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Our Activities
The Friends of the Longfellow House is a tax-exempt non-profit organization that depends on membership fees and contributions
for its operations. We work very closely with the Park Service to achieve common goals. Here is a list of our activities and
some of our future plans. In order to continue to continue our efforts we welcome financial support and volunteer help from well
wishers.
We use this money to:
- Publish a uniquely informative Bulletin containing articles about the 18th and 19th century history of the house, its occupants,
their historical settings. The Bulletin also provides information about current activities. Bulletins are sent to members twice a year
and also placed on our website.
 Maintain this website to supplement the official Park Service website as a repository of unique information about the house; its
unique history, its collections, Washington's occupancy as commander during the Siege of Boston, Longfellow's residence and poetry and the
artistic world occupied by Longfellow and his contemporaries. The site maintains an up to date list of forthcoming events. We hope to
substantially increase the site's content in coming years.
Craigie House, 1844
- Offer two $1000 fellowships each year to scholars (often young PhD students) to help cover their travel expenses to come to Cambridge
to study the Longfellow House collections.
- Help subsidize lectures, workshops, and other programs for members and the public from September to May each year. Although many of these
programs are jointly sponsored with the Park Service, Park Service budget cutbacks make our financial support increasingly vital.
 On Sundays during the summer we present a festival of musical and poetry programs on the lawn of the house.
Each year the festival presents programs of poetry readings and musical performances. The 2005 schedule.
All events are free to members and the general public.
2003 Poetry Reading
 Recreate and maintain the historic formal garden that was originally designed by two well known horticulturists for Henry Longfellow's
daughter, Alice in the early part of the 19th century. We undertook a successful capital campaign to reconstruct the pergola, prepare the ground
and plant the plant materials for this unique garden which is open to the public during daylight hours. We will need to provide additional funds
as the project matures. The first flower planting go in this year, 2005.
New Garden Pergola
- Raise monies for various purposes such as the purchase of manuscript letters that suddenly appear on the market for the archives, the
refurbishing of objects and art in the house's collections, etc.
- Endeavor to publicize the house to decision makers, funders, and the general public. We serve as a much needed advocate in a world of budgetary
shortfalls.
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