Poe Cemetery Tour and "Poe, Revolution & Lafayette"

POE CEMETERY TOUR

Living history performers via mobile app will guide you on a tour of the famed Burying Ground at Westminster Hall, the final resting place of Edgar Allan Poe. Visit the grave and monument where Poe was buried no fewer than three times. Pay tribute to David and Elizabeth Cairnes Poe, and other members of the Poe family, who repose alongside other great Revolutionary War and War of 1812 heroes. See the graves of General Samuel Smith, Brigadier General John Smith, Rev. Patrick Allison, and other great figures in the rich tapestry of Baltimore’s past. Engage with new interpretive signage and virtual resources, deepening your understanding of the Poe family’s Revolutionary War patriotism and legacy.  Join us as we prepare for Maryland 250 and United States’ Semiquincentennial celebrations and journey through the past, present, and future of Baltimore’s revolutionary spirit. 

THE POES OF BALTIMORE/ LAFAYETTE BICENTENNIAL EXHIBIT

Long before Edgar Allan Poe was born, the Poe family was noted in Baltimore for their service in the Revolution and the War of 1812. A wheel-maker and later Assistant Deputy Quartermaster General, known to George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, Edgar Allan Poe’s grandfather, David Poe Sr., gave much for the cause of Liberty alongside his wife, Elizabeth Cairnes Poe. Learn about the Poe family’s contribution and how their service made possible their famous grandson’s Literary career.

Discover the remarkable connection between Edgar Allan Poe and the great Marquis de Lafayette as we celebrate the Bicentennial of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour in 1824. A life-sized diorama and historical exhibit inside Westminster Hall will transport you through pivotal moments in American history, shedding light on forgotten heroes, showcasing the Poe family’s profound contributions to the founding of the nation, and later their grandson’s writing fame which revolutionized literature forever.