The Homestead: Emily Dickinson's Haven of Solitude by Mia Anderson
Emily Dickinson's home, commonly referred to as "The Homestead", played a pivotal role in her works throughout the course of her life. Located in Amherst, MA, the house was built for Emily’s grandfather Samuel Fowler Dickinson in 1813 and is located next to Amherst College, of which he was a co-founder. Emily’s parents and her brother moved in in 1830, shortly before Emily was born, and her mother had her younger sister three years later. The Dickinsons sold The Homestead in 1833 after the birth of Lavinia, before eventually returning in 1855 after Emily’s father’s death. Emily and her mother remained in the house until both of their deaths, and Emily’s brother Austin and his wife moved in to The Evergreens, another home on the property. Throughout her life, Emily gradually became more and more secluded from the outside world. She spent all of her time within The Homestead, writing and caring for her mother. She wrote constantly from the desk in her bedroom. The room a...
