Family home of Louisa May Alcott spared by tornado in town

CONCORD, Mass. – A tornado that briefly touched down in the Massachusetts town of Concord uprooted trees and damaged dozens of houses but spared the family home of author Louisa May Alcott.

The National Weather Service says the EF1 tornado had winds of about 100 mph. EF1 is the second-lowest of six tornado levels. It struck just after 3 a.m. Monday.

Meteorologist Alan Dunham says it caused a swath of damage about a half-mile long.

Fire officials say 39 homes were damaged, including one that suffered significant structural damage.

But Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House was untouched. The historic house and museum’s Facebook page says the tornado “hit right above” the home and knocked out power, but the building was unscathed.

The home is where Alcott wrote her 1868 novel, “Little Women.”