Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) is considered the father of gothic American literature. As you learn about him, it is easy to see where the inner darkness that spawned his poetry and stories came from.
“Once upon a midnight dreary,
while I pondered weak and weary…”
–Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum
The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum in Baltimore speaks about his life and work, and is a popular attraction for literary travelers. It recently re-opened with a life-size raven greeting visitors, thanks to a grassroots fundraising campaign. In 2019, it was officially designated as a national literary landmark.
Watch our introductory videos here:
Poe House Video Introduction
Poe House Video Message from the Director
True to the author’s writing style, this place is a bit creepy and delicate so children are expected to cling close to adults. The rooms are small and the staircase can accommodate only one person at a time.
It seems fitting that a writer of dark and spooky stories would have lived in this house, with its compact rooms and tight, winding staircases, and in a modest neighborhood where you might not expect to find the home of one of America’s best-known authors.
The house is open on a seasonal basis only, so make sure you check its website at https://www.poeinbaltimore.org/tickets-visit or Facebook page to find out when it is open and have other current information. Expect some crowding as the house is fairly small, but don’t let that stop you from checking out the fun items for sale as you leave.
Please also visit the New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia pages about Edgar Allan Poe for more information about this legendary author and locations of his homes, and check poestories.com for examples of short stories he wrote.
If you like Poe stories and poetry, we also recommend reading https://www.americanfolklore.net/funny-ghost-stories.
Edgar Allan Poe’s house is the third stop on our Maryland Author Adventures Trail.
Patricia Smart
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