William Cullen Bryant, Abolitionist Editor
William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878) was an internationally popular and respected poet, journalist, and author during the 19th century. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he ultimately chose a career as a writer and editor for Athenaeum Magazine, the New York Evening Post, and the North American Review in New York.
He believed passionately in the abolition of slavery and leveraged his gifts and proficiency as a compelling writer toward the election of Abraham Lincoln for president. According to https://poets.org/poet: “Bryant used the newspaper as a platform to call for the abolition of slavery, and was also an advocate for Abraham Lincoln, delivering the speech that would eventually secure his nomination and eventual presidency.”
Read more about this revered poet here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org.
Writings
His books include Poems (1821, 1862), The White-Footed Deer and Other Poems (1844), and The Fountain and Other Poems (1842). His poetry books are in the public domain and can be found here: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16341.
“Poetry is that art which selects and arranges the symbols of thought in such a manner as to excite the imagination the most powerfully and delightfully.” William C. Bryant
The Homestead
The William Cullen Bryant Homestead, a National Historic Landmark, is at 207 Bryant Road in Cummington within the Springfield area of Massachusetts. In addition to the beautiful and sprawling 19th century farmhouse-style home, the wonderland grounds fit the author’s knowledge of and love for nature. According to its website at https://thetrustees.org: “The Homestead’s pastoral landscape encompasses pastures, fields, woodlands, and a maple sugar bush that has been tapped for more than 200 years.”
Additional details can be found here: https://www.nps.gov/places/william-cullen-bryant-homestead.htm.
This Homestead is the fourth stop on Massachusetts Author Adventures Trail, Part 2 (Central-Western Massachusetts).
Patricia Smart
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