Wadsworth-Longfellow House, Portland
The Wadsworth鈥揕ongfellow House blends history, poetry, and over two centuries of Portland life in one address. Built between 1785 and 1786 by General Peleg Wadsworth鈥攁 Revolutionary War veteran with ten children to house鈥攊t was the city鈥檚 first all-brick residence and, remarkably, is still the oldest building standing on the peninsula. If Portland has a staying-power trophy, this place could claim it.
Originally a sturdy two-story home, it gained a third floor in the early 1800s with a Federal-style update. It also gained a future literary giant: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The poet moved in as an infant and spent the first 35 years of his life here, surrounded by the hum of early Portland life鈥攁 cast of family members, the warmth of fireplaces, and the kind of quiet corners any writer would remember.
After Longfellow鈥檚 time, his sister Anne Longfellow Pierce became the home鈥檚 last family resident. She guarded its Revolutionary-era spirit with care, right down to the furnishings. When she died in 1901, she left the property to the Maine Historical Society, ensuring its preservation for generations.
Today, walking through its rooms feels like leafing through chapters of American history and literary heritage at the same time. Original family belongings remain in place, the interiors reflect the era鈥檚 character, and the walls still seem to carry the energy of a young Henry at work. It鈥檚 more than an architectural relic鈥攊t鈥檚 a chance to step directly into the world that shaped one of America鈥檚 best-loved poets.
Originally a sturdy two-story home, it gained a third floor in the early 1800s with a Federal-style update. It also gained a future literary giant: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The poet moved in as an infant and spent the first 35 years of his life here, surrounded by the hum of early Portland life鈥攁 cast of family members, the warmth of fireplaces, and the kind of quiet corners any writer would remember.
After Longfellow鈥檚 time, his sister Anne Longfellow Pierce became the home鈥檚 last family resident. She guarded its Revolutionary-era spirit with care, right down to the furnishings. When she died in 1901, she left the property to the Maine Historical Society, ensuring its preservation for generations.
Today, walking through its rooms feels like leafing through chapters of American history and literary heritage at the same time. Original family belongings remain in place, the interiors reflect the era鈥檚 character, and the walls still seem to carry the energy of a young Henry at work. It鈥檚 more than an architectural relic鈥攊t鈥檚 a chance to step directly into the world that shaped one of America鈥檚 best-loved poets.
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Wadsworth-Longfellow House on Map
Sight Name: Wadsworth-Longfellow House
Sight Location: Portland, USA (See walking tours in Portland)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Portland, USA (See walking tours in Portland)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Portland, Maine
Create Your Own Walk in Portland
Creating your own self-guided walk in Portland is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Historical Buildings Walking Tour
Portland, Maine may be small, but it packs centuries of history into its streets. Think of it as a living scrapbook鈥攕ome pages sing in stone, others whisper in brick, and all of them survived the city鈥檚 Great Fire of 1866, which could鈥檝e erased it all. Instead, Portland rebuilt in style, and today you can wander its historic core spotting everything from colonial leftovers to Victorian... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Portland Maine Introduction Walking Tour
If New York is the city that never sleeps, Portland, Maine, is the city that daydreams with an ocean breeze. Jutting out into Casco Bay, this coastal gem balances big-city energy with the easygoing warmth of a neighborhood you鈥檝e known your whole life.
Long before lobster shacks and artisan coffee shops, the Algonquian people (populous indigenous American group) called this land... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Long before lobster shacks and artisan coffee shops, the Algonquian people (populous indigenous American group) called this land... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles