The Early History of 105 Brattle Street

Explore stories of 1700s-era slavery and freedom, wealth and politics, architecture, and a changing landscape.

Present-day Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site has a deep and complex history, rooted in the lands of the Massachusett Tribe. After European land claims and settlement, the Marrett family first developed the property during the British colonial era, building a home along what is now Brattle Street.

The grand Georgian mansion that stands today was constructed in 1759 for John Vassall Jr., a British subject and wealthy sugar plantation owner who enslaved hundreds of people in Jamaica and at least seven people on his Cambridge estate: Cuba, Dinah, Malcolm, William, and three children: James and two “small boys” whose names are unconfirmed.

The vast wealth of the Vassall family—and that of their neighbors—shaped the Cambridge landscape. When the loyalist Vassalls fled their home ahead of the American Revolution, the people they enslaved there seized their freedom.

 
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Duration:
5 minutes, 39 seconds

Ranger Anna explores the early history of 105 Brattle Street in the mid-1700s, including the history of slavery and emancipation at the site.

 
  • Facade of Georgian mansion with three stories, symmetrical windows, and pillasters
    Architecture

    Built in the Georgian style, featuring symmetrical windows and classically inspired details, the mansion symbolizes wealth and status.

  • Map of boundary today in bright green, with a larger green shaded area showing extent of the estate
    "No position in Cambridge can compare"

    This interactive story map traces the history of the Vassall-Craigie-Longfellow House estate over the last two centuries.

  • Manuscript with Anthony Vassal's
    Though Dwelling in a Land of Freedom

    Learn more about the lives and activism of Cuba and Anthony Vassall - enslaved and free at 105 Brattle St. - and their descendants.

 

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    Last updated: February 7, 2025

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    105 Brattle Street
    Cambridge, MA 02138

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    (617) 876-4491

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