Author Nicholas A. Basbanes discusses the remarkable relationship of the celebrated 19th-century poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his wife, Frances Appleton Longfellow, the focus of his recent biography of the couple, Cross of Snow, which is set largely in Boston and Cambridge during the tumultuous years leading up to the Civil War. The couple’s marriage in 1843 represented a melding of two highly gifted and principled people whose shared values and deeply held convictions found expression and purpose in manifold ways, not least of which was the influence Fanny brought to bear on Henry’s creative process, serving, in her words, as “a pretty active spur upon his Pegasus.” Revered in his time as a “poet of the people,” Longfellow’s works were translated into more than 30 languages, memorized by millions of people, with lines that resonate to this day.
Henry and Fanny Longfellow: An American Love Story of Uncommon Consequence
With Nicholas A. Basbanes
National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Time: 7:00pm-8:30pm
Upcoming Featured Events
Live on Zoom
Planting the New Year: Wampanoag Seasonal Lifeways
Join us on Zoom for a fascinating conversation with historians Danielle Alonso and Malissa Costa about seequan (spring) in Wampanoag life. May 7, 2026 from 7 – 8:30pm.
Live on Zoom
Planting the New Year: Wampanoag Seasonal Lifeways Then and Now
Please join Indigenous historians and co-founders of Juniper + Pine Indigenous Collective, Danielle Alonso and Malissa Costa, for a presentation exploring the importance of seequan (spring) in Wampanoag life. Marked by the Corn Planting Moon, this season signals the Wampanoag New Year and a shift in daily rhythms, responsibilities, and relationships with the land and waters.
In-Person History Talk
Founding Mothers: Women of the Revolution
Join us in person for a history talk about women in the American Revolution with historical fiction authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie.
In-Person History Talk
Founding Mothers: Women of the Revolution
The day after Mother’s Day, we invite you to join us at the Old North Church for a talk about America’s founding mothers. Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, authors of the new historical fiction book A Founding Mother: A Novel of Abigail Adams, will talk about their research into the lives of women who participated in the American Revolution.
Special attention will be given to Abigail Adams — wife of one president and mother to another — whose wit, willpower, and wisdom helped shape the fledgling republic.
Worship service
Worship on Sunday
Join us for Sunday services at 11am. For over 300 years, we have drawn people from every background and denomination. Whether you are visiting Boston briefly or seeking a permanent spiritual home, know we are delighted to welcome you to Old North Church.
Worship service
Sunday Services
Our Sunday services follow the liturgies in the Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer, supplemented by a rich array of resources from across our Anglican tradition, especially the Church of England and the Anglican Church of Canada, as well as our Lutheran full communion partners.
Most Sundays we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or the Mass. Choral Matins (traditional Anglican Morning Prayer) is offered several times a year. Lessons & Carols are held in Advent and Epiphany.