Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Mt. Auburn Cemetery - Watertown, MA - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

In Watertown, within Mt. Auburn Cemetery, is the grave of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

The cemetery entrance is off Mt. Auburn Street and near the intersection of Mt. Auburn and Belmont Streets. The best way to get to the grave is to get a map that shows graves of well-known people ($1 at the office), and drive near the location, then walk from there. The grave is not next to a road and is on a ridge.

The grave site is a squarish plot that is raised compared to the surrounding grounds. At the center of a stone plaza is the tomb made of grey stone. The name, "Henry Wadsworth Longfellow," is clearly visible on the side as well as the birth and death dates. Other plaques on the corner have the names of other family members.

H.W.Longfellow was born in Portland, ME, then part of Massachusetts in 1807. He went to school at the Portland Academy, then went to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine (his grandfather founded the college). In 1826, he started a three-year European tour. He was later offered a position at Harvard University, preceded by another trip to Europe. He was married twice, but both of his wives died tragically, both affecting him deeply. He had six children through his second wife. He died of a stomach ailment in 1882, surrounded by family and friends.

Throughout his life, Longfellow wrote poetry, though due to mourning over the death of his second wife, poetry writing was limited in later years. He is also the first American to have translated Dante's "The Divine Comedy." The source given has a more complete list of his works - here is a shortened list:

- Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie (epic poem) (1847)
- The Song of Hiawatha (epic poem) (1855)
- The Arrow and the Song (poem)
- Tales of a Wayside Inn (1863)
- Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
- The Village Blacksmith

His works were very popular at the time, both in the U.S. and Europe. There were many who praised his works, but many also were critical of it. Many commented that he borrowed European themes and methods and were more for children than 'serious' works, due to the lyrical style that he used.

But, despite this, his poems are still read, today. I know that I had to memorize portions of "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere," and "The Arrow and the Song."

Description: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is one of the most well known American poets. He lived in the 1800s and wrote many poems, including "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere," "The Arrow and the Song," and "Evangeline." Date of birth: 02/27/1807 Date of death: 03/24/1882 Area of notoriety: Literature Marker Type: Tomb (above ground) Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Cemetery hours - generally daylight times. Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log   12/31/2015 petendot visited it