Audio

Activity 12: Preserving and Modernizing

Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site

Transcript

The poet’s daughter, Alice, and grandson, Harry, loved history and wanted to make sure that this house was saved for future generations. Preserving means to take care of and save something special forever. What is something special you want to preserve? In this house, we tell many diverse stories. We can do this thanks to the letters, journals, photos, and artifacts that Harry Dana preserved. For example, many of the letters and journals Harry preserved tell us about the lives of Longfellow family members who may have been LGB (lesbian, gay, or bisexual) and the community they built. Alice, Henry’s oldest daughter, lived in this house until 1928. She modernized the house as new technology was invented. Here’s a list of some old technology and a list of new technology. Match which old ones you think led to the new. Old technology: Lamp, Outhouse, Horse and Carriage, Stairs New technology: Automobile, Elevator, Lightbulb, Faucet

Description

Learn about the people who helped turn this house into a museum, and match old and new technology.

Credit

NPS/Sven Market

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