A house with two extraordinary legacies, the Longfellow House – Washington’s Headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is where American history and literature intertwine. This elegant Georgian mansion, built in 1759, first gained prominence as George Washington’s headquarters during the Siege of Boston (1775–76), a pivotal moment in the American Revolution. Nearly a century later, it became home to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, one of America’s most celebrated poets, who lived and wrote here for almost 50 years. From war councils to literary salons, this house has hosted figures like Abigail Adams, Benedict Arnold, Charles Dickens, and Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil, making it a landmark of intellect and revolution.

The house’s origins trace back to John Vassall Jr., a wealthy Loyalist plantation owner whose fortune was built on enslaved labor in Jamaica. When the Revolution began, he fled to England, and the house was repurposed as a military hospital before Washington claimed it as his command center on July 16, 1775. Within these walls, Washington strategized, entertained key figures like Henry Knox and Nathanael Greene, and even read a poem from Phillis Wheatley, the first published African-American poet. Later, the mansion became Longfellow’s cherished home, gifted to him in 1843 by his father-in-law as a wedding present. Here, he wrote masterpieces like Paul Revere’s Ride, The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline, all while entertaining literary giants and political leaders in its stately rooms.

Today, this National Historic Site, preserved by the National Park Service, remains remarkably intact. Visitors can step into Washington’s study, where he planned his military campaigns, and Longfellow’s writing room, where he crafted poetry that shaped American identity. The beautifully maintained gardens, designed in the Romantic style, offer a tranquil retreat, reflecting the poet’s love for nature. Whether you’re drawn by the echoes of revolution or the inspiration of literature, the Longfellow House is a rare gem where two distinct yet equally profound chapters of American history come to life.