Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site

On Brattle Street in Cambridge, near Harvard Square, this Georgian house served as George Washington’s headquarters during the Siege of Boston from 1775 to 1776, then became the home of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. A guided tour takes you through preserved rooms with furnishings, art and personal objects tied to both chapters of its history. Look for Longfellow’s study and details such as the fireplaces; the grounds and garden offer space to explore before or after your visit. Tours are free, and entry to the house is by guided tour only.

Washington’s headquarters in Cambridge

The house served as George Washington’s headquarters during the Siege of Boston, from July 1775 to April 1776, while he commanded the Continental Army. The site connects the rooms and grounds of a Cambridge home with the early years of the American Revolution.

A letter written here is associated with the first use of the phrase “United States of America.” The house’s history also includes the experiences of people who lived and worked there, including enslaved people. Tours explore these intertwined stories alongside the building’s later literary history.

Longfellow’s home and study

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow moved into the house in 1837 and received it as a wedding gift in 1843. He lived there until his death in 1882. The poet’s study is one of the rooms visitors can see, along with preserved furnishings, portraits, artworks, textiles and family papers.

The house also holds personal belongings and historic letters connected to prominent figures. Room details, including the fireplace tiles, offer a closer look at the home’s decoration and its preservation by the Longfellow family.