uilt over a two-year period between 1785-86, the Wadsworth-Longfellow House was the childhood home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, beloved poet, scholar and businessman.  A restoration effort by the Maine Historical Society has taken place over the past 2 1/2 years, and culminates this Saturday with a Grand Re-Opening Celebration.   The event, open to the public, will be celebrated with  Victorian music, games, speeches, cake, a ribbon cutting, and tours of this newly restored memorial to Longfellow, a 19th century American icon.  There will even be a special visit by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow!

Much of the restoration effort has focused on the finishings of the interior of the house, based on documentation from the 1850’s, and actual photographs of the house from 1867.  It included paint analysis for the woodwork colors, reproduction of the wallpapers that were used,  and reproduction of the textiles the family used, as well as general collection conservation.  “The house has a huge collection of paintings, prints, furniture, ceramics and other kinds of household wares that the family had in the house after Ann Pierce — Longfellow's sister and benefactor of the house — died in 1901," explained Laura Sprague, Restoration Curator.  “She didn’t intend it to be opened up like a big historic house museum, it was just a couple rooms in the front of the house in honor of Henry.  But by 1902, when the family saw that there was such interest in this as an historic house museum (the first of its kind in Maine) they started giving objects back, so what the public sees now are 99% authentic family furnishings."

The restoration effort raised more than $650,000 dollars,  funded in large part by major grants at both the city & state levels,  according to Sprague.  “There have been leadership gifts from a lot of local and New England foundations, and there have been generous private individuals who have given as well."

The Maine Historical Society invites you to join them for the festivities on Saturday, June 29, from 11:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M., and take a guided tour through this famous landmark which gives an intimate glimpse into the life of this lively and fascinating family.

The Wadsworth-Longfellow House
Centennial Restoration Grand Opening
Saturday, June 29, 2002
487 Congress Street
Portland, Maine

Formal Remarks — 11:00 A.M.
Open House Begins — Noon
1902 Admission Prices —  $1.00 all day

Click here for more information on the Longfellow House Exhibit

 Photos by Chad Gilley
& David Rossignol
26 June, 2002