105-538: Allston is an officially recognized neighborhood in Boston , Massachusetts, United States. It was named after the American painter and poet Washington Allston . It comprises the land covered by the zip code 02134. For the most part, Allston is administered collectively with the adjacent neighborhood of Brighton . The two are often referred to together as Allston–Brighton . Boston Police Department District D-14 covers
210-557: A "goody two-shoes kind of literature ... slipshod, sentimental stories told in the style of the nursery, beginning in nothing and ending in nothing". A more modern critic said, "Who, except wretched schoolchildren, now reads Longfellow?" A London critic in the London Quarterly Review , however, condemned all American poetry—"with two or three exceptions, there is not a poet of mark in the whole union"—but he singled out Longfellow as one of those exceptions. An editor of
315-499: A 31-volume anthology called Poems of Places which collected poems representing several geographical locations, including European, Asian, and Arabian countries. Emerson was disappointed and reportedly told Longfellow: "The world is expecting better things of you than this ... You are wasting time that should be bestowed upon original production". In preparing the volume, Longfellow hired Katherine Sherwood Bonner as an amanuensis . Fellow Portland, Maine, native John Neal published
420-449: A ball without her and noted, "The lights seemed dimmer, the music sadder, the flowers fewer, and the women less fair." He and Fanny had six children: Charles Appleton (1844–1893), Ernest Wadsworth (1845–1921), Fanny (1847–1848), Alice Mary (1850–1928), Edith (1853–1915), and Anne Allegra (1855–1934). Their second-youngest daughter was Edith who married Richard Henry Dana III , son of Richard Henry Dana Jr. who wrote Two Years Before
525-801: A commemorative bust was placed in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey in London; he remains the only American poet represented with a bust. A public monument by Franklin Simmons was erected in Longfellow's birthplace of Portland, Maine, in September 1888. In 1909, a statue of Longfellow was unveiled in Washington, DC, sculpted by William Couper . He was honored in February 1940 and March 2007 when
630-415: A farewell dinner party at his Cambridge home for his friend Nathaniel Hawthorne , who was preparing to move overseas. In 1854, he retired from Harvard, devoting himself entirely to writing. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from Harvard in 1859. Frances was putting locks of her children's hair into an envelope on July 9, 1861 and attempting to seal it with hot sealing wax while Longfellow took
735-657: A general in the American Revolutionary War and a Member of Congress. His mother was descended from Richard Warren , a passenger on the Mayflower . He was named after his mother's brother Henry Wadsworth, a Navy lieutenant who had died three years earlier at the Battle of Tripoli . He was the second of eight children. Longfellow was descended from English colonists who settled in New England in
840-509: A letter from Josiah Quincy III , president of Harvard College, offering him the Smith Professorship of Modern Languages with the stipulation that he spend a year or so abroad. There, he further studied German as well as Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, and Icelandic. In October 1835, his wife Mary had a miscarriage during the trip, about six months into her pregnancy. She did not recover and died after several weeks of illness at
945-633: A letter from Fanny Appleton agreeing to marry him. He was too restless to take a carriage and walked 90 minutes to meet her at her house. They were soon married; Nathan Appleton bought the Craigie House as a wedding present, and Longfellow lived there for the rest of his life. His love for Fanny is evident in the following lines from his only love poem, the sonnet "The Evening Star" which he wrote in October 1845: "O my beloved, my sweet Hesperus ! My morning and my evening star of love!" He once attended
1050-569: A major rail yard . Stockyards and a large abattoir operated nearby in the northern part of Brighton. All livestock activity ended by the mid-20th century, although much of the rail yard remained in use until 2013 as CSX Transportation 's Beacon Park Yard . A strip running from Brighton Avenue in Allston out Commonwealth Avenue toward Kenmore Square was Boston's original "Automile", lined with automobile dealerships. Packard's Sales Stable and Riding School gave Packard's Corner its name, which
1155-536: A miscarriage. His second wife, Frances Appleton, died in 1861 after sustaining burns when her dress caught fire. After her death, Longfellow had difficulty writing poetry for a time and focused on translating works from foreign languages. Longfellow died in 1882. Longfellow wrote many lyric poems known for their musicality and often presenting stories of mythology and legend. He became the most popular American poet of his day and had success overseas. He has been criticized for imitating European styles and writing poetry that
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#17327901141831260-446: A nap. Her dress suddenly caught fire, but it is unclear exactly how; burning wax or a lighted candle may have fallen onto it. Longfellow was awakened from his nap and rushed to help her, throwing a rug over her, but it was too small. He stifled the flames with his body, but she was badly burned. Longfellow's youngest daughter Annie explained the story differently some 50 years later, claiming that there had been no candle or wax but that
1365-552: A plan to straighten the Massachusetts Turnpike over the former CSX rail yard. The new station will initially operate exclusively on the Worcester/Framingham line but will be constructed with four platforms to accommodate future uses that may include rapid-transit service to North Station via the existing Grand Junction Railroad through Cambridge and Somerville. The estimated population of Allston
1470-902: A political and cultural organizing mechanism. The City of Boston's Office of Neighborhood Services has designated 23 Neighborhoods in the city: The islands in Boston Harbor are administered as part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area . The Boston Redevelopment Authority , the City Parking Clerk, and the City's Department of Neighborhood Development have also designated their own neighborhoods. Unofficially, Boston has many overlapping neighborhoods of various sizes. Neighborhood associations have formed around smaller communities or commercial districts (often with "Square" in
1575-496: A popular audience as "the expressor of common themes—of the little songs of the masses". He added, "Longfellow was no revolutionarie: never traveled new paths: of course never broke new paths." Lewis Mumford said that Longfellow could be completely removed from the history of literature without much effect. Toward the end of his life, contemporaries considered him as more of a children's poet , as many of his readers were children. A reviewer in 1848 accused Longfellow of creating
1680-490: A predominantly Irish-American neighborhood, which hosts the city's annual St. Patrick's Day parade. South of Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and Dorchester are the neighborhoods of Mattapan, Roslindale, Hyde Park and West Roxbury. Roslindale is known for its small business district and includes the smaller side of the Arnold Arboretum. Roslindale has also recently become a majority-minority neighborhood. Mattapan remains
1785-652: A professor there and, later, at Harvard College after studying in Europe. His first major poetry collections were Voices of the Night (1839) and Ballads and Other Poems (1841). He retired from teaching in 1854 to focus on his writing, and he lived the remainder of his life in the Revolutionary War headquarters of George Washington in Cambridge, Massachusetts . His first wife, Mary Potter, died in 1835 after
1890-614: A remnant of older Italians, and is the site of Logan International Airport . On the north bank of the Charles River is Charlestown ; once a predominantly Irish enclave and site of the Bunker Hill Monument, it is now a home for young professionals. West of downtown are the neighborhoods of Fenway Kenmore, Allston, Brighton, Longwood and Mission Hill. Fenway Kenmore borders the campus of Boston University and houses many college students and young professionals and
1995-633: A science teacher at Gardner Pilot Academy won the "Ultimate Science Classroom", a raffle prize furnished annually by the National Science Teachers Association . The school received approximately $ 40,000 in science teaching materials and apparatus. The Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing , located on Armington Street, is the oldest public school for the hearing impaired in the United States. The school
2100-522: A separate political entity in its own right. Brighton was annexed by the City of Boston in 1874. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow owned several properties in Allston. In 1887 the wooden depot was replaced by the station depicted at the right. In 1888 Boston's first trolley route began there, running a route through Coolidge Corner , Brookline, to Boylston Street, to downtown Boston. The Allston community developed largely around large railroad and livestock operations. The Boston and Albany Railroad operated
2205-545: A six-month leave of absence from Harvard University to attend a health spa in the former Marienberg Benedictine Convent at Boppard in Germany. After returning, he published the play The Spanish Student in 1842, reflecting his memories from his time in Spain in the 1820s. The small collection Poems on Slavery was published in 1842 as Longfellow's first public support of abolitionism. However, as Longfellow himself wrote,
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#17327901141832310-558: A word, we want a national literature altogether shaggy and unshorn, that shall shake the earth, like a herd of buffaloes thundering over the prairies. He was important as a translator; his translation of Dante became a required possession for those who wanted to be a part of high culture. He encouraged and supported other translators, as well. In 1845, he published The Poets and Poetry of Europe , an 800-page compilation of translations made by other writers, including many by his friend and colleague Cornelius Conway Felton . Longfellow intended
2415-475: Is 28,621, according to the 2020 Census. The median home cost is $ 632,000, an incline of 5.2% in the last year. The cost of living is 48.7% higher than the national average. The population density is 14,035/mi. The median age is 27. Allston is home to many immigrant populations, the largest groups being from Russia , East Asia (particularly Korea ), South Asia , and South America (particularly Brazil and Colombia ). Young adults (age 18-34) make up 80.8% of
2520-400: Is Boston's largest neighborhood and predominantly a working class community considered to be Boston's most diverse. Roxbury is populated largely by African Americans, Caribbean Americans and Latinos and is historically the center of Boston's black community. Jamaica Plain is a community of white professionals and Latinos, and includes the larger side of the Arnold Arboretum. South Boston is
2625-461: Is a private, bilingual, international school in Boston, Massachusetts. This German school abroad was established in 2001 and officially inaugurated by Former German President Johannes Rau. The upper campus serves grades one through twelve, and the lower campus offers a preschool and kindergarten program. The school has over 300 students. Allston lies near three major universities. A substantial part of
2730-857: Is also home to a concentration of Korean American businesses and restaurants. Annually, during days leading up to and following September 1, Allston, the Fenway-Kenmore area, the Longwood area , Mission Hill , and Brighton (among many others in Greater Boston ) experience a period known as Allston Christmas . This period is referred to as such because it is the time of year when renters (many of whom are college students) move out their things so new renters (also frequently college students) can move in. A large number of rental agreements in Greater Boston expire on September 1, just before
2835-528: Is appropriately located halfway between Harvard Square in the north and Allston Village, Boston's 'Greenwich Village' in the south. Allston claims to be the only community in America named for an artist. Lower Allston is a small neighborhood that consists of a mix of young professionals, blue-collar tradesmen, members of the educational community, homeowners, and long-term residents. Unlike the rest of Allston, Lower Allston has far fewer students. The neighborhood
2940-507: Is buried with both of his wives at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His last few years were spent translating the poetry of Michelangelo . Longfellow never considered it complete enough to be published during his lifetime, but a posthumous edition was collected in 1883. Scholars generally regard the work as autobiographical, reflecting the translator as an aging artist facing his impending death. Much of Longfellow's work
3045-414: Is categorized as lyric poetry , but he experimented with many forms, including hexameter and free verse . His published poetry shows great versatility, using anapestic and trochaic forms, blank verse , heroic couplets , ballads , and sonnets . Typically, he would carefully consider the subject of his poetic ideas for a long time before deciding on the right metrical form for it. Much of his work
3150-455: Is depicted as bedtime for a cranky child. Many of the metaphors that he used in his poetry came from legends, mythology, and literature. He was inspired, for example, by Norse mythology for " The Skeleton in Armor " and by Finnish legends for The Song of Hiawatha . Longfellow rarely wrote on current subjects and seemed detached from contemporary American concerns. Even so, he called for
3255-603: Is instead a generalized poem of mourning. The death of his second wife Frances, as biographer Charles Calhoun wrote, deeply affected Longfellow personally but "seemed not to touch his poetry, at least directly". His memorial poem to her was the sonnet "The Cross of Snow" and was not published in his lifetime. Longfellow often used didacticism in his poetry, but he focused on it less in his later years. Much of his poetry imparts cultural and moral values, particularly focused on life being more than material pursuits. He often used allegory in his work. In "Nature", for example, death
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3360-430: Is recognized for its melodious musicality. As he says, "what a writer asks of his reader is not so much to like as to listen ". As a very private man, Longfellow did not often add autobiographical elements to his poetry. Two notable exceptions are dedicated to the death of members of his family. "Resignation" was written as a response to the death of his daughter Fanny in 1848; it does not use first-person pronouns and
3465-463: Is the center of the city's LGBT population and also populated by artists and young professionals as well as a vibrant African American community. The North End retains an Italian flavor with its many Italian restaurants, though many of its Italian families have moved out, while young professionals have moved in. The Back Bay is west of the Public Garden , and Beacon Hill is the site of
3570-441: Is the location of Fenway Park . Allston and Brighton are populated heavily by students from nearby universities, as well as recent graduates. Mission Hill is an ethnically diverse neighborhood, adjacent to the Longwood area, which is full of world-class medical institutions. South of downtown are the neighborhoods of Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, Mid Dorchester and South Boston. Dorchester , including Mid Dorchester,
3675-610: Is very quiet, has extremely low crime, and is an easy walk to Allston Village or Harvard Square . Lower Allston has close proximity to Route 2, the Mass Pike, Storrow Drive, and Soldiers Field Road. Public transportation includes the Red Line at Harvard Square, the Green Line at Packard's Corner or Harvard Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue and the 57, 66, 70, 71, and 86 bus connections on North Harvard Street and Western Avenue. In
3780-543: The Broadway Journal , for which he was the editor at the time. Longfellow did not respond publicly but, after Poe's death, he wrote: "The harshness of his criticisms I have never attributed to anything but the irritation of a sensitive nature chafed by some indefinite sense of wrong". Margaret Fuller judged Longfellow "artificial and imitative" and lacking force. Poet Walt Whitman considered him an imitator of European forms, but he praised his ability to reach
3885-813: The American Football League (now the New England Patriots of the National Football League ) played four seasons in Allston: at Nickerson Field in 1960 through 1962; and at Harvard Stadium in 1970. Public schools in Allston are part of the school district of Boston Public Schools . Gardner Pilot Academy (also called the Thomas Gardner School), located on Athol Street, serves Allston residents pre-kindergarten through grade eight. In April 2008,
3990-486: The Boston Evening Transcript wrote in 1846, "Whatever the miserable envy of trashy criticism may write against Longfellow, one thing is most certain, no American poet is more read". Longfellow was the most popular poet of his day. As a friend once wrote, "no other poet was so fully recognized in his lifetime". Many of his works helped shape the American character and its legacy, particularly with
4095-610: The CSX Railroad operated the large Beacon Park freight yard which runs adjacent to the Massachusetts Turnpike; the land has been purchased by Harvard. In May 2006, Harvard officials said that they wanted a infill commuter rail stop in Allston on the Framingham/Worcester line. This would restore service lacking since the closure of the Allston train depot. As of 2009, there had been actions by
4200-742: The Green Line A branch to Watertown Square ran along Brighton Avenue. Today, MBTA Bus Route 57 runs on a similar route. From 2014 to March 2016, the MBTA included bus route 57 in its late night service, running until 3 am. The City of Boston and the MBTA installed bus lane between Union Square and Packard's Corner with construction starting in 2019 to alleviate congestion and speed up bus travel times. Other MBTA bus lines serve Allston, including routes 64, 66, 70 and 86. In 2017, 34.2% of Allston residents commuted by mass transit, while 24.3% commuted by walking and another 6.6% commuted by bicycle. Until 2013,
4305-491: The Harvard Medical School and other healthcare-related programs. Eventually, Harvard's Allston campus will be physically larger than their original Cambridge campus. Boston University lies along Commonwealth Avenue to the east, with numerous schools and facilities extending from Kenmore Square to Packard's Corner . The New Balance Field of Boston University symbolizes further integration of BU into
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4410-562: The Labor Day weekend, causing large numbers of tenants to move to their new quarters simultaneously. This synchronized mass movement also makes it difficult to rent large vehicles during the weeks surrounding September 1. The renters who are leaving often put their unwanted possessions out in the streets for those who may want the items, which include bedding, couches, tables, kitchenware, and clothing. Unsalvaged items also contribute to unusually large trash and recycling pickups scheduled around
4515-531: The Massachusetts State House . The Back Bay and Beacon Hill are also home to national and local politicians, famous authors and top business leaders and professionals. Bay Village is one of the smallest neighborhoods in Boston and mostly contains Greek Revival -style row houses. North and east of downtown are the neighborhoods of East Boston and Charlestown. East Boston has a majority of Hispanics, Brazilians, and young professionals, with
4620-627: The United States Postal Service issued stamps commemorating him. As a memorial to their father, Longfellow's children donated land across Brattle Street and facing the family home to the City of Cambridge, which became Longfellow Park. A monument featuring a bas relief of Miles Standish, Sadalphon, the Village Blacksmith, the Spanish Student, Evangeline, and Hiawatha, characters from Longfellow's works,
4725-663: The 20th century, literary scholar Kermit Vanderbilt noted: "Increasingly rare is the scholar who braves ridicule to justify the art of Longfellow's popular rhymings." Twentieth-century poet Lewis Putnam Turco concluded that "Longfellow was minor and derivative in every way throughout his career ... nothing more than a hack imitator of the English Romantics." Author Nicholas A. Basbanes , in his 2020 book Cross of Snow: A Life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow , defended Longfellow as "the victim of an orchestrated dismissal that may well be unique in American literary history". Over
4830-502: The Allston community and is the first in a series of projects that have included the creation of a major new dormitory building in the area. Berklee College of Music also has a practice and rehearsal building near Commonwealth Avenue on Fordham Road which runs between Commonwealth Avenue and Brighton Avenue. The B branch of the Boston MBTA subway Green Line runs through the neighborhood along Commonwealth Avenue. Until 1969,
4935-621: The Allston-Brighton area and a Boston Fire Department Allston station is located in Union Square which houses Engine 41 and Ladder 14. Engine 41 is nicknamed "The Bull" to commemorate the historic stockyards of Allston. Housing stock varies but largely consists of brick apartment buildings, especially on Commonwealth Avenue and the streets directly off it, while areas further down Brighton Avenue, close to Brighton, are largely dotted with wooden triple-deckers . Lower Allston, across
5040-476: The Boston Harbor Islands) and 64 Neighborhood Statistical Areas (with four areas further subdivided). These correspond roughly with the neighborhoods and sub-neighborhoods of Boston. Unofficially, Boston is made up of approximately 105 neighborhoods. Lists of neighborhoods Neighborhood guides Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882)
5145-405: The Massachusetts Turnpike from the southern portion of Allston, consists of mostly 1890–1920s single-family and multi-family Victorian homes. Allston borders the Boston neighborhoods of Fenway, Kenmore, and Brighton and the town of Brookline. Allston is bordered on the east and north by the Charles River , and the Cambridge, Massachusetts is accessible via several bridges. The area north of
5250-501: The Mast . Their daughter Fanny was born on April 7, 1847, and Dr. Nathan Cooley Keep administered ether to the mother as the first obstetric anesthetic in the United States. Longfellow published his epic poem Evangeline for the first time a few months later on November 1, 1847. His literary income was increasing considerably; in 1840, he had made $ 219 from his work, but 1850 brought him $ 1,900. On June 14, 1853, Longfellow held
5355-629: The Night was translations, but he included nine original poems and seven poems that he had written as a teenager. Ballads and Other Poems was published in 1841 and included " The Village Blacksmith " and " The Wreck of the Hesperus ", which were instantly popular. He became part of the local social scene, creating a group of friends who called themselves the Five of Clubs. Members included Cornelius Conway Felton , George Stillman Hillard , and Charles Sumner ; Sumner became Longfellow's closest friend over
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#17327901141835460-711: The Portland Gazette on November 17, 1820, a patriotic and historical four-stanza poem called "The Battle of Lovell's Pond". He studied at the Portland Academy until age 14. He spent much of his summers as a child at his grandfather Peleg's farm in Hiram, Maine . In the fall of 1822, 15-year-old Longfellow enrolled at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine , along with his brother Stephen. His grandfather
5565-541: The Sea in serial form before a book edition was released in 1835. Shortly after the book's publication, Longfellow attempted to join the literary circle in New York and asked George Pope Morris for an editorial role at one of Morris's publications. He considered moving to New York after New York University proposed offering him a newly created professorship of modern languages, but there would be no salary. The professorship
5670-456: The age of 22 on November 29, 1835. Longfellow had her body embalmed immediately and placed in a lead coffin inside an oak coffin, which was shipped to Mount Auburn Cemetery near Boston. He was deeply saddened by her death and wrote: "One thought occupies me night and day...She is dead – She is dead! All day I am weary and sad". Three years later, he was inspired to write the poem "Footsteps of Angels" about her. Several years later, he wrote
5775-503: The anthology "to bring together, into a compact and convenient form, as large an amount as possible of those English translations which are scattered through many volumes, and are not accessible to the general reader". In honor of his role with translations, Harvard established the Longfellow Institute in 1994, dedicated to literature written in the United States in languages other than English. In 1874, Longfellow oversaw
5880-402: The best poet in America". Poe's reputation increased as a critic, however, and he later publicly accused Longfellow of plagiarism in what Poe biographers call "The Longfellow War". He wrote that Longfellow was "a determined imitator and a dextrous adapter of the ideas of other people", specifically Alfred, Lord Tennyson . His accusations may have been a publicity stunt to boost readership of
5985-731: The campus of Harvard University , including Harvard Business School and most athletic facilities (such as the Bright-Landry Hockey Center , Harvard Stadium , and the Lavietes Pavilion ), are in North Allston. Harvard also owns large portions of other land in North Allston, much of which it plans to develop as an academic campus, particularly for the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences , as well as an auxiliary site for
6090-637: The condition that he travel to Europe to study French, Spanish, and Italian. Whatever the catalyst, Longfellow began his tour of Europe in May 1826 aboard the ship Cadmus . His time abroad lasted three years and cost his father $ 2,604.24, the equivalent of over $ 67,000 today. He traveled to France, Spain, Italy, Germany, back to France, then to England before returning to the United States in mid-August 1829. While overseas, he learned French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and German, mostly without formal instruction. In Madrid, he spent time with Washington Irving and
6195-702: The courtship, Longfellow frequently walked from Cambridge to the Appleton home in Beacon Hill in Boston by crossing the Boston Bridge. That bridge was replaced in 1906 by a new bridge which was later renamed the Longfellow Bridge . In late 1839, Longfellow published Hyperion , inspired by his trips abroad and his unsuccessful courtship of Fanny Appleton. Amidst this, he fell into "periods of neurotic depression with moments of panic" and took
6300-413: The development of high quality American literature, as did many others during this period. In Kavanagh , a character says: We want a national literature commensurate with our mountains and rivers ... We want a national epic that shall correspond to the size of the country ... We want a national drama in which scope shall be given to our gigantic ideas and to the unparalleled activity of our people ... In
6405-445: The duties required". The trustees raised his salary to $ 800 with an additional $ 100 to serve as the college's librarian, a post which required one hour of work per day. During his years teaching at the college, he translated textbooks from French, Italian, and Spanish; his first published book was a translation of the poetry of medieval Spanish poet Jorge Manrique in 1833. He published the travel book Outre-Mer: A Pilgrimage Beyond
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#17327901141836510-708: The early 1600s. They included Mayflower Pilgrims Richard Warren , William Brewster , and John and Priscilla Alden through their daughter Elizabeth Pabodie , the first child born in Plymouth Colony . Longfellow attended a dame school at the age of three and was enrolled by age six at the private Portland Academy . In his years there, he earned a reputation as being very studious and became fluent in Latin. His mother encouraged his enthusiasm for reading and learning, introducing him to Robinson Crusoe and Don Quixote . He published his first poem at age 13 in
6615-500: The early 21st century, Harvard University announced dramatic expansion plans that called for major building projects, including the demolition of existing businesses, to prepare for the construction of new biology and science buildings in the northern sections of Lower Allston. While the existing building stock was demolished and businesses were evicted, the financial crisis of 2008 and the resultant decrease in Harvard's endowment caused
6720-424: The fire had started from a self-lighting match that had fallen on the floor. Both accounts state that Frances was taken to her room to recover, and a doctor was called. She was in and out of consciousness throughout the night and was administered ether . She died shortly after 10 the next morning, July 10, after requesting a cup of coffee. Longfellow had burned himself while trying to save her, badly enough that he
6825-410: The first American celebrities and was popular in Europe. It was reported that 10,000 copies of The Courtship of Miles Standish sold in London in a single day. Children adored him; "The Village Blacksmith"'s "spreading chestnut-tree" was cut down and the children of Cambridge had it converted into an armchair which they presented to him. In 1884, Longfellow became the first non-British writer for whom
6930-491: The first substantial praise of Longfellow's work. In the January 23, 1828, issue of his magazine The Yankee , he wrote, "As for Mr. Longfellow, he has a fine genius and a pure and safe taste, and all that he wants, we believe, is a little more energy, and a little more stoutness." Longfellow's early collections Voices of the Night and Ballads and Other Poems made him instantly popular. The New-Yorker called him "one of
7035-607: The former town of Brighton . In 1867, a new railroad depot for the Boston and Albany Railroad opened. In 1868 the station and post office in Brighton's eastern portion were given the name "Allston" after Washington Allston , the noted painter who had lived and worked across the Charles River in the Cambridgeport section of Cambridge. It can even be said to have been named for a specific painting: Washington Allston's "Fields West of Boston". Allston has never existed as
7140-491: The home, the widow of Andrew Craigie , and she rented rooms on the second floor. Previous boarders included Jared Sparks , Edward Everett , and Joseph Emerson Worcester . It is preserved today as the Longfellow House–Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site . Longfellow began publishing his poetry in 1839, including the collection Voices of the Night , his debut book of poetry. The bulk of Voices of
7245-474: The largest areas. Downtown Boston includes Downtown Crossing , the Financial District and Government Center . Surrounding downtown are the neighborhoods of Chinatown/Leather District, South End, North End, West End, Bay Village, Beacon Hill and Back Bay. Chinatown / Leather District is the historical garment district and today has thriving Chinese and other Asian populations. The South End
7350-605: The least...the fact is, I most eagerly aspire after future eminence in literature, my whole soul burns most ardently after it, and every earthly thought centres in it...I am almost confident in believing, that if I can ever rise in the world it must be by the exercise of my talents in the wide field of literature. He pursued his literary goals by submitting poetry and prose to various newspapers and magazines, partly due to encouragement from Professor Thomas Cogswell Upham . He published nearly 40 minor poems between January 1824 and his graduation in 1825. About 24 of them were published in
7455-632: The name) that have a well-defined center but poorly identified extremities. As the city of Boston has grown and evolved, its neighborhoods have changed as well. The names of the West End, North End and South End refer to their positions on the Shawmut Peninsula , the original extent of Boston. Due to the annexation of surrounding communities, those neighborhoods are no longer at those geographic extremities. The Back Bay and Bay Village neighborhoods were formerly part of an actual bay , becoming
7560-686: The neighborhood with Boston's highest concentrations of African Americans. Hyde Park and West Roxbury have a distinct suburban feel, while still being a part of the city of Boston. Both neighborhoods have large areas of wooded parks and recreation land. Hyde Park is populated largely by African Americans and Caribbean Americans, whereas West Roxbury is predominantly white, but with rapidly growing African American, Middle Eastern and Latino populations. The 23 official neighborhoods in Boston are made up of approximately 84 sub-districts, squares and neighborhoods within each official neighborhood. The Boston Redevelopment Authority defines 16 planning districts (plus
7665-511: The neighborhood's musical acts. In the 1960s, Boston Mayor Kevin White developed Summerthing, a series of free concerts performed at Allston's Ringer Park. Several Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artists played for free, including The Byrds, Bo Diddley, BB King and Chuck Berry. Major League Baseball's Boston Braves played at Braves Field (now Boston University's Nickerson Field ) at Allston's eastern edge, from 1915 to 1952. The Boston Patriots of
7770-473: The neighborhood's population (as compared to 39.1% for the city of Boston as a whole). The high concentration of students and "twenty-somethings" has created tension between some long-time residents and the student population which constantly cycles in and out as students matriculate and graduate from Boston's many colleges and universities. In addition to nightly dancing and live music at area bars, house parties abound on surrounding streets, particularly during
7875-399: The neighborhoods they are today after landfill projects expanded the size of the city. Brighton (including Allston), Charlestown, Dorchester (including South Boston, Mid Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park), Roxbury (including West Roxbury, Roslindale and Jamaica Plain), have all at some point been municipalities independent from downtown Boston, providing a source of well-defined boundaries for
7980-404: The next 30 years. Longfellow was well liked as a professor, but he disliked being "constantly a playmate for boys" rather than "stretching out and grappling with men's minds." Longfellow met Boston industrialist Nathan Appleton and his son Thomas Gold Appleton in the town of Thun , Switzerland. There he began courting Appleton's daughter Frances "Fanny" Appleton. The independent-minded Fanny
8085-643: The northern and southern states after the American Civil War . His son Charles was injured during the war, and he wrote the poem "Christmas Bells", later the basis of the carol I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day . He wrote in his journal in 1878: "I have only one desire; and that is for harmony, and a frank and honest understanding between North and South". Longfellow accepted an offer from Joshua Chamberlain to speak at his fiftieth reunion at Bowdoin College, despite his aversion to public speaking. He read
8190-517: The poem " Paul Revere's Ride ". He was such an admired figure in the United States during his life that his 70th birthday in 1877 took on the air of a national holiday, with parades, speeches, and the reading of his poetry. Longfellow's popularity rapidly declined, beginning shortly after his death and into the 20th century, as academics focused attention on other poets such as Walt Whitman, Edwin Arlington Robinson , and Robert Frost . In
8295-570: The poem "Mezzo Cammin", which expressed his personal struggles in his middle years. Longfellow returned to the United States in 1836 and took up the professorship at Harvard. He was required to live in Cambridge to be close to the campus and, therefore, rented rooms at the Craigie House in the spring of 1837. The home was built in 1759 and was the headquarters of George Washington during the Siege of Boston beginning in July 1775. Elizabeth Craigie owned
8400-455: The poem "Morituri Salutamus" so quietly that few could hear him. The next year, he declined an offer to be nominated for the Board of Overseers at Harvard "for reasons very conclusive to my own mind". On August 22, 1879, a female admirer traveled to Longfellow's house in Cambridge and, unaware to whom she was speaking, asked him: "Is this the house where Longfellow was born?" He told her that it
8505-462: The poems were "so mild that even a Slaveholder might read them without losing his appetite for breakfast". A critic for The Dial agreed, calling it "the thinnest of all Mr. Longfellow's thin books; spirited and polished like its forerunners; but the topic would warrant a deeper tone". The New England Anti-Slavery Society , however, was satisfied enough with the collection to reprint it for further distribution. On May 10, 1843, Longfellow received
8610-498: The school year. This has long been a sore point among other Allston residents. The largest religious affiliation is Catholic (48.2%), followed by unspecified Christian (4.9%), Baptist (2%), and Muslim (1%). Notes Further reading 42°21′10″N 71°07′56″W / 42.3529°N 71.1321°W / 42.3529; -71.1321 Neighborhoods in Boston Boston's diverse neighborhoods serve as
8715-532: The short-lived Boston periodical The United States Literary Gazette . When Longfellow graduated from Bowdoin, he was ranked fourth in the class and had been elected to Phi Beta Kappa . He gave the student commencement address. After graduating in 1825, Longfellow was offered a job as professor of modern languages at his alma mater. An apocryphal story claims that college trustee Benjamin Orr had been impressed by Longfellow's translation of Horace and hired him under
8820-509: The sonnet "The Cross of Snow" (1879) which he wrote 18 years later to commemorate her death: Longfellow spent several years translating Dante Alighieri 's Divine Comedy . To aid him in perfecting the translation and reviewing proofs, he invited friends to meetings every Wednesday starting in 1864. The "Dante Club", as it was called, regularly included William Dean Howells , James Russell Lowell , and Charles Eliot Norton , as well as other occasional guests. The full three-volume translation
8925-420: The state legislature to restore train service in the area. In June 2012, plans were announced for a station to be called Boston Landing , located in Brighton, to serve the Allston-Brighton area. Originally intended to open in 2014, the station finally opened in 2017. In September 2014, plans for a $ 25 million commuter rail station called West Station were announced. The station's construction will coincide with
9030-413: The time. Music venues in Allston include Brighton Music Hall (formerly Harpers Ferry ), O'Brien's Pub, Paradise Rock Club , Scullers Jazz Club , and The Silhouette Lounge. Several recording studios are located in the neighborhood, such as Galaxy Park , established in 1999. Allston's music scene includes a DIY community. The annual Allston-Brighton parade and annual Allston DIY Fest feature many of
9135-612: The turnpike near the Charles River is known as Lower Allston (or North Allston). It consists of streets north of Cambridge Street and the Turnpike, all the way to the Charles River. It extends westward to Everett Street and eastward to the Charles River. In its center is Allston Square at the crossroads of Western Avenue and North Harvard Street. Allston is named for the great painter and 1800 Harvard graduate, Washington Allston, "The Father of American Romanticism". Allston Square
9240-422: The university to suspend the expansion projects. In 2016, Harvard began building again, has completed two new buildings and is starting on the new, state-of-the-art Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences on Western Avenue west of Allston Square by the Charles River. Later, it will begin construction of the "Gateway" building on the northeastern corner of Allston Square. Allston was an eastern section of
9345-528: The very few in our time who has successfully aimed in putting poetry to its best and sweetest uses". The Southern Literary Messenger immediately put Longfellow "among the first of our American poets". Poet John Greenleaf Whittier said that Longfellow's poetry illustrated "the careful moulding by which art attains the graceful ease and chaste simplicity of nature". Longfellow's friend Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. wrote of him as "our chief singer" and one who "wins and warms ... kindles, softens, cheers [and] calms
9450-457: The wildest woe and stays the bitterest tears!" The rapidity with which American readers embraced Longfellow was unparalleled in publishing history in the United States; by 1874, he was earning $ 3,000 (~$ 80,788 in 2023) per poem. His popularity spread throughout Europe as well, and his poetry was translated during his lifetime into Italian, French, German, and other languages. Scholar Bliss Perry suggests that criticizing Longfellow at that time
9555-487: The world. Harvard Avenue hosts a number of furniture stores, thrift shops, and stores that offer items for resale, due to the large student body and high residential turnover. The section of the neighborhood that lies immediately south of the turnpike and centers on the stretch of Harvard Avenue between Commonwealth Avenue and Cambridge Street also houses many shops, bars, and restaurants. Recent business promotion initiatives have dubbed this area "Allston Village". This area
9660-471: The years, Longfellow's personality has become part of his reputation. He has been presented as a gentle, placid, poetic soul, an image perpetuated by his brother Samuel Longfellow who wrote an early biography which specifically emphasized these points. As James Russell Lowell said, Longfellow had an "absolute sweetness, simplicity, and modesty". At Longfellow's funeral, his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson called him "a sweet and beautiful soul". In reality, his life
9765-511: Was a founder of the college and his father was a trustee. There Longfellow met Nathaniel Hawthorne who became his lifelong friend. He boarded with a clergyman for a time before rooming on the third floor in 1823 of what is now known as Winthrop Hall. He joined the Peucinian Society , a group of students with Federalist leanings. In his senior year, Longfellow wrote to his father about his aspirations: I will not disguise it in
9870-552: Was almost a criminal act equal to "carrying a rifle into a national park". In the last two decades of his life, he often received requests for autographs from strangers, which he always sent. John Greenleaf Whittier suggested that it was this massive correspondence which led to Longfellow's death: "My friend Longfellow was driven to death by these incessant demands". Contemporaneous writer Edgar Allan Poe wrote to Longfellow in May 1841 of his "fervent admiration which [your] genius has inspired in me" and later called him "unquestionably
9975-482: Was an American poet and educator. His original works include the poems " Paul Revere's Ride ", " The Song of Hiawatha ", and " Evangeline ". He was the first American to completely translate Dante Alighieri 's Divine Comedy and was one of the fireside poets from New England. Longfellow was born in Portland , District of Maine , Massachusetts (now Portland, Maine ). He graduated from Bowdoin College and became
10080-517: Was attended by Helen Keller and Alexander Graham Bell 's work at the school inspired him to begin experiments in an apparatus to help deaf children hear. These experiments eventually led to the telephone. The school serves the hearing impaired in Boston from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Jackson Mann School, also on Armington Street, serves residents from kindergarten through eighth grade. German International School Boston (previously called "German School Boston"), located on Holton Street,
10185-470: Was much more difficult than was assumed. He suffered from neuralgia , which caused him constant pain, and he had poor eyesight. He wrote to friend Charles Sumner: "I do not believe anyone can be perfectly well, who has a brain and a heart". He had difficulty coping with the death of his second wife Frances. Longfellow was very quiet, reserved, and private; in later years, he was known for being unsocial and avoided leaving home. Longfellow had become one of
10290-649: Was not created and Longfellow agreed to continue teaching at Bowdoin. It may have been joyless work. He wrote, "I hate the sight of pen, ink, and paper ... I do not believe that I was born for such a lot. I have aimed higher than this". On September 14, 1831, Longfellow married Mary Storer Potter, a childhood friend from Portland. The couple settled in Brunswick, but the two were not happy there. Longfellow published several nonfiction and fiction prose pieces in 1833 inspired by Irving, including "The Indian Summer" and "The Bald Eagle". In December 1834, Longfellow received
10395-417: Was not interested in marriage, but Longfellow was determined. In July 1839, he wrote to a friend: "Victory hangs doubtful. The lady says she will not ! I say she shall ! It is not pride , but the madness of passion". His friend George Stillman Hillard encouraged him in the pursuit: "I delight to see you keeping up so stout a heart for the resolve to conquer is half the battle in love as well as war". During
10500-418: Was not. The visitor then asked if he had died here. "Not yet", he replied. In March 1882, Longfellow went to bed with severe stomach pain. He endured the pain for several days with the help of opium before he died surrounded by family on Friday, March 24. He had been suffering from peritonitis . At the time of his death, his estate was worth an estimated $ 356,320 (~$ 11.7 million in 2024 terms). He
10605-439: Was particularly impressed by the author's work ethic. Irving encouraged the young Longfellow to pursue writing. While in Spain, Longfellow was saddened to learn that his favorite sister Elizabeth had died of tuberculosis at the age of 20 in May of 1829. On August 27, 1829, he wrote to the president of Bowdoin that he was turning down the professorship because he considered the $ 600 (~$ 17,168 in 2023) salary "disproportionate to
10710-537: Was published in the spring of 1867, but Longfellow continued to revise it. It went through four printings in its first year. By 1868, Longfellow's annual income was over $ 48,000 (~$ 915,594 in 2023). In 1874, Samuel Ward helped him sell the poem "The Hanging of the Crane" to The New York Ledger for $ 3,000 (~$ 80,788 in 2023). At that time, this was the highest price ever paid for a poem. Longfellow supported abolitionism and especially hoped for reconciliation between
10815-540: Was then perpetuated by the presence of an opulent Packard dealership. Only a Toyota dealer and a Vespa dealer remain, but the windowed buildings along the eastern end of Brighton Avenue reflect this history. The Massachusetts Turnpike Extension, built largely on part of the Boston and Albany right-of-way, opened through Allston in 1964 and 1965. Allston is home to numerous small businesses and restaurants. Brighton Avenue, between Packard's Corner and Allston Street, boasts various ethnic and national cuisines from around
10920-495: Was too sentimental. Longfellow was born on February 27, 1807, to Stephen Longfellow and Zilpah (Wadsworth) Longfellow in Portland, Maine , then a district of Massachusetts . Although he was born at the now-demolished 159–161 Fore Street , he grew up in what is now known as the Wadsworth-Longfellow House on Congress Street . His father was a lawyer, and his maternal grandfather was Peleg Wadsworth ,
11025-443: Was unable to attend her funeral. His facial injuries led him to stop shaving, and he wore a beard from then on which became his trademark. Longfellow was devastated by Frances's death and never fully recovered; he occasionally resorted to laudanum and ether to deal with his grief. He worried that he would go insane, begging "not to be sent to an asylum" and noting that he was "inwardly bleeding to death". He expressed his grief in
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