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North Amity Street is a small, nondescript section of Baltimore City. On a corner of the 200 block, an antique streetlamp stands guard outside number 203, a red brick townhome.
The small dwelling, complete with winding staircases and low ceilings, was home to writer Edgar Allan Poe from 1832 to 1835. Here, Poe lived with his widowed Aunt Maria Clemm, Maria's daughter Virginia and son Henry, and his grandmother Elizabeth Poe.
Today, the house, which was scheduled for demolition in the 1930's but saved by the public's sense of history, is the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum. A ten or fifteen minute walk to Fayette Street takes visitors to Westminster Graveyard, where the writer is buried with his wife and aunt.
The museum itself is small, but a tour allows the literary enthusiast to capture a glimpse of Poe's brief life in Baltimore. The house is three floors, accessible by the tricky winding staircases prominent in older Baltimore homes. Visitors can roam through the house at their leisure, enjoying relics from Poe's life, photos of the writer and his family, and clippings from Poe's various stints as a newspaper writer and editor.
During the month of October, a visitor to the Poe House may be treated to special Halloween exhibits and productions. Curator Jeff Jerome has made Halloween at the Poe House something to behold, with local Baltimore actors performing Poe's classics. This year's production was a riveting one-man performance of "The Telltale Heart."
As many Poe fans know, the writer's time in Baltimore ended when his grandmother Elizabeth died in 1835. He moved to Richmond, and in 1836 was joined by his Aunt Maria and cousin Virginia. Poe married his 13-year-old cousin in 1836. She died of consumption in 1847, and Poe followed her to the grave two short years later. The couple, along with Poe's Aunt Maria, are buried under a monument erected to Poe at the Westminster Graveyard in Baltimore.
The Poe Gravesite boasts of its own traditions. Poe's birthdate is January 19th. Every year since 1949, an individual dressed all in black except for a white scarf, enters the graveyard. He leaves a partially filled bottle of French cognac and three red roses on the grave.
Although no one has attempted to identify this person, many people from the Baltimore area hide near or inside the old Westminster Church to watch this quiet ceremony each year. The visitor usually appears to be an elderly gentleman, but in recent years a younger man has also been spotted. In 1993, a note was left by the visitor. It read "I am quite content that some traditions must pass while others take their place ..." Perhaps the Poe Gravesite Toast will be soon be carried on by someone new.
The World's Largest Edgar Allan Poe Birthday Celebration is also held in Baltimore. Each year, the weekend closest to the writer's birthdate features the famous toast, a bagpipe tribute, theatrical presentations, and exhibits.
The Poe House and Gravesite can easily be visited in the same day. The Poe House is generally open Wednesday-Saturday from noon-3:45 p.m. in April-July and October-December. From August-September, the house is open on Saturdays only. Because of special tours and staff limitations, the Poe House recommends that visitors call ahead to verify hours. Interested individuals can call 410-396-7932 to learn more about the Edgar Allan Poe House.
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