Imagine stepping back in time to 1843. You find yourself standing before the Longfellow National Historic House. This isn’t just any house. This is where history and literature intertwine.
The Longfellow National Historic House stands as a testament to American history and literary genius. Before Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called it home, General George Washington used it as his headquarters during the Siege of Boston.
Built in 1759, the house first belonged to John Vassall Jr. He was a Loyalist who fled at the start of the American Revolution. In July 1775, George Washington moved in, using it as his base until April 1776. From here, he strategized and oversaw the Siege of Boston. Important figures like John and Abigail Adams visited. Benedict Arnold and Henry Knox also walked these halls.
Fast forward to 1837. A young Henry Wadsworth Longfellow rents rooms here. Elizabeth Craigie, the eccentric owner, initially mistook him for a student. Longfellow soon charmed her. He convinced her he was a professor and author.
Living here inspired Longfellow. He penned some of his most famous works within these walls. “A Psalm of Life” and “Hyperion” were among them. The Longfellow National Historic House became his muse.
In 1843, Longfellow’s father-in-law gifted him the house as a wedding present. He married Frances Appleton. Longfellow lived here for nearly four decades. “Paul Revere’s Ride” and “The Village Blacksmith” flowed from his pen here.
The Longfellows transformed the house into a literary salon. Artists, writers, and politicians gathered here. Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray visited. Even Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil dined here.
Tragedy struck in 1861. Fanny Longfellow died in a fire. Longfellow tried to save her. He was badly burned and grew a beard to hide the scars.
Longfellow died in 1882. His daughter Alice preserved the house. In 1972, it became a National Historic Site. Today, you can see original furnishings and Longfellow’s 10,000 books. The Longfellow National Historic House also holds 750,000 original documents.
Notice the garden. Longfellow designed it himself. It began as a lyre shape but evolved into a square. Mrs. Longfellow likened it to a “Persian rug.”
The Longfellow National Historic House is more than just a building. It’s a portal into the lives of Washington and Longfellow. It is a place where history and poetry live on. Take a moment to soak in the atmosphere. Imagine the conversations, the debates, and the creative energy that once filled these rooms.