Pursuing Poe in Baltimore

High on the list of things I love about Baltimore: the city’s connection to Edgar Allan Poe.

I developed an affection for Poe’s writing as a teenager, when I competed in the poetry category on my high school’s speech and debate team with a collection of his poems: “Annabel Lee,” “A Dream Within a Dream,” and “The Raven.” I was drawn to the dark themes in his work, and I found the rhythm of his words spellbinding, particularly when read aloud.

Poe lived in Baltimore for a time and is believed to have written several works here. Although he moved to Richmond in 1835, he later returned and died at the Washington University Hospital of Baltimore, under somewhat mysterious circumstances, in 1849. While the Poe-Baltimore connection is most readily seen in the name and mascots of The Ravens, there are other tributes to the writer throughout the city.

You can have a fun, Poe-themed afternoon by starting with a visit to The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum, Poe’s home in the early 1830s. This modest brick row home on Amity Street holds artifacts from Poe’s life, newspaper clippings and photographs related to Poe, and a set of framed illustrations of “The Raven” by Gustave Dore. The house has only five rooms, and peering into the tiny attic bedroom, I couldn’t help but wonder what it was like for a man with such a great imagination to inhabit such a cramped space. Visitors can take a self-guided tour, and the staff asks for a small donation upon entering.

After visiting the house where Poe lived, take a short drive to Westminster Burying Grounds to see Poe’s grave. The large, marble grave marker is just inside the iron gates, and, on the ordinary Saturday was there, I was touched to see it decorated with red roses and coins left by other visitors. The cemetery also has a marker at Poe’s original burial site, so be sure to wander through the tombstones until you find it.

The perfect ending to this Poe-themed pilgrimage is a trip to Annabel Lee Tavern in the Canton neighborhood. This cozy restaurant and bar is a celebration of Edgar Allan Poe, from the quotes and raven silhouettes on the white brick exterior to the portrait above the fireplace inside.

Rumor has it The Poe House will be undergoing some changes in the near future, so plan your visit soon. And next month, on the anniversary of Poe’s death, October 7, The Poe House and the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore will hold a series of events to commemorate the writer, including a tribute ceremony and eulogies at his grave in Westminster Burying Grounds, the 90th Commemorative Edgar Allan Poe Lecture at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, and a performance at Annabel Lee Tavern.