, talents, and aspirations. The 2019 film stars Saiorse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlen, Timothée Chalamet, Laura Dern, and Meryl Streep (among many others).
The Scene:
The Federal-style Lyman Estate mansion was commissioned by Theodore Lyman, a shipping merchant, as a home for his family back in 1793. The architect was Salem, Massachusetts-based Samuel McIntire. The house was later enlarged and then remodeled in the Colonial Revival style in 1917. In addition to the elegant home, the property houses beautiful gardens and the historic Lyman Estate Greenhouses. As stated on their website (www.historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate-greenhouses), "The Lyman Estate Greenhouses specialize in orchids, exotic house plants, citrus fruits, camellias, and herbs." They also have five specialty plant sales throughout the year, like the Fall Orchid Sale that I went to.
The Screen:
Now, let's get to the movie! Gerwig's 2019 Little Women adaptation performed extremely well in the box office when it premiered at Christmastime, received high praise from critics, and won numerous awards, including an Academy Award. While the chronological order of the story was changed from book to film, Gerwig weaved together the scenes in a way that made sense, included the most important moments of the plot, and gave us an interpretation of the beloved classic that paid immense homage to the original story.
Little Women was filmed in many locations across the New England area, including Louisa May Alcott's childhood home in Concord, MA known as Orchard House. The Lyman Estate and Little Women come together in one of the earlier scenes in the movie known as the "Will You Dance" scene. Here, the Gardiner family hosts a New Year's Eve ball at their home (the Lyman Estate), which Jo (Saiorse Ronan) and Meg March (Emma Watson) attend. Whilst Meg is busy dancing Jo seeks refuge from the party-goers in a small side room, but discovers that she is not alone. Theodore Laurence (Timothée Chalamet), who is known as Laurie, is also hiding there and thus begins one the focal relationships of the story. The two sneak outside and share a light-hearted dance together that spans the entire length of the Lyman Estate's beautiful, wrap-around porch.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, travel to Massachusetts has been restricted and most businesses/tourist destinations have specific regulations. However, it is still possible to visit the town of Waltham, Massachusetts and the Lyman Estate. House tours are not being offered at this time, but the grounds are open to the public each day from dawn to dusk. The Lyman Estate Greenhouses are open Tuesdays through Saturdays for their Open Air Marketplace. And if you're looking for something to eat in the area check out The Chateau, a family owned and operated Italian restaurant, which is only 4 minutes away (they make the most incredible lasagna!)
For more information and/or history on everything I talked about in this post, please check out the links below. If you enjoyed this first "Scene from the Screen" story, feel free to give it a heart! I'll be back with another one next Thursday and will be dropping a hint about where we're travelling to on Instagram. Thanks for coming along and talk to you next week!
~Claire
Lyman Estate Greenhouses: https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate-greenhouses/
Little Women (2019): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3281548/
Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House: https://louisamayalcott.org/
The Chateau Waltham: https://www.chateaurestaurant.com/locations/waltham
*Photos are all my own except for the Little Women movie poster, which is courtesy of IMDb.*
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