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Edgar Allan Poe in Baltimore

Poe lived and worked in Baltimore for a good part of his life. In addition to his home and his gravesite at Westminster Hall, traces of Poe's life, and his death, can be found throughout the city.

For more information on Poe and his life in Baltimore, visit the site Knowing Poe: The Literature, Life and Times of Edgar Allan Poe... In Baltimore and Beyond. Also, you will find a wealth of information about Poe, such as essays, articles and the largest collection of Poe's works, at The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore.

The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum

Edgar Allan Poe lived at this address in Baltimore—in what was then the countryside—with his aunt (and later mother-in-law), Maria Clemm, her ailing mother (Elizabeth Cairnes Poe, age 73), her daughter (Virginia Eliza Clemm, age 10, later Poe's wife), and perhaps her son (Henry Clemm, age 14) for two or three years from about 1832 until 1835 when he moved to Richmond to edit The Southern Literary Messenger.

The 2 ½-story, five-room house is temporarily closed for renovations and installation of new exhibits.

For a comprehensive list of Poe's works that he may have authored or worked on while living at 203 Amity Street, visit www.eapoe.org

Edgar Allan Poe's Gravesite in Baltimore

Westminster Hall, one of the area's most intriguing architectural landmarks, is a converted Gothic church built on arches above Westminster Burying Ground, creating catacombs. Edgar Allan Poe, his young wife and her mother all eventually found their final resting place within Westminster Burying Ground—each having been previously buried elsewhere—as did several early mayors of Baltimore, heroes of the American Revolution and members of the city's elite.

Laura Lippman's Mysterious Baltimore:

The church and burying ground are in the care of the Westminster Preservation Trust, Inc., a private, nonprofit organization established in 1977 under the leadership of the University of Maryland School of Law. In 1983, the Trust completed a major project to preserve and restore the site's historic features and to adapt the church building for contemporary use. Tours of Westminster Burying Ground and Catacombs can be arranged year round with a minimum of 15 people.

Above, you can view a video from famed mystery novelist and Baltimore resident, Laura Lippman. Laura takes you on a tour of her "mysterious Baltimore," which includes a stop at Westminster Hall and a discussion of Poe's influence on the mystery genre. She is also a past recipient of the prestigious Edgar® Award from the Mystery Writers of America.

Westminster Hall & Burying Ground
515 W. Fayette Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-706-2072
www.westminsterhall.org
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The Edgar Allan Poe Collection at The Enoch Pratt Free Library

The Enoch Pratt Free Library is the home of a special Edgar Allan Poe collection of personal letters, images, poetry and memorabilia. The collection includes a lock of Poe's hair, a piece from his coffin and important letters regarding his mysterious death in 1849. The Pratt's Collection of Poeana has been bolstered over the years by three major gifts from descendants of Poe. Click here to view the digital collection.

Church Hospital

Originally Washington College Hospital, Church Hospital was the site of Edgar Allan Poe's death from poorly specified causes on October 7, 1849. Initially believed to be drunk, Poe was taken into a wing held for noisy drunkards before it was later determined that he had likely been robbed and beaten or mugged. Previously, physicians had diagnosed Poe with both "a weakness of the heart" and "lesions on the brain." His attending physician's notes tell of florid and morbid outbursts from Poe as he came in and out of consciousness in the day leading up to his death. Stories of general creepiness surrounding Church Hospital abound, from bodysnatching the recently buried from nearby grave sites to kidnapping throughout the early 1800s, all in the name of medical research. At some point during its history, local residents repeatedly tried to burn Church Hospital down, likely because of the grim tales of bodysnatching.

Fell's Point

Although little is known about Edgar Allan Poe's final days, it is known that he frequented the watering holes of Baltimore's Fell's Point. Limited evidence exists linking Poe to several of the taverns then operating in Fell's Point; however, there is speculation that his mysterious and convoluted end may have come about as a result of his being kidnapped and perhaps beaten or drugged in an apparent attempted Shanghai. At the time of Poe's death, it was somewhat common practice for members of the crews of visiting ships to enlarge their numbers by literally getting strangers in the ports they visited drunk or drugged to the point of unconsciousness. These poor souls would then awake to find themselves forced laborers upon sailing ships departing Baltimore. Rumor has it that the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe haunts Baltimore's The Horse You Came In On Saloon, on of the last places he was seen alive. Want to hear more? Take a stroll through the neighborhood with The Original Fell's Point Ghost Walk.

Edgar Allan Poe Statue

University of Baltimore Law School
The last work of the great American sculptor Sir Moses Jacob Ezekiel, it was commissioned in 1907 by the Women's Literary Club of Baltimore. It was hoped that the statue would be ready by Poe's centennial in 1909, but a series of problems prevented its completion until 1916 and World War I delayed its arrival in Baltimore. The statue was dedicated in Wyman Park on October 20, 1921. Over the years, it suffered from neglect, vandalism and the effects of wind and rain, which eroded the inscriptions until they were virtually unreadable. Deciding that the park was too isolated a location for the statue, it was moved, under the recommendation of the E. A. Poe Society of Baltimore, to the plaza of the University of Baltimore's Law School, where it now resides.

The Poe Toaster

Until 2010, on the night of the anniversary of Poe's birth, a mysterious stranger has entered this cemetery and left as tribute a partial bottle of cognac and three roses on Poe's grave. The identity of the stranger, referred to affectionately as the Poe Toaster, is unknown. The significance of cognac is uncertain as it does not feature in Poe's works as would, for example, amontillado. The presumption for the three roses is that it represents the three persons whose remains are beneath the monument: Poe, his mother-in-law (Maria Clemm) and his wife Virginia. Out of respect, no attempt was ever made to stop or hinder him.

The Poe Suite at Scarborough Fair Bed & Breakfast

The largest room at the Scarborough Fair is the Edgar Allan Poe Suite. Inspired by the loves and works of this intriguing and romantic genius. Envelope yourself in paneled walls, rich plums, calming grays, luxurious velvets & sateens as you curl up in the plush parlor area beside the oversized mantle and fireplace with windows overlooking Historic Charles Street, or write out postcards in your own mini office. The velvet upholstered King-Sized Select Comfort mattress with dual control and 400 thread count jacquard sheets offer the utmost in made to fit relaxation. Unwind under the steamy sprays of an oversized rain showerhead with eight customizable settings in the large bath with combination shower/tub.  Portraits of Edgar and his wife Virginia grace the walls of the room as do other homages to the "Gothfather," including the infamous bust of Pallas and the hellish spectacles from the comedic short story, Bon-Bon.  Experience this darkly romantic room and see a side of Poe that is often forgotten.

Rates range from $249 to $259 a night for this new suite. Click here for more details and to book the suite.

Baltimore Ravens

What other city had the grace and class to name their NFL franchise—and it's three mascots, Edgar, Allan & Poe—for a literary master and one of his most revered, macabre masterpieces, The Raven. Visit www.baltimoreravens.com.

Annabelle Lee Tavern

Annabel Lee was the last poem that Edgar Allan Poe wrote before his tragic death in 1849. The Annabel Lee Tavern was established in 2007 and it is here that we pay homage to the great poet and too, the great city of Baltimore. Find out more about Annabelle Lee Tavern.

The Raven

Raven, a purple trimmed 99-foot long, 28-foot wide homage to both the NFL team of the same name and the late Baltimore native, Edgar Allan Poe, will dock between the Light Street Pavilion and the Maryland Science Center. The 149-person boat is modeled after a 1900s-era steamship.

The diesel-fueled liner will feature a fully enclosed, climate-controlled lower deck, as well as an upper deck with a sunroof. Find out more about the Raven.