Maine Memory Network

Home: The Longfellow House & the Emergence of Portland

The Wadsworth-Longfellow house is the oldest building on the Portland peninsula, the first historic site in Maine, a National Historic Landmark, home to three generations of Wadsworth and Longfellow family members -- including the boyhood home of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The history of the house and its inhabitants provide a unique view of the growth and changes of Portland -- as well as of the immediate surroundings of the home.

Longfellow: The Man Who Invented America

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a man and a poet of New England conscience. He was influenced by his ancestry and his Portland boyhood home and experience.

Drawing Together: Art of the Longfellows

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is best know as a poet, but he also was accomplished in drawing and music. He shared his love of drawing with most of his siblings. They all shared the frequent activity of drawing and painting with their children. The extended family included many professional as well as amateur artists, and several architects.

Picturing Henry

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's popularity in the 19th century is reflected by the number of images of him -- in a variety of media -- that were produced and reproduced, some to go with published works of his, but many to be sold to the public on cards and postcards.

Port of Portland's Custom House and Collectors of Customs

The collector of Portland was the key to federal patronage in Maine, though other ports and towns had collectors. Through the 19th century, the revenue was the major source of Federal Government income. As in Colonial times, the person appointed to head the custom House in Casco Bay was almost always a leading community figure, or a well-connected political personage.

Music in Maine - Longfellow Family Music

"… Longfellow spent his childhood in the Wadsworth-Longfellow House, nurtured by family members who read avidly, drew, painted, played music, and…"

Home: The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland - People of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House

"1880Maine Historical Society Only two families occupied the house – the family of Elizabeth Bartlett and Peleg Wadsworth who lived here between 1785…"

Home: The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland - The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland

"… from the Lewiston Journal, 1893 Wadsworth-Longfellow House Nearly HiddenMaine Historical Society When Peleg Wadsworth built his house in…"

People, Pets & Portraits

Informal family photos often include family pets -- but formal, studio portraits and paintings also often feature one person and one pet, in formal attire and pose.

Home: The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland - The Longfellow Era: 1807-1901

"1855NPS, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow (1814-1901) Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow…"

Home: The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland - Streetscape, 1790-1930

"The Wadsworth-Longfellow house had become a historical house museum in 1901 following the death of Anne Longfellow Pierce."

Home: The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland - The House, 1786-1960

"After a third story was added to the house after a fire in 1814, the house itself changed little. Outbuildings disappeared, the fence and surrounding…"

Home: The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland - Census, Timeline

"… every 10 years, show the changing nature of the Longfellow household -- and the changing nature of the neighborhood and city surrounding the house…"

Home: The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland - Researching Your Home

"The materials documenting the Longfellow house provide examples of the type of information available."

Home: The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland - The Privy

"Brown, Preble block, Portland, 1877Maine Historical Society John Corey, a dry goods merchant with a store on Middle Street, built the house around…"

Home: The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland - The Wadsworth Era: 1786-1807

"… Peleg and Elizabeth Wadsworth; he was born in the Longfellow-Wadsworth house. Alexander served in the U.S."

Of Note: Maine Sheet Music

Of Note: Maine Sheet Music features captivating covers of original sheet music along with stories about Maine connections to the songs. Before people had easy access to popular music from records, radios, and the internet, they played songs of the day on instruments at home, using sheet music purchased at music stores. Iconic Maine subjects like lobsters, pine trees, and winter were perfect for lyrics sung by luminaries like Rudy Vallée of Westbrook, and intricate artwork of Maine’s landscape graced the sheet music covers.

MHS in Pictures: exploring our first 200 years

Two years after separating from Massachusetts, Maine leaders—many who were part of the push for statehood—also separated from Massachusetts Historical Society, creating the Maine Historical Society in 1822. The legislation signed on February 5, 1822 positioned MHS as the third-oldest state dedicated historical organization in the nation. The exhibition features MHS's five locations over the institution's two centuries, alongside images of leaders who have steered the organization through pivotal times.

Portland Hotels

Since the establishment of the area's first licensed hotel in 1681, Portland has had a dramatic, grand and boisterous hotel tradition. The Portland hotel industry has in many ways reflected the growth and development of the city itself. As Portland grew with greater numbers of people moving through the city or calling it home, the hotel business expanded to fit the increasing demand.

George F. Shepley: Lawyer, Soldier, Administrator

George F. Shepley of Portland had achieved renown as a lawyer and as U.S. Attorney for Maine when, at age 42 he formed the 12th Maine Infantry and went off to war. Shepley became military governor of Louisiana early in 1862 and remained in the military for the duration of the war.

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Quenching the Thirst

"… Longfellow, Craigie House, Cambridge, 1881NPS, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site Henry Wadsworth Longfellow…"

A Snapshot of Portland, 1924: The Taxman Cometh

In 1924, with Portland was on the verge of profound changes, the Tax Assessors Office undertook a project to document every building in the city -- with photographs and detailed information that provide a unique view into Portland's architecture, neighborhoods, industries, and businesses.

From Sewers to Skylines: William S. Edwards's 1887 Photo Album

William S. Edwards (1830-1918) was a civil engineer who worked for the City of Portland from 1876-1906. Serving as First Assistant to Chief Engineer William A. Goodwin, then to Commissioner George N. Fernald, Edwards was a fixture in City Hall for 30 consecutive years, proving indispensable throughout the terms of 15 Mayors of Portland, including all six of those held by James Phineas Baxter. Edwards made significant contributions to Portland, was an outstanding mapmaker and planner, and his works continue to benefit historians.

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Drinking: Elegance and Debauchery

"… ginger beer from the West Indies. Hampden House Bar, 1837Maine Historical Society and Maine State Museum Hampden House Bar, 1840 John…"