Longfellow House–Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site

The Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site is an 18th-century brick mansion in Cambridge, Massachusetts, notable as George Washington’s headquarters early in the American Revolution and later the home of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

The site presents furnished period rooms and guided interpretation covering the house’s dual roles as colonial mansion and 19th-century literary home. Interpreters and exhibits explain Washington’s use of the rooms during 1775-1776 and Longfellow’s life there from the 1830s through the 1880s. Visitors can view Longfellow family rooms, displays of manuscripts and personal items, and the small historic garden at the rear of the house.

Built about 1759 for Loyalist merchant John Vassall, the house served as General Washington’s headquarters during the Siege of Boston in 1775-1776. In the 19th century the property became the residence of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family; it later entered preservation and is managed as a National Historic Site.

The house sits on Brattle Street in Cambridge’s historic district, a short walk from Harvard Square and central Cambridge. It is in an urban residential area of northern Boston’s inner suburbs.

• Visitor access: Operated by the National Park Service; check the NPS site for seasonal hours, guided tours, and special programs.
• Interior interpretation: Ground-floor and upstairs rooms are arranged as period rooms reflecting both the Vassall family and Longfellow household.

What to See #

• Washington's headquarters: Rooms used by General George Washington during the 1775-1776 Siege of Boston are interpreted and identified within the house museum.
• Longfellow's study: Longfellow's study and family rooms contain period furnishings and some of the poet's original belongings on display.
• Garden and grounds: A small historic garden and yard behind the house reflect 19th-century plantings and are part of the site's exterior interpretation.