Windmill Cottage is a historic house and former

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called sails or blades, specifically to mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and other applications, in some ...

at 144 Division Street in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. It was the home of

George Washington Greene George Washington Greene (April 8, 1811 – February 2, 1883) was an American historian. He was also the grandson of Major-General Nathanael Greene, a hero of the American Revolutionary War. Biography Greene was born in East Greenwich, Rho ...

, a former American consul to Rome and historian. It was purchased for Greene by his friend, the poet

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include " Paul Revere's Ride", '' The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely tran ...

History

The house was built around 1790. Poet

bought the cottage in 1866 for his friend, historian

, and had a circa–1818 windmill moved to the site in 1870 and attached to the cottage.Paul Pence, "Longfellow's Windmill Cottage," ''Rhode Island Roads.''
/ref> The site was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1973. By the 1980s, the Windmill Cottage fallen into a state of disrepair. In 1989, Ann and James Millard purchased the Windmill Cottage from the Ladd family and undertook an extensive renovation of the property. The Millard family lived in the home until selling it in 2022. Windmill Cottage Rhode Island

Longfellow first met Greene while traveling from

Toulon Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...

to Pisa. Greene had moved to Italy for his health and the two bonded over a common interest in Italian language, antiquities, and contemporary art. It was Greene who first introduced Longfellow to the Italian poet

Dante Alighieri Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...

. In the 1860s, Greene was one of the members of the "Dante Club", a group of scholars who assisted Longfellow in his translation of ''

Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature ...

''. The windmill allegedly inspired Longfellow's poem, "The Windmill." About ten years after it was attached to the home, Longfellow sent Greene a copy of the poem and, in a letter dated April 18, 1880, speculated "I think this is the first ever poem on the subject." It was published in ''

The Youth's Companion ''The Youth's Companion'' (1827–1929), known in later years as simply ''The Companion—For All the Family'', was an American children's magazine that existed for over one hundred years until it finally merged with '' The American Boy'' in 1929 ...

'' issue for May 27, 1880, edited by

Hezekiah Butterworth Hezekiah Butterworth (December 22, 1839 – September 5, 1905) was an American author and poet. Biography Butterworth was born in Warren, Rhode Island. He was a platform lecturer, speaking on education, hymnology, and his travels, which incl ...

.Gale, Robert L. ''A Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Companion''. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2003: 29.

References

{{Windmills in the United States Houses completed in 1790 Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island Smock mills in the United States Houses in Kent County, Rhode Island Buildings and structures in East Greenwich, Rhode Island Agricultural buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places Octagonal buildings in the United States Windmills completed in 1870 Agricultural buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island Windmills in Rhode Island National Register of Historic Places in Kent County, Rhode Island Historic district contributing properties in Rhode Island Greene family of Rhode Island Windmills on the National Register of Historic Places

History

See also

References