house on a gentle slope
which seems designed by nature for its reception. To the west and south
high hills crowd closely upon this valley, but to the east are green
meadows through which winds, at last at leisure, the brook just
released from its tumble among the rocks of old Job's left shoulder.
The road by which we have come is comparatively new, and was not in
existence when the Whittiers lived here. The old road crosses it close
by the brook, which is here bridged. The house faces the brook, and not
the road, presenting to the highway the little eastern porch that gives
entrance to the kitchen,--the famous kitchen of "Snow-Bound."

The barn is across the road directly opposite this porch. It is now
much longer than it was in Whittier's youth, but two thirds of it
towards the road is the old part to which the boys tunneled through the
snowdrift--

... "With merry din,
And roused the prisoned brutes within.
The old horse thrust his long head out,
And grave with wonder gazed about;
The cock his lusty greeting said,
And forth his speckled harem led
The oxen lashed their tails, and hooked,
And mild reproach of hunger looked;
The horned patriarch of the sheep,
Like Egypt's Amun roused from sleep,
Shook his sage head with gesture mute,
And emphasized with stamp of foot."

This is not the original barn of the pioneers, but was built by
Whittier's father and uncle Moses in 1821. The ancient barn was not
torn down till some years later. It was in what is now the orchard back
of the house. There used to be, close to the cattle-yard of the
comparatively new barn, a shop containing a blacksmith's outfit. This
was removed more than fifty years ago, being in a ruinous condition
from extreme old age. It had not been so tenderly cared for as was its
contemporary of the Stuart times across the road.

[Illustration: THE BIRTHPLACE, FROM THE ROAD

Showing eastern porch, gate, bridle-post, and large boulder used as
horse-block]

Thomas Whittier, the pioneer, did not happen upon this valley upon his
first arrival from England, in 1638. Indeed, at that time the
settlements had not reached into this then primeval wilderness. He
settled first in that part of Salisbury which is now named Amesbury,
and while a very young man represented that town in the General Court.
The Whittier Hill which overlooks the poet's Amesbury home was named
for the pioneer, and not for his great