159–161 Fore Street (also known as The Stephenson Home) was a residential building in

Portland, Maine Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...

, United States. The building, which stood at the corner of

Fore Street High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...

and Hancock Street in the Old Port, was notable as the birthplace of poet

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

in 1807. It was built in 1791, when the city was part of Massachusetts. Longfellow did not grow up in the home. It was originally the home of Captain Samuel Stephenson, uncle of Longfellow via Stephenson's wife, Abigail. Because of the building's connections with the famous writer, the International Longfellow Society attempted to prevent the demolition of the house with a fundraising effort but was ultimately unsuccessful. The structure was demolished in 1955.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fore Street 159 Houses in Portland, Maine Houses completed in 1791 1791 establishments in Maine Old Port of Portland, Maine Demolished buildings and structures in Portland, Maine Buildings and structures demolished in 1955 1955 disestablishments in Maine Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Birthplaces of individual people