Baltimore: A Book Lover’s Dream

Edgar Allan Poe once lived at this house-turned-museum with his family for years. It has been very well preserved from its original state, so you can walk on the same floors and stairs and wander within the original plaster walls and woodwork that Poe once did. See the writing desk and chair where he created some of his early works, among other significant artifacts.

Step inside one of Baltimore’s most iconic rowhomes, Edgar Allan Poe’s house on North Amity Street.

The first woman in history to receive a Pulitzer Prize for poetry, Edna St. Vincent Millay, frequently read during meetings of the Maryland Poetry Society at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Mount Vernon. Millay championed the plight of women and the oppression of traditional gender roles, and was known as “the embodiment of the liberated woman of the 1920s.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald, writer of great works like “This Side of Paradise” and “The Great Gatsby,” went through a dark period in Baltimore. This house in Bolton Hill is the last place he lived with his wife Zelda. Writer H.L. Mencken wrote in his journal in 1934: “The case of F. Scott Fitzgerald has become distressing. He is boozing in a wild manner and has become a nuisance.” Although the house is not open to the public, you can see a blue historical designation on the outside of the rowhome.

Although Gertrude Stein and her brother Leo only lived in this location for about six years, the influence of life in Mount Vernon introduced Stein to a variety of people and perspectives that influenced much of her later work. Stein studied medicine at Johns Hopkins University for three years and later claimed Baltimore as her “place of domicile” in her will despite her 39-year absence from the city.

The Walters Art Museum’s extraordinary collection chronicles the art of the book for more than 1,000 years. The collection includes more than 900 illuminated manuscripts, 1,250 of the first printed books, and an important collection of post-1500 deluxe editions. Books come from all over the world to live in the Mount Vernon museum, and include first-printed editions of ancient texts by great thinkers such as Aristotle and Euclid, diaries written by Napoleon, and intricate bindings crafted by Tiffany.

Literary history lives among the Walters Art Museum’s expansive collection.

Lucille Clifton wrote six collections of poetry, won two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships and served half her tenure as Maryland’s poet laureate in her Baltimore home before it was foreclosed upon in 1979. In 2019, her daughter Sidney bought back the house and turned it into a workshop and sanctuary for both established and up-and-coming writers and artists, just as her mother had done.

H.L. Mencken lived in Baltimore for more than 45 years and wrote for many city publications, including The Baltimore Sun. He was given the nickname the “Sage of Baltimore.” He lived in this brick rowhouse with a view of Union Square from 1883 until his death in 1956. It was recently renovated to become a museum dedicated to the author’s life and works.

In this house, on an evening in October of 1883, Latrobe and two other Baltimore writers pored over manuscripts submitted in a literary contest sponsored by the “Baltimore Saturday Visitor.” Their unanimous choice for the best prose tale was “MS. Found in a Bottle,” by an unknown, penniless author named Edgar Allan Poe. The $50 cash prize helped launch his literary career. The home in Downtown Baltimore is now a private residence but it signifies a milestone in Poe’s career.

This Victorian Gothic church in Mount Vernon was built at the site that once housed the mansion of Elizabeth Phoebe Key, the daughter of Francis Scott Key, who penned “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Francis Scott Key died in his home, and a plaque observing his death is on the southern exterior church wall.

Visit Edgar Allan Poe’s final resting place right here in Baltimore.

Westminster Hall, one of the most historic half-acres in Downtown Baltimore, is an architectural landmark. The imposing brick church was built in the early 1850s and several historical figures are buried here, including the famed poet Edgar Allan Poe and his wife and mother-in-law. Inquire about arranging a tour of the grounds and catacombs.

Frederick Douglass’ story as an abolitionist and writer was heavily influenced by his time in Baltimore where he worked at the shipyards in Fell’s Point before escaping to freedom in 1838. Years after he transformed the nation with his ideas for reformation, Douglass returned to Baltimore to build a row of houses for African American renters—brick-and-mortar examples of his commitment to creating stability and community for African Americans in the years following the Civil War. His “Douglass Place” homes still stand today, with a commemorative plaque next to the front door where Douglass lived, at 524 S. Dallas Street.

Named for one of Edgar Allan Poe‘s poems, this intimate Canton bar pays homage to the writer with dim lighting, gothic décor and hand-painted walls sprawled with lines of poetry. Check Annabel Lee’s menu for cocktails titled “The Raven” and “Edgar.”

Literary excellence is all around Apropoe’s, from the atmosphere to the menu.

Located inside the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront in Harbor East, Apropoe’s restaurant gives a subtle nod to the mysterious Edgar Allan Poe with its gothic feel. Dishes are classic American inspired by local fare with names like the Poe burger.

This literary-themed bar in Hampden features large communal tables, navy blue walls, a gas fireplace and a long bar for pub-style dining service. The cocktails (named after the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Virginia Woolf) are complemented by a menu of European bistro fare including charcuterie, fried sweetbreads and steak fries.

Literature is the backbone of this bar named after a poem by Charles Bukowski.

The story at The Charmery is always changing with new flavors to try every time you stop by.

Stop by this handmade ice cream shop with locations in Hampden and Federal Hill for the Edgar Allan Poe-inspired flavor Tell Tale Chocolate. Stay for the other one-of-a-kind flavors like Old Bay caramel and Otterbein Sugar Cookie.

F. Scott Fitzgerald and H.L. Mencken frequented this bar in the historic Belvedere Hotel in Mount Vernon. The hotel has since been converted to apartments and offices, but not much has changed since the Jazz Age (a term Fitzgerald coined) for The Owl Bar. The dimly lit bar features oak benches and stained-glass windows, and even an owl statue that signaled the police were near with the blink of its eyes during Prohibition.

Transport back in time for a night when you enjoy a cocktail in this local landmark.

The iconic Enoch Pratt Free Library is a must see for any literary lover.

The Central Library of the Enoch Pratt Free Library system takes up nearly an entire city block near Mount Vernon. An entire room at the library is dedicated to American writer H.L. Mencken, and there is also a collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s letters, poetry and photographs—and even a lock of his hair. One of the oldest free public library systems in the United States, there are 21 additional branches throughout the city and surrounding area.

This expansive library in Mount Vernon near the Washington Monument has been described as a “cathedral of books” and is considered to be one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. The Peabody Library‘s atrium is surrounded by six tiers of ornamental cast-iron balconies. The library’s 300,000 volume collection is open for perusal by the general public, and it houses an impressive amount of H.L. Mencken’s writings.

The Peabody Library, which opened its doors in 1878, stands six stories tall and houses more than 300,000 books.

What better way to celebrate the macabre writer’s legacy than right in front of his former house?

The annual International Edgar Allan Poe Festival and Awards coincides each year with Poe’s death day, October 7. The free outdoor event features Poe-themed performances, art, vendors and food across the street from the Poe House & Museum on North Amity Street where the poet once lived.

Discover rare texts at the Peabody Library.

This free literary arts celebration is a book lover’s dream come true. Featuring poetry readings, workshops, panel discussions and book signings, this is the place to revel in the spirit of the written word. Past festivals have featured appearances by chef and television host Carla Hall, poet Samantha Thornhill, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jason Reynolds and Terry McMillan.

The CityLit Project is dedicated to elevating enthusiasm for literary arts in the Baltimore area. Each year, the organization hosts a two-day celebration of literature in partnership with local arts and literary groups such as the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. In addition to bringing well-known authors to Baltimore, the festival showcases Baltimore’s diverse community of self-published authors, small presses and literary journals and organizations.

• “Baltimore Blues” and the Tess Monaghan series – Laura Lippman
• “Lady in the Lake” – Laura Lippman
• “Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant – Anne Tyler
• “The Accidental Tourist” – Anne Tyler
• “Black Boy Smile” – D. Watkins
• “Hummingbirds in the Trenches” – Kondwani Fidel
• “The Beautiful Struggle” – Ta-Nehisi Coates
• “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” – Rebecca Skloot
• “Ten Indians”- Madison Smart Bell
• “First-Time Caller” – B.K. Borrison
• “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” – Frederick Douglass
• “Kings of Bmore” – R. Eric Thomas
• “Liarmouth” – John Waters
• “Without Remorse” – Tom Clancy
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
• “Blue Smoke” and “Inner Harbor” – Nora Roberts

Shop these titles and more at Baltimore’s independent bookstores.