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All the United States Massachusetts Leominster Birthplace of Johnny Appleseed

Birthplace of Johnny Appleseed

The proud hometown of an American legend has honored their favorite son with what seems to be a gravestone.

Leominster, Massachusetts

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kensears37
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Marker at the birthplace of Johnny Appleseed   keithlmoore / Atlas Obscura User
Marker at the birthplace of Johnny Appleseed   Daderot / Public Domain
Birthplace of Johnny Appleseed   Daderot / Public Domain
Birthplace of Johnny Appleseed   Daderot / Public Domain
Birthplace of Johnny Appleseed   Daderot / Public Domain
inside the diorama   e1savage / Atlas Obscura User
  ThorinnR / Atlas Obscura User
Birthplace of Johnny Appleseed   Ken Sears
Birthplace of Johnny Appleseed   Ken Sears
Stone marker, birthplace of Johnny Appleseed   Ken Sears
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About

Even though the image of a man walking around Colonial America wearing a pot for a hat and planting apple orchards seems like something that could only be a folktale, there was a real-life Johnny Appleseed, who may have been America's first conservationist.

Johnny Appleseed was born John Chapman on September 26, 1774, in Leominster, Massachusetts. At the age of 18, John and his brother headed West, and while they did not just randomly plant apple trees as they wandered about, they did create a number of fenced orchards. Pear or apple orchards were required by law to uphold land claims in many settlements, which made his nurseries very popular places to settle. He also would return to tend to his nurseries every two years or so. At the time of his death, Chapman owned around 1,200 acres of land. He was also a noted conservationist and vegetarian.

Leominster (pronounced "LEMON-stir") is proud of their native son. There, you'll find the Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center, Johnny Appleseed Elementary School, Johnny Appleseed Arts & Culture Festival, Johnny Appleseed 5k, and more. Most directly, on Johnny Appleseed Lane, you'll find a marker (which looks remarkably like a gravestone) for the birthplace of Johnny Appleseed. Besides the simple stone marker, there is an informational sign and a small log cabin roughly the size of a large dollhouse with a diorama inside.

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Fruit Apples Mythology Monuments

Know Before You Go

If you are coming from the main road it will be on your left. It is easy to miss. There is no parking, but it is a quiet road and you can pull off on the side of the woods pretty easily to see the site. If you go to the back of the cabin you can look in. Behind some Plexiglas is a diorama. 

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kensears37

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e1savage, julesc, blusister4465, TheDiscoveryService...

  • e1savage
  • julesc
  • blusister4465
  • TheDiscoveryService
  • ThorinnR
  • keithlmoore
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

October 17, 2014

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Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Appleseed
Birthplace of Johnny Appleseed
147 Johnny Appleseed Ln
Leominster, Massachusetts, 01453
United States
42.515421, -71.725769
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