Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Monument - Portland, ME
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 43° 39.180 W 070° 16.013
19T E 397838 N 4834113
The Henry Wadsworth Longfellow monument is located at Longfellow Square at the intersection of Congress and State Streets in Portland.
Waymark Code: WMWK9J
Location: Maine, United States
Date Posted: 09/14/2017
Views: 4
This monument was erected to commemorate Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who was born in Portland in 1807. A 7' bronze seated figure of the poet is placed on a 10' by 5.5' rectangular granite base that is about 13' high. The statue was created by Franklin Simmons and cast at the Fonderia Nelli, foundry. The base was a gift from Payson Tucker. The architect for the base was Francis H. Passett and it was fabricated by the Hawkes Brothers. For the statue came from public subscription from New England schoolchildren. The names of the children who contributed $17,171.10 for the memorial are in a metal container housed in base of the memorial. Fund raising was organized by the Longfellow Statue Association. The memorial was dedicated on September 29, 1888.
The figure of Longfellow is seated in an armchair which has the figure of cat-like animals at the end of the arms. The poet is wearing a beard and a long double-breasted coat which reaches his ankles. The fingers of his right hand a curled into his palm and resting on the arm of the chair. He is holding a scroll in his left hand. Three books are stacked under the chair. On the left and right sides of the base and inside of a decorative wreath is the name: LONGFELLOW.