on fellow ous ulletin Volume No. A Newsletter of the Friends of the Longfellow House and the National Park Service December New Research on “Paul Revere’s Ride” Marks the Poem’s 15 th Anniversary ust in time for the sesquicentennial of the event, a reprinting of his letter to JHenry W. Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s the Massachusetts Historical Society, in an Ride,” Boston historian Charles Bahne has issue of New England Magazine. When uncovered several lost stanzas of the classic Longfellow was a twenty-five-year-old pro- poem and makes a solid case that the poet fessor of modern languages at Bowdoin had read Revere’s actual account of the College, Part V of his serialized essay enti- events prior to composing his epic verse. tled “The Schoolmaster” appeared in that In a paper entitled “Paul Revere’s Ride same October issue. In his later years, Revisited,” Bahne carefully reconstructs the Longfellow in two separate letters referred history of Longfellow’s idea to write the to Revere’s account in New England Magazine poetic saga, the process of composing the as his inspiration for the poem. piece, and the variations in the text when it But it was almost three decades later, as was printed in a number of nineteenth-cen- the country headed towards civil war, that tury publications and books. Bahne con- Longfellow began his own version of the ducted extensive research using the Long- historic day Revere described, and set about fellow House archives, Harvard University’s Print produced for the Revere Copper Co., creating his mythic Revolutionary hero. An Houghton Library, and Boston city direc- Bahne concluded that Longfellow had ardent abolitionist, Longfellow put pencil tories in the Boston Public Library plus learned of the true story of Paul Revere’s to paper for “Paul Revere’s Ride” in April many other sources and collections. ride from reading Revere’s own report of (continued on page ) Longfellow House Remembers Senator Edward Kennedy n August , , the Longfellow Revere’.... She felt, and how right she was, nedy, passed away, members of the family ONational Historic Site lost one of its that Longfellow’s poem was a wonderful way paid a visit to the House because of its dearest friends and most ardent support- for her children to learn about poetry and importance to her. At other times Ted ers. From childhood through his later years, history at the same time. That early expo- Kennedy stopped by the House with his Edward M. (Ted Kennedy appreciated sure to our nation’s history and literature nephews, nieces, and various relatives. Longfellow’s poetry and cherished the his- had ... an immeasurable impact on my life....” In the U.S. Senate, Kennedy played a key toric house in which the poet had lived. When his mother, Rose Fitzgerald Ken- role in placing the House under the auspices As a child, Kennedy learned to of the National Park Service. In recite Longfellow’s poems by heart. the Longfellow House Trust “I remember my mother and her donated the House with all its insatiable interest in history, litera- furnishings, objects, library, and ture, and the arts,” he said in family papers to the NPS. Senator at the thirtieth anniversary celebra- Kennedy along with U.S. Repre- tion of the National Park Service’s sentativeThomas P.(Tip O’Neill stewardship of the House. “And introduced the legislation to es- she took advantage of every oppor- tablish the Longfellow National tunity imaginable to teach and then Historic Site as part of the NPS. to quiz each of her nine children Kennedy understood the sig- about the things that she thought nificance of the House: “In so important. And one of my earliest many ways, this magnificent and memories was being required by treasured place that we call Long- my mother to memorize the poem, fellow House, is a window into ‘The Midnight Ride of Paul Senator Kennedy with NPS’s Jim Shea and Myra Harrison, (continued on page ) Friends of the Longfellow House Board of Directors Heather S. Moulton, President Barclay Henderson, Clerk Robert C. Mitchell, Treasurer Hope Cushing Diana Der-Hovanessian Edward Guleserian Sarah B. Jolliffe Linda Almgren Kime Laura Nash Elizabeth F. Potter Lynne Spencer Advisory Board Ruth Butler LeRoy Cragwell Diana Korzenik Richard Nylander Stephen D. Pratt Marilyn Richardson Marc Shell Charles Sullivan Lowell A. Warren Jr. Administrator J.L. Bell Newsletter Committee Glenna Lang, Editor Writer & Designer James M. Shea National Park Service Myra Harrison, Superintendent James M. Shea, Museum Manager Lauren Downing Administrative Officer Nancy Jones, Education andVisitor Services Anita Israel, Archives Specialist David Daly, Collections Manager Lauren Malcolm, MuseumTechnician Flo Smith, Management Assistant Liza Stearns, Education Specialist Scott Fletcher Facility Manager Printed by Newprint Offset, Waltham, Mass. All images are from the Longfellow National Historic Site collections unless noted otherwise. The poet’s grandson Harry Dana wrote this poem in and had a hundred copies printed as a Christmas card with an engraving by Reverend Samuel Miller. Dana submitted the poem to the NewYorker for publication, but they rejected it. Interview wit a Friend…Meet Charles Bahne, ublic Historian For thirty years Charles Bahne has re- living, working, shopping, traveling through, Park Service – who felt you should tell the searched and conducted historic tours usu- and there are sights like the scene of the truth. If there is a myth, try to dissuade ally related to the American Revolution. He Boston Massacre or Paul Revere’s House. people. The costumed storytellers – actors has worked for a variety of organizations Places that I heard about a thousand miles in many cases – often lead tours that go in the Boston area and has written a popu- away in eighth grade are still here.You come with the myth and milk it for all they can lar guidebook, The Complete Guide to Boston's across them by accident as opposed to hav- make of it. They are becoming a greater Freedom Trail. Out of enthusiasm and with a ing to make a pilgrimage. Longfellow’s and greater share of the market. concern for accuracy, he conveys history to House is similar. It’s in a neighborhood. LH: What are the advantages of work- tourists and the general public. People live across the street and next door. ing as a tour guide? Longfellow House: How did you LH:What in particular led you to study CB: I enjoy working with people, the become interested in leading historic tours? Longfellow and “Paul Revere’s Ride?” people contact, and the direct interpreta- Charles Bahne: My college training was CB: I had worked with the Paul Revere tion. Every opportunity for advancement in urban studies and planning at MIT in the House and the Old North Church. Old involved getting away from that. I didn’t early s. At that time in Boston there was want to become a supervisor. And I get to a lot of work in planning for the huge crowds be in beautiful areas of our country, out- of tourists that were going to come for the doors much of the time, with beautiful Bicentennial in ’ and ’. I started working weather, meeting constant groups of peo- in planning for tourism – writing guide- ple. You always get the person who has a books and working in museums. By the time new question: “When I was over in Eng- I graduated, there were no jobs in planning. land I went to General Gage’s house, and I was idealistic. I drove a cab, and then I they told a different story than what we’re started volunteering in various socially wor- hearing here in Boston.” How do I recon- thy projects, a couple of nonprofits, child- cile what this person has told me with what care, things like that. I really had become the history books say? interested in history doing a class project LH: How do you try to reach kids? about Paul Revere and his view of the CB: I try to talk about what it was like Boston Massacre. A few years later, I saw an to be in school back then. The fact that the ad for volunteers for Boston By Foot, a students on the morning of April th, walking tour group. Then I worked for a some of them had to cross the line where while at the Museum of Transportation, the British soldiers were lined up ready to the Old State House, and the National march to Lexington.They had to go around Park Service in Boston. That got me inter- North approached me to do a booklet them. Or the incident when the soldiers ested in Boston’s role in the American Rev- (which didn’t happen , but one of the were camped on the Boston Common and olution. I wrote a book on the Freedom things I wanted to do for it was reprint the wouldn’t let children sled on their favorite Trail and worked as a free-lance tour guide. poem. I had noticed in publications of the sledding hill. They protested and went to I started working with Elderhostel, now poem that there were slight variations, so I General Gage or one of the other junior called Exploritas, doing programs on the thought I should get the official version. officers and got the policy reversed. The American Revolution, which I still do. Between the Web and various libraries, I general said the soldiers had to move their LH: When did you first become ac- started comparing the text of the poems camps so the kids could keep going sled- quainted with historic Boston? and noticed many differences.