The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1901-08-04
LONGFELLOW'S HOME
PLANS FOR ITS PRESERVATION BY
MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The Old House In Portland Where
the Poets Early Life Was Passed.
Memorial Hall to BE Erected In
Connection with 1t.
Especial Correspondence


PORTLAND, Me-, July 29.-TO the stu
dent and lover of books the homes of
the poets and authors whose works
have enriched our literature are sources
of inspiration. Doubly is this so after
the writers have passed away and
| when age has cast it's halo about the
scenes of their lives and labors. So we
turn with feelings something akin to
reverence to Haverhill and Amesbury,
Mass, the former the birthplace and
! the latter for more than half century
the residence Of John G. Whittier; to
Concord, Mass, with it's historic asSo-
| Citations, where Emerson and ThOreau
| lived and wrote; to Salem, Mass, where
still stands the quaint two century old
house where Nathaniel Hawthorne was
born, and to ether shrines of American
literature. So we come to this old and
historic but modern and progressive
city, the birthplace and home of Henry
Wadsworth LOngfellow.
1t is gratifying to know that the
house where Longfellow lived many
years and where many of his poems
were written is to be preserved as a
public memorial to the poet. By the
terms of the will of Mrs. Anna Long
fellow Pierce, his sister and the last
immediate member Of the illustrious
family, who died some months ago, the
Longfellow residence on Congress
street was bequeathed to the Maine
Historical society, under certain condi-
tons, among them being that the sOci-
ETY. shall make its home in the building
and prepare 1t for occupancy by other
similar organizations that may wish to
use it as a meeting place. Another pro-
vision binds the society to erect hall
for its meetings and accommodation of
Its library, to connect with the main
house, which must be left substantially
as it stands. 1t is also provided that
"the two front rooms upon the first
floor Of the house are to be kept with
appropriate articles for a memorial Of
the home of Longfellow."
The conditions imposed by the will
have been accepted by the society. 1t
is estimated that such hall as is de-
sired will cost about $4,000 and that
an annual expenditure Of $500 will be
necessary to keep the house and muse
um open to the public. The question
Of how to raise this amount has been a
rather perplexing one to the active
members Of the historical society, but
they have now assurances which war
rant the acceptance of the obligation.
The house which is thus to be pre-
served was not the birthplace of Henry
w. Longfellow, as the mansion was
undergoing alterations at the time Of |
his birth and the family was tenn |
porarily living in a house at Hancock |
and Fore streets. now used as a tene-
ment house, but which is marked by a
tablet. The Longfellow residence was
built IN 1885 by General Peleg Wads-
worth, grandfather of the poet, a Revo-
lutionary hero and for IA years a men,
Der Of congress. 1t was originally two
stories high. the third story being add
ed in 1926. 1t has undergone no altera-
tons since the latter date, though large
business blocks have been built on
three sides Of it.
The place is intimately associated
with General Wadsworth and his sons,
Henry Wadsworth, lieutenant In the
United States navy, who lost his life
under Commodore Preble before Trip
oli In 1904, and Alexander Scammell
Wadsworth, commodore in the United
States navy, who as lieutenant served