Discover the Unexplored: Top 8 Surprising and Entertaining Facts About Henry David Thoreau

1. Pencil-making Philosopher

If pencils could talk, they'd surely have some riveting tales to share, especially if crafted by a certain American philosopher who found solace amid trees and rivers: Henry David Thoreau was not only a fervent advocate for simple living and nature, but also an adept pencil maker, revolutionizing the US market while working in his family's pencil factory and creating one of the finest writing utensils of his time.
Source => racingnelliebly.com

2. Graphite-Grinding Genius

Once upon a time, in a land of graphite and clay, lived a literary gentleman with an unexpected knack for pencils: Henry David Thoreau was not just a famous author and philosopher, but also a successful pencil maker who revolutionized the American pencil market by inventing a process to grind finer plumbago, using clay binders, and making the Thoreau pencil a US favorite—ultimately funding the publication of his beloved works like Walden.
Source => newenglandhistoricalsociety.com

Discover the ironic twist behind Descartes' famous phrase "I think, therefore I am" and its connection to his true origins. Unravel the mystery of his nationality in our fun facts about philosophy! 🤔🇫🇷

=> Fun Facts about Philosophy

3. Transcendental Conductor

Who knew ol' Thoreau was a transcendental tram conductor? Chugga-chugga-chugga, full steam ahead on the Freedom Train: This esteemed environmental writer and essayist doubled as a steadfast abolitionist, actively participating in the Underground Railroad and helping several slaves escape to Canada!
Source => land-marksurvey.com

4. Lovelorn Letter Writer

Henry David Thoreau: a 19th-century friend-zoned philosopher! This heartbroken literary bachelor wasn't just busy musing on nature and civil disobedience, he was also penning lovelorn letters to his unrequited crush: In fact, young Thoreau was quite the prolific writer and had fallen head over heels for Ellen Sewall, but she never reciprocated his affection. Despite this, Thoreau adored her family and could've won the title of "Most Prized Pen Pal" as he continued to write letters to Ellen even after she married another man.
Source => beforewalden.wordpress.com

5. Flower-Picking Penman

"Can I get Henry's handwriting on the line?" screamed the Bruce Museum in Connecticut, as they found themselves in a game of scriptural hide-and-seek: Unintentionally sitting on a letter written by the infamously illegible Henry David Thoreau to Ralph Waldo Emerson's wife, Lidian, the museum finally tracked it down in their collection - along with some delightful dried flowers hand-picked and pressed by Thoreau himself. This hard-to-read treasure, initially donated in 1927, sent both museum and Thoreau enthusiasts into a wild deciphering frenzy!
Source => storagetwo.com

6. Salt-Shunning Syrup Fan

As Henry David Thoreau went on a salty strike, he discovered the sweet secret to tasty transcendentalism: Thoreau, during his Walden Pond days, developed an aversion to salt and instead embraced maple syrup as a natural flavor enhancer, which he relished and documented in his journals.
Source => concordlibrary.org

7. FONMO: Fear of Not Monterau-ing

Henry David Thoreau didn't just have FOMO, he had FONMO – Fear Of Not Monterau-ing! Thoreau craved the wild life, and if it wasn't documented with precision and poetic prose, did it even happen?: That's why he spent two whole years, two months, and two days living in a cabin near Walden Pond, meticulously observing and journaling about the changing seasons and the exquisite nature that surrounded him, both at the pond and in the wider Concord area.
Source => scholarworks.uno.edu

8. Thoreau the Weatherman

Despite having very little "thoreau-logical experience," our dear Henry had a fondness for being the ultimate weatherman: He meticulously recorded weather patterns in Concord, Massachusetts for two years, with his findings later featured in "Walden," providing invaluable data for climatologists and ecologists.
Source => saintalbertthegreat.org