Windmill Cottage
Encyclopedia
Windmill Cottage is a historic house and former windmill
at 144 Division Street in East Greenwich, Rhode Island
. It was the home of George Washington Greene
, a former American consul to Rome and historian. It was purchased for Greene by his friend, the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
.
bought the cottage in 1866 for his friend historian George Washington Greene
and had a circa 1818 windmill moved to the site in 1870 and attached to the cottage. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973.
Longfellow first met Greene while traveling from Toulon
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
. 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 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 issue for May 27, 1880, edited by Hezekiah Butterworth
.
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
at 144 Division Street in East Greenwich, Rhode Island
East Greenwich, Rhode Island
East Greenwich is a town in and the county seat of Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 13,146 at the 2010 census. East Greenwich is the wealthiest municipality within the state of Rhode Island....
. It was the home of George Washington Greene
George Washington Greene
George Washington Greene was an American historian as well as the grandson of Major-General Nathanael Greene, who served during the American Revolutionary War.-Biography:...
, a former American consul to Rome and historian. It was purchased for Greene by his friend, the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline...
.
History
The house was built around 1790. Poet Henry Wadsworth LongfellowHenry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline...
bought the cottage in 1866 for his friend historian George Washington Greene
George Washington Greene
George Washington Greene was an American historian as well as the grandson of Major-General Nathanael Greene, who served during the American Revolutionary War.-Biography:...
and had a circa 1818 windmill moved to the site in 1870 and attached to the cottage. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1973.
Longfellow first met Greene while traveling from Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
to Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of 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
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
. 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 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 issue for May 27, 1880, edited by Hezekiah Butterworth
Hezekiah Butterworth
Hezekiah Butterworth was an American writer of books for young people, and a poet.- Biography :Born in Warren, Rhode Island, he was platform lecturer, speaking on education, hymnology, and his travels, which included tours in Europe, South America, Cuba and Canada...
.