Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Christian Science movement and church, is watching over Main Street during Women’s History Month.
A window display in her honor went up at Concord’s Christian Science Reading Room on Sunday. Librarian Scott MacDonald surrounded Baker Eddy’s portrait with spiritual texts, books chronicling her life and legacy, issues of Christian Science publications and a bouquet of pink roses of special spiritual significance to her.
Born in Bow in 1821, Baker Eddy lived much of her life in Concord before founding the Church of Christ, Scientist almost 60 years later during a period of religious expansion in the United States. She was the first American woman to found a significant religious denomination, according to the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
Baker Eddy is regarded as a trailblazer in her path as a religious leader and publisher, having founded the Christian Science Monitor and several magazines.
Scott MacDonald, a librarian at the Christian Science Reading Room in Concord, arranges a Women’s History Month display honoring Mary Baker Eddy. Credit: CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN / Monitor 
Baker Eddy founded the Christian Science movement in 1879. She was born in Bow and lived much of her life in Concord. Credit: CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN / Monitor