Dickinson Homestead
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Emily Dickinson Home
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Dickinson Homestead, home of poet Emily Dickinson
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| Location | 280 Main St., Amherst, Massachusetts |
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| Coordinates | 42°22′33.38″N 72°30′52.14″W / 42.3759389°N 72.5144833°WCoordinates: 42°22′33.38″N 72°30′52.14″W / 42.3759389°N 72.5144833°W |
| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 2003 |
| Architect | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Part of | Dickinson Historic District (#77000182) |
| NRHP Reference # | 66000363 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 29, 1962 |
| Designated CP | August 16, 1977 |
The Emily Dickinson Museum is a historic house museum consisting of two houses: the Dickinson Homestead (also known as Emily Dickinson Home or Emily Dickinson House) and the Evergreens. The Dickinson Homestead was the birthplace and home from 1855–1886 of 19th-century American poet Emily Dickinson (1830–1886), whose poems were discovered in her bedroom there after her death. The house next door, called the Evergreens, was built by the poet's father, Edward Dickinson, in 1856 as a wedding present for her brother Austin. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, the houses are preserved as a single museum and are open to the public on guided tours. The Emily Dickinson Home is a US National Historic Landmark, and properties contribute to the Dickinson Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Dickinson family had a long record of residency in the Connecticut River valley, dating back to the early days of English colonial settlement of the area. Nathan Dickinson moved to the relatively new town of Amherst, Massachusetts in 1742. By the early 19th century, the Dickinson family had accumulated some 14 acres (5.7 ha) land on the east side of town. In 1813, Samuel Fowler Dickinson (1775–1838), built the Dickinson Homestead on Main Street, its grandeur reflecting his prominence then as a lawyer. However, his financial affairs were less secure, and by 1817, he had mortgaged the house for $2,500; in 1825, he mortgaged the Homestead again, along with other properties, to Oliver Smith for $6,000. In 1828, when Samuel Fowler Dickinson went bankrupt, Smith sold the mortgaged properties to John Leland and Nathan Dickinson, Samuel's nephew.
In March 1830, Samuel Fowler Dickinson's eldest son Edward purchased the western half of the Homestead for $1,500, and moved in with his wife and young son Austin. Nine months later, on December 10, their second child, Emily Dickinson, was born there. Lavinia was born there three years later.
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