Emily Dickinson Museum facts for kids
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Emily Dickinson Home
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Dickinson Homestead, home of poet Emily Dickinson
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 280 Main St., Amherst, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1813 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Part of | Dickinson Historic District (ID77000182) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000363 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 29, 1962 |
| Designated CP | August 16, 1977 |
The Emily Dickinson Museum is a special place where you can learn about the famous American poet Emily Dickinson. It is made up of two historic houses: the Dickinson Homestead and the Evergreens.
The Dickinson Homestead was where Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) was born. She lived there for most of her life, from 1855 until she passed away in 1886. Many of her amazing poems were found in her bedroom after her death.
Right next door is the Evergreens. Emily's father, Edward Dickinson, built this house in 1856. It was a wedding gift for Emily's brother, Austin. Both houses are in Amherst, Massachusetts. They are now a single museum that you can visit on guided tours.
The Emily Dickinson Home is a US National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important historical site. Both houses are also part of the Dickinson Historic District. This district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
Discovering the Dickinson Family History
The Dickinson family has lived in the Connecticut River valley for a very long time. Emily Dickinson's great-great-grandfather, Nathaniel Dickinson, helped found Hadley, Massachusetts. He also explored the land around what is now Amherst, Massachusetts.
How the Homestead Was Built
In 1813, Emily's grandfather, Samuel Fowler Dickinson, built the Dickinson Homestead. It was a grand house on Main Street. This showed how important he was as a lawyer.
However, Samuel Fowler Dickinson had money problems. He had to borrow money using the house as a guarantee. By 1828, he could not pay his debts. The house was then sold to his nephew, Nathan Dickinson, and another person named John Leland.
Edward Dickinson's Life in the Homestead
In 1830, Samuel's oldest son, Edward Dickinson, bought half of the Homestead. He moved in with his wife and young son, Austin. Nine months later, on December 10, Emily Dickinson was born there. Her younger sister, Lavinia, was born there three years later.
In 1833, Edward also faced money problems. He had to sell the Homestead back to Leland and Nathan. They then gave the whole property to General David Mack, Jr. Edward and his family moved to the eastern half of the house.
They lived there until 1840, when they moved to a different house. Fifteen years later, in 1855, Edward had become wealthy. He was able to buy the entire Homestead and its land for $6,000. The family moved back into the Homestead in 1856.
That same year, Edward started building The Evergreens. This house was just west of the Homestead. He gave it as a wedding gift to his son Austin and his new wife, Susan.
Gardens and Family Life
The property had a 1.5-acre garden. Emily, Lavinia, and their mother loved to take care of it. Emily often sent flowers with notes to her friends. A large barn behind the house held the family's horses, cow, and chickens.
A special path connected the two Dickinson houses. Emily Dickinson called it "just wide enough for two who love." It went from the back door of the Homestead to the porch of The Evergreens.
In the 1860s, Edward and Austin Dickinson planted a low hemlock hedge. This hedge ran along the front of both houses. Edward Dickinson passed away in 1874. His funeral was held in the Homestead. His wife died in 1882 after being sick for a long time.
Emily Dickinson's Quiet Life
Emily Dickinson lived in the Homestead for most of her life. Her longest time away was between 1840 and 1855. This was when her family's money troubles made them move.
Starting in the 1850s, Emily began to stay away from outside contact. The exact reasons are not fully known. She would talk to visitors through closed doors. She also did not travel unless it was absolutely necessary.
In 1868, she wrote to a friend, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, that she did not leave her father's property. This was her answer when he suggested she come to Boston to meet him. However, she did tend her beautiful flower garden. She also visited her brother's family next door. Emily died in 1886. Her funeral was held in the Homestead's library.
After Emily's death, her sister Lavinia followed Emily's wishes. She destroyed Emily's letters. But then she found many of Emily's poems in a locked chest in Emily's room. Lavinia immediately knew how important these poems were. All of Emily's poems were first published in 1955.
How the Houses Became a Museum
Lavinia was the last Dickinson family member to live in the Homestead. She lived there until she died in 1899. After her death, Austin's daughter, Martha Dickinson Bianchi, inherited the Homestead. She rented the house to others until 1916. Then she sold it to the Parke family.
In 1963, the Homestead was named a National Historic Landmark. In 1965, the Parke family sold the house to Amherst College. The college used it for faculty housing. But they also opened parts of the house, including Emily's room, for public tours.
Next door, Austin and Susan Dickinson lived at The Evergreens. They lived there until they passed away in 1895 and 1913. Martha Dickinson Bianchi, their only child who was still alive, continued to live in The Evergreens. She kept the house exactly as it was. She wanted it to be a "time capsule" of a wealthy 19th-century home.
In 1991, The Evergreens became part of a special trust. This trust started to develop the house as a museum. This led to talks with Amherst College about working together. In 2003, the trust gave The Evergreens to Amherst College. The Emily Dickinson Museum was then officially created to manage both properties.
Exploring the Architecture and Gardens
The Emily Dickinson Museum is located at 280 Main Street. It is across from the First Congregational Church. The property is close to the center of town and Amherst College. It has a large lawn east of the buildings. This was once where the Dickinson family gardens grew.
The Homestead's Changing Look
The Homestead started as a stylish Federal style house. It was probably the first brick house in Amherst. It was originally painted red. Later, in the 1830s and 1840s, changes were made. These changes added Greek revival features and a fashionable white paint color.
When General Mack owned the house, he made more changes. He made the attic bigger and added a second story to the wooden office.
Edward Dickinson made many changes to the Homestead in 1855. He added a brick section for the kitchen and laundry. He also built a porch on the western side. He added a fancy Italianate cupola to the roof. He also built a conservatory for Emily's special plants.
The house was painted in an ochre (yellow-brown) and off-white color scheme. This is how it looked until 1916. In 2004, the Homestead was repainted in its late-nineteenth-century colors. This was done so it would look as Emily Dickinson knew it.
The Evergreens' Unique Style
The Evergreens was designed by a famous Northampton architect named William Fenno Pratt. It is one of the oldest and best-preserved examples of Italianate home design in Amherst.
The house still has all the original Dickinson family furniture. It also has household items and decorations from the 19th century. It is like stepping back in time!
The Evergreens had beautiful gardens. Austin Dickinson used ideas from famous landscape designers like Andrew Jackson Downing and Frederick Law Olmsted. His wife, Susan, also had lovely flower gardens. The lawn between the two houses had trees and shrubs. This area was used for playing lawn tennis and badminton.
Austin Dickinson was also involved in landscaping the Amherst College grounds. He worked with famous landscape architects. He also helped improve the town common and create a new park-like cemetery in Amherst.
Visiting the Museum
You can visit the Emily Dickinson Museum from April through December. They offer guided and self-guided tours. The grounds and gardens are open to everyone. However, you can only see the inside of the houses on a guided tour.
The museum also hosts special events throughout the year. These include poetry readings and parties. The museum is part of Museums10. This is a group of ten museums in the Amherst area.
See also
