Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-08-02
MAINE At OREGON FAIR.
Inc longfelIow House Reproduced at
tho Pacific Coast Exposition.

Inc Ion9feIlow House Reproduced at
tho Pacific Coast Exposition.
For perhaps the first time in Ameri-
can history. a state mas honored a ma
| tive poet by building replica Of his
birthplace several thousand miles from
| the original. This has been accom-
pllshed at the Lewis and Clark ExpOsi-
| ton by the State Of Maine, which has
| FOR It's building a structure that is an
| exact reproduction of the place where
| Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was
| born. The building has attracted a
| great deal of attention, especially from
| western people. most of whom have
never visited Portland, Me-, to see foe
themselves the original. In this con-
| nectlon It Is of interest to l,Ote that the
| city or Portland, Ore, where the West
| crn Worlds Fair is being held, was
| named for Portland, Me-, the choice be-
tween Portland and Boston as the
| name for the new city BEING deter
| mined in 1916 by two former residents
of Maine and Massa cnusetts, who
Tipped copper penny to decide the
| controversy.
The house in which Lcngfellow was
born was, at that time. the finest in
Portland. 1t was the home of Samuel
stephenson, brothar-in law of Hon.
stephen LOngfellOw, the poets father
Stephen LongfellOw Snd Lilpah Wads-
| worth were married January /. 1904, in
the parlor of a mouse CT Congress
street. Portland, where Young Henry
w. spent his boyhood and youth. Mrs.
Sfpnhnncnn aI no, h, ,,,fh hor Il
wife to spend the winter OF 1S06-07 With
her in the big house AZ the corner of
Fore and Hancock streets, as her hus-
band was away on business in the
West Indies and it was lonely for her
| in the big house. Henry Wadsworth
1-ongfellow. named after Lieutenant
Henry Wadsworth, Was born in the
Fore street house February 81. 1907.
Longfellow's birthplace is three
story frame building, constructed after
the peculiar style of architecture char
acteristic of the period. 1t is severely
| rectangular in shape, with a hip roof,
and the only decoration is q small COR
nice over the doorway which is in the
center of the front wall. The house is
painted white. and 4 white picket fence
enclOses a small grass plot at the left
of the entrance. The room in whicn
the poet was born is the front chamber.
in the second story. at the right. On
entering the building. one climbs sew
eral steps. and is admitted to a hall,
from which stairs lead to the floors
above. The living rooms sre large and
comfortable, and open off to the right
and LEFT from the central hall. The
birth room has been fitted up in Colo
NAL style. with some rare Old furniture.
notable among which is the bookcase
that was formerly owned and used by
the poet.
The location which the reproduction
of Longfellow's birthplace enjoys at the
Lewis and Clark Exposition is much
more desirable than that of the
original in Portland Me- When
Samuel Stephenson owned the home. Il
century ago. it overlooked the placid
waters of CaScO Bay. ard the view en-
i)raced the 365 islands which make the
harbOr one of rare natural beauty.
Now however. wholesale houses AMI
warehouses occupy the waterfront. and
the surroundings are anything but ro-
mantle, The place is owned by re-
'i-Fb Sttl N'tltldIii. w tt ldIlllllcS
occupy the old house as 4 tenement.
At the Exposition. the reproduction
occupies plot of ground in the rear
of the Idaho and Illinois state build
ings. ana the vista from the doorway
Includes view Of the min exposition
picture. and takes in Guilds Lake. dot
ted with pleasure craft. and the foot
hills of the Cascade Mountains beyond
1t. green lawn surrounds the build
ing and Sravelly roadway takes the
place OF the cobblestoncs of Fore stree.
But the building itself has been repro
duced in detail.
On the walls of two OF the rooms in
the I.ongfellow home at the Exposition.
the entire poems "HiaNatha' and
"Evangeline" are posted artistically on
cards. The building is comfortably
furnished and is popular because of the
quiet, restful air that pcrvades it.