Wadsworth Longfellow House

Within its walls lived three generations of one remarkable family that made significant contributions to the political, literary, and cultural life of New England and the United States. General Peleg Wadsworth built the house in 1785–1786, and the last person to live there was Anne Longfellow Pierce, Henry's younger sister.

Virtually all of the household items and artifacts are original to the Wadsworth and Longfellow families. Furnishings from the three generations illustrate changes in style, technology, and attitude over the 19th century. Peleg and Elizabeth Wadsworth raised ten children in the house before retiring to the family farm in Hiram, Maine, in 1807. The only single–family residence to survive downtown Congress Street's change from a mixed commercial and residential neighborhood on the edge of town to an urban business district, it is the oldest standing structure on the Portland peninsula.

Featured Articles

Haunted by Authors: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

by Greg Melville

Famous writers including Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, and the Alcotts turned Sleepy Hollow Cemetery into our country’s first conservation project.

The Indian World of George Washington

by Colin G. Calloway

Native American peoples and the lands they possessed loomed large for Washington, from his first trips westward as a surveyor to his years as President.

“With Malice Toward None”

by Jon Meacham

In his Second Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln embodied leading in a time of polarization, political disagreement, and differing understandings of reality.

“These Are No Ordinary Times”

by Adam Hochschild

A hundred years ago, America was rocked by riots, repression, and racial violence.

Yellow Fever Stalks the Founders

by Stephen Fried

During Pres. Washington’s first term, an epidemic killed one tenth of all the inhabitants of Philadelphia, then the capital of the young United States.

Upon Starved Rock

by Mark Walczynski

Now a popular state park, the unassuming geological feature along the Illinois River has served as the site of centuries of human habitation and discovery.

Revenge of the Nevada

by Ed Offley

The recent discovery of the hull of the battleship Nevada recalls her dramatic action at Pearl Harbor and ultimate revenge on D-Day as the first ship to fire on the Nazis.

Confederates in Congress: Heritage or Hate?

by Edwin S. Grosvenor

Our research reveals that 19 artworks in the U.S. Capitol honor men who were Confederate officers or officials. What many of them said, and did, is truly despicable.

A Special Issue on Presidential Misdeeds

by Edwin S. Grosvenor

Here is probably the most wide-ranging look at Presidential misbehavior ever published in a magazine.

Marshall's Secret Preparations for War

by Paul Dickson

When Germany unleashed its blitzkreig in 1939, the U.S. Army was only the 17th largest in the world. FDR and Marshall had to build a fighting force able to take on the Nazis, against the wishes of many in Congress.

Christmas Dinner at Mount Vernon

by The Editors

Roast pig, boiled rockfish, and apple pie were among the dishes George and Martha enjoyed during the holiday in 1797. Here are some actual recipes.

The Black Woman Who Managed Morgan's Millions

by Bruce Watson

Born during Jim Crow, Belle da Costa Greene perfected the art of "passing" while working for one of the most powerful men in America.

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Wadsworth Longfellow House

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We hope you enjoy our work.

Featured Articles

Location

Hours

Contact

Fees

43.656733, -70.260074