National Register of Historic Places

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, Monument

Portland, Cumberland County, Maine
Listed
April 4, 1990
Type
Object
Period
Listed
Ref No.
90000580

About this property

The Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Monument is a public monument in Portland, Maine's West End. Located on the corner of State and Congress Street, it honors poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who was born in Portland in 1807. The intersection built around the monument is known as Longfellow Square. The Henry Wadsworth Longellow Monument occupies a triangular plaza formed at the southeast corner of Congress and State Streets in central Portland. The southeast side of the plaza is occupied by One Longfellow Square. The monument consists of a bronze statue of Longfellow, as seen late in his life, in a seated position, which is mounted on a granite pedestal. The pedestal is about 10 feet (3.0 m) in height, and has carved tablets on two sides, decorated with swags and garlands that frame the name "LONGFELLOW". Above these is a frieze band of anthemion and vines, with a cornice above that. The bronze statue is about 7 feet (2.1 m) in height, with Longfellow seated in a chair whose arms end in lion's heads, and a stack of books underneath. Longfellow wears an overcoat, and a cape is draped over his lap and one shoulder. One hand holds a manuscript, while the other is propped on the chair back, while Longfellow gazes at passersby. Franklin Simmons began the design and construction of the statue in 1885, three years after the poet's death, with a pedestal designed by Francis H. Fassett. The monument was unveiled on September 29, 1888. The monument is considered to be one of Simmons's major commissions. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in April 1990. National Register of Historic Places listings in Portland, Maine Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Memorial in Washington, D. C. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Monument MaineMemory.net

Location

Portland, Cumberland County, Maine
43.65301, -70.26681

Categories

ART
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Reed, Thomas Brackett, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Portland Club
Industrial
0.1 mi
Dow, Gen. Neal, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Deering Street Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Spring Street Historic District (Additional Documentation)
Listed
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Raid on Falmouth (Casco, Maine) 1690
1690Colonial
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, Monument listed on the National Register?

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, Monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 4, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, Monument?

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, Monument is classified as a object in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, Monument?

The period of significance for Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, Monument is recorded as the listed era.

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