Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:105 Brattle Street
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Tel:
(617) 876-4491
Come see the house of one of the most influential poets of the 19th century at the Longfellow National Historic Site in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Longfellow National Historic Site also served as George Washington's headquarters during the Siege of Boston in 1775-1776. Today, the Longfellow National Historic Site is home to tours focusing on illustrious history of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his home.
Originally built in 1759, the mid-Georgian style house which would become the Longfellow National Historic Site was occupied by General George Washington and used as his headquarters for planning the Siege of Boston between July 1775 and April 1776. From 1791 until 1841, the house was owned by Andrew and Elizabeth Craigie, the latter renting out rooms in the house after the former passed away. Most significantly, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow first rented rooms in the house in 1837, inheriting the house from the next owner, Nathan Appleton, as a wedding gift. Longfellow's children inherited the house after his death in 1882, and set about a preservation project in 1913.
Today, visitors to the Longfellow National Historic Site can embark on a tour of the house. The tour, roughly 45 minutes long, encompasses rooms on the first and second floors of the Longfellow National Historic Site, with every tour focusing on something slightly different, be it Longfellow's poetry, Washington's residency, or the art and furniture of the house itself. After the fascinating tour of the Longfellow National Historic Site, visitors can find dozens of restaurants within an easy walk, with everything ranging from Indian to seafood to bakeries.
To get to the Longfellow National Historic Site, visitors should take the MBTA Red Line train outbound, exit at Harvard Square towards Church Street, then turn right onto Brattle Street and walk until you hit the house at 105 Brattle Street. Visit the Longfellow National Historic Site and walk in the footsteps of America's great literary and military figures!