Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Website Launched by Maine Historical Society

Portland, ME
April 12, 2006

A comprehensive website dedicated to the life, work, homes, and family of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow has been launched by Maine Historical Society. The website, offers an extensive collection of Longfellow-related information. Intended for general audiences as well as a resource for researchers, educators, and anyone with an interest in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the site includes a searchable database of his poems, lesson plans for teachers, a bibliography, a filmography, and more.

"Of particular interest are the curricular resources on the site. Suggested for grade levels 3 - 12, these were developed by thirty teachers from Maine and Massachusetts who participated in the Longfellow Institute, an intensive two-year study of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's life and poetry," notes MHS Education Coordinator Carolin Collins.

"The program, as well as the the new website, was designed to explore ways of bringing Longfellow's work back into the curriculum in a dynamic and meaningful way - in English, Social Studies, American Studies, Art, and Music."

The Institute was presented in cooperation with Maine Historical Society; the Longfellow National Historic Site in Cambridge, MA; and Bowdoin College.

Longfellow was a commanding figure in the cultural life of nineteenth-century America and is an integral part of our culture today. Born in Portland, ME, in 1807, he became a world-famous personality by the time of his death in 1882. In his best known poems,

Longfellow created myths and classic epics from American historical events and materials, such as the diaspora of Acadians ("Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie"), and the first battle of the Revolutionary War ("Paul Revere's Ride").

The 200th anniversary of the birth of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow will be observed in 2007. Events for the celebration are being planned; as details are completed event information will be posted on the Longfellow website.

For More Information:

Maine Historical Society
489 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101
774-1822
www.hwlongfellow.org
www.mainehistory.org