Wadsworth-Longfellow House facts for kids
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Wadsworth-Longfellow House
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The entrance to the Wadsworth-Longfellow House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 489 Congress St Portland, Maine |
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| Architect | Peleg Wadsworth |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000090 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 29, 1962 |
The Wadsworth-Longfellow House is a super old house and museum in Portland, Maine. You can find it at 489 Congress Street. The Maine Historical Society takes care of it. This house is really special! It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1962. It's open to visitors from May through October. You can even visit on Sundays for half the day. There is a small fee to get in.
Contents
History of the Longfellow House
This house is important for two big reasons. First, it's the oldest building still standing on the Portland peninsula. Second, it was the childhood home of a very famous American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (who lived from 1807 to 1882).
Building the Wadsworth Home
American Revolutionary War General Peleg Wadsworth built this house. He finished it between 1785 and 1786. It was the very first brick house ever built in Portland! General Wadsworth and his wife raised ten children here. The house originally had two stories and a sloped roof.
Longfellow's Childhood Home
General Wadsworth moved away in 1807. His daughter, Zilpah, married Stephen Longfellow IV in this house. Their son, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, was born nearby. He was born at his aunt's house on February 27, 1807. When Henry was eight months old, he moved into the Wadsworth-Longfellow House. He lived here for the next 35 years! In 1815, the Longfellow family added the third story you see today.
Keeping the House Special
Anne Longfellow Pierce (1810–1901) was the last family member to live in the house. She was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's sister. Anne wanted the house to stay just as it was when her grandfather, Peleg Wadsworth, lived there. She was also known for growing oranges in her window!
A Gift to History
When Anne Pierce passed away in 1901, she left the house to the Maine Historical Society. She also gave them many of the family's old furnishings. The society opened the house to the public within a year. Back then, it was one of the first homes of a famous writer to be owned by an organization. This group was dedicated to keeping it safe for everyone to visit. Another famous writer's home cared for this way was the John Greenleaf Whittier Homestead in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
The Beautiful Longfellow Garden
The Longfellow Garden is a lovely spot next to the house. Pearl Wing started the Longfellow Garden Club in 1924. Their goal was to create this beautiful garden.
Designing the Garden Space
A landscape architect named Myron Lamb designed the garden. He created it in a style called Colonial Revival. This garden was once part of the Longfellow family's farmyard. In 2007, the garden was replanted after some updates to the Maine Historical Library. You can still see a lilac tree in the back corner. Anne Longfellow herself mentioned this tree!
The Children's Gate
A special "Children's Gate" was added to the garden in the 1930s. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's nephew, Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow, designed it. The gate was taken down in the 1960s. But don't worry, it was fixed up and put back in 2012!
The Longfellow Garden is open to everyone for free! You can visit Monday through Saturday from May to October. It's open from 10 AM to 5 PM.
See also
- Longfellow House–Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Samuel Butts House, another old building in Portland
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Maine
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Portland, Maine
