Longfellow National Historic Site

Brattle St’s most famous resident was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whose stately manor is now a National Historic Site. The poet lived and wrote here for 45 years, from 1837 to 1882, writing many of his most famous poems including Evangeline and Hiawatha. The Georgian mansion contains many of Longfellow’s belongings and lush period gardens. After a long period of restoration, the site now offers poetry readings and historical tours. Incidentally, one reason Longfellow was so taken with this house was its historical significance. During the Revolutionary War, General Washington appropriated this beauty from its absent Loyalist owner and used it as his headquarters.