Text by John Mayer and Dana Twiss
Images from Maine Historical Society, Longfellow National Historic Park, and Maine Maritime Museum
"…but happier is he whose heart rides quietly at anchor in the peaceful haven of home."
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to his parents, 1826)
The Wadsworth-Longfellow house is the oldest building on the Portland peninsula, the first historic site in Maine, a National Historic Landmark, and the boyhood home of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
These distinctions give the building status and significance.
The house also has a very personal history.
For nearly 120 years, from 1786 to 1901, it was home to three generations of Wadsworth and Longfellow family members, a place where they raised their families and experienced many life events that are common to us all.
This exhibit draws from a study of the Wadsworth-Longfellow property, the Longfellow garden, and the properties that surround the site.
The many features on the property – the house, the well, even plant material – provide evidence and a connection to the people who actively shaped this landscape.
This online exhibit is based on a museum exhibit at Maine Historical Society. It opened on June 27, 2014. Museum Curator John Mayer curated the exhibit, assisted by Dana Twiss.
The exhibit sponsors were: Davis Family Foundation, BHA Foundation Fund, The Phineas W. Sprague Memorial Foundation, Elsie A. Brown Fund, and gifts in Memory of Elizabeth Hamill.
Friendly URL: https://www.mainememory.net/exhibits/home
The Wadsworth Era: A Maritime Town on the Frontier
Portland, then known as Falmouth, was sparsely populated in 1784 when Peleg Wadsworth began building his home, barn, and shop on Back Street.
The Longfellow Era: The City Takes Form
In 1807, Stephen and Zilpah Wadsworth Longfellow moved into the house where Zilpah grew up. They raised eight children there, and added a third floor to the structure, as the city grew around them.
Anne Longfellow Pierce: The City Emerges
Anne Longfellow Pierce became the final family member to inhabit the home she and her siblings called "The Old Original." By the time she died in 1901, the city had grown large and more industrial, nearly stranding the residence on Congress Street.
The Wadsworth-Longfellow House in the 20th Century
As the 20th century began, the Wadsworth-Longfellow house became a house museum, dedicated to the memory of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and the grounds housed a new headquarters for Maine Historical Society.
