Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site

Description

The home of noted American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for almost 50 years, and it had previously served as the headquarters of General George Washington. It presents an example of mid-Georgian architecture style.

Constructed, 1759

The house was built in 1759 for Jamaican plantation owner John Vassall Jr., who fled the Cambridge area at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War because of his loyalty to the king of England.

Occupied, July 16, 1775

George Washington occupied it as his headquarters, and it served as his base of operations during the Siege of Boston.

Moved, Apr 4, 1776

George Washington moved out of his headquarters, and Andrew Craigie, Washington's Apothecary General, was the next person to own the home. He purchased the house in 1791 and instigated its only major addition. Craigie's financial situation at the time of his death in 1819 forced his widow Elizabeth to take in boarders, and one of those boarders was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Bought, 1843

Longfellow became its owner in 1843 when his father-in-law Nathan Appleton purchased it as a wedding gift. He lived in the home until his death in 1882. The last family to live in the home was the Longfellow family, who established the Longfellow Trust in 1913 for its preservation. In 1972, the home and all of its furnishings were donated to the National Park Service.

Related People & Organizations

George Washington,Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site

Related Sites

Longfellow Park

Images

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Images

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South facade of Longfellow House taken from Longfellow Park

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