The Elms - Stephen Longfellow's Gorham Farm
A resource developed through the Longfellow and the Forging of American Identity program
Author: Nancy A. Ponzetti, American History, Psychology,World Geography, Social Studies Dept. Chair, Catherine McAuley High School, Portland, Maine
Suggested Grade Level: 7-12
Subject Areas: Social Studies, English
Time Required:
Two class periods
Learning Objectives:
Students will discover some of the early childhood influences that may have affected the later work of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. They will explore Gorham's local history by viewing the Longfellow Farm as it stands today, and they may be encouraged to further explore the life of Judge Stephen Longfellow and his importance to Maine history.
On April 3, 1761 Stephen Longfellow II signed the deed for the first 100 acre purchase of land that he would own in Gorham, Maine. His son Stephen III (Judge Longfellow) would build a home on that property which still stands to this day. Judge Longfellow would become one of the most prominent citizens in Gorhams history and one of the earliest influences on his grandson Henry Wadsworth Longfellows work as a poet.
This exhibit examines why the Longfellows arrived in Gorham, Judge Longfellows role in the history of the town, Henry Wadsworth Longfellows vacations in the country which may have influenced his greatest work, and the remains of the Longfellow estate still standing in Gorham today.
Historical Source Items to Accompany This Project
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