CONCORD, MA — Today I’m taking a break from telling you about my research trip to China to wish you all a Happy New Year from Concord, Massachussets, which is horrible to spell without spellcheck.

It was a very nearly almost-white Christmas here this year.

But it’s snowing now! Hooray!!!

And though I’m in Concord to spend the holidays with friends, and to eat all their yummy food and to receive all their fantastic gifts, I couldn’t help but ask about the Caesar Robbins House, which I first told you about here.

Here’s what the Robbins House looked like in the post-almost-white Christmas snow:And here it is after Saturday (12/29) night’s snowstorm:

The house, which will host an interpretive center of Concord’s African American history, is scheduled to open in early summer 2013.

Much progress has been made on the inside of the house:This room was used as a kitchen and living area for one family.Here, David Fisher, the project’s landscape architect, points to the original lathe, dated 1823. This small portion of lathe will be left exposed.The original (and new) ceiling beams will be left exposed too:Upstairs, where 13 children slept on one side, railing has been added:

Funds are still needed to add life-sized bronze figures depicting former owners and occupants and for computers and other educational materials that will make the site accessible to visitors. Here’s the fundraising letter from the Drinking Gourd Society: fundraising2012-threecol

And here is my good friend Sam, a native Concordian, just like Henry David Thoreau, and his dog Lucy, to wish you a Happy 2013, and more snow than you can imagine: