Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" and "The Song of Hiawatha". One of his most enduring poems is "The Windmill", which begins "Behold! a giant am I! Aloft here in my tower, With my granite jaws I devour The maize, and the wheat, and the rye, And grind them into flour..."

This poem is part of Longfellow's compilation, "Ultima Thule", published late in his life, after the spreading chestnut tree in front of the Brattle Street "village smithee" was removed, after the death of his wife and his travels to Europe. Perhaps in his writings, he rememberd a special windmill, one where he, himself would be "a giant", "aloft here in my tower".

In 1866, Longfellow bought a house in East Greenwich, Rhode Island for his friend G.W. Greene, who he was said to have met in Italy near the tomb of Virgil . Green was a lecturer at Cronell and Brown universities and happened to be the grandson of Nathaneal Greene, the celebrated Revolutionary War general.

The house suited their purposes well, except Longfellow wanted a study in which he could write when he visited.

In 1870, Longfellow bought a windmill from a neighboring property and had it moved, attaching it to Greene's house. There, it provided room for studies for the two friends.

The windmill's windows look west, away from the town and harbor, toward what then would have been farmland. It's easy to see how the views from the study could have inspired passages in the poem. "I look down over the farms; In the fields of grain I see The harvest that is to be, And I fling to the air my arms, For I know it is all for me."

And looking away from the town he could only hear the church bells, not see their spires. "On Sundays I take my rest; Church-going bells begin Their low, melodious din; I cross my arms on my breast, And all is peace within."

Many of Longfellow's poems may have been inspired by any New England village -- the sails of boats, the laughing of children, the flow of a stream, but it would be difficult to believe that the study in the windmill tower did not inspire "The Windmill".

The "Windmill Cottage" is a private residence and there are no tours. But finding the distinctive house makes an excellent excuse to explore East Greenwich. Longfellow was known to have visited the formal gardens of the Greene family's homestead, a stone's throw westward from the Windmill Cottage. This house and gardens are also not open to tours, but Longfellow had to have traversed the road between the houses many times.

A cozy parlor at Harborhill, that might have been visited by Longfellow (Staff Photo)

Across the street from Windmill Cottage is "Harborhill Place", which welcomes visitors. This Greek Revival home was called "Fyrtre Hall" in the days of Longfellow and was the scene of frequent fetes and social gatherings. The Hill family must have frequently entertained Longfellow during his visits to East Greenwich.

Perhaps Longfellow shopped along Post Road and King Street or went down to the harbor to purchase shellfish. Maybe he visited the Episcopal church with the Greene family. Maybe he sat on the edge of Sunset Rock and composed poetry. Perhaps. But little documentry evidence remains, so it's up to the visitor to imagine the East Greenwich of 1870 and where Longfellow might have been.

Directions to the Windmill Cottage: From I-95 headed south, exit 8 (or 8A if headed north) and turn right onto Route 2 headed east. At the first traffic light, turn left on Division Street headed northeast. Stay with the major road, even though it changes names to First when Division splits off in a minor fork. In two miles, the road will reach Post Road or US Route 1. If you passed a large cemetery on the right, you're on the right road. Turn left on Post Road to head north, onto what locals call "Main Street".

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You'll travel for one mile through the classic downtown of East Greenwich, much of which was there during Longfellow's day. At the end of Main Street, you'll find a traffic light. Varnum Armory will be on the right and Post Office Cafe will be on the left. Turn left onto Division, headed west. In less than half a mile, on the left at the corner of West Street, you'll find Longfellow's windmill cottage.

If you're anxious to get back, you can continue on Division, which will merge back into the main road you came in on. If you have the afternoon, spend it exploring East Greenwich's Hill and Harbor district, strolling the streets that Longfellow strolled.

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