Step Inside The Mysterious Mind Of Edgar Allan Poe At His Former Bronx Cottage
Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who wrote humor, satire, hoaxes, and has even been credited with inventing the detective genre. But what Poe is best known for are his tales of mystery and the macabre, and as the tricks and treats of spooky season begin to settle in we can’t help but all want to surround ourselves with all the things that go bump in the night–well, some of us at least.
So while some of us would prefer not to go further than immersing ourselves in Poe’s creepy tales, others can take it one step further this spooky season by heading to this small little cottage in the Bronx to actually step inside the mind of Poe.
Edgar Allan Poe moved from Boston to New York in 1844 and into the cottage during the spring of 1846 with his wife Virginia and mother-in-law Maria Clemm. It was here that Poe penned some of his most famous poems, including The Bells, Eureka, and Annabel Lee. Poe rented the cottage, which served as his final home, for $100 per year before his death on October 7, 1849.
The cottage only has five rooms: a kitchen, parlor, and bedchamber on the main floor, and two small rooms in the attic. So, in other words, it’s not any smaller than the shoebox NYC apartments we’re used to today! And we’re not saying the cottage is haunted, but his wife Virginia did pass away in the very same bed that’s on view there, so you may want to keep an eye out for any spirits lurking around the corner.
According to the Historic House Trust, today, the cottage’s rooms have been restored with furnishings appropriate to Poe’s 1840s residency including a desk and a wicker rocking chair thought to have belonged to the family.
The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage is the only house left from the old village of Fordham though the redevelopment of the village, including the widening of Kingsbridge Road, threatened the cottage’s existence. In order to save it it was moved a few blocks north before opening to the public on November 15, 1913.
Today, it’s owned by NYC Parks and operated by The Bronx County Historical Society. It was designated a New York City Landmark in 1966, began serving as a museum in 1975, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
The cottage is essentially a living recreation of Poe’s legacy where visitors can get a glimpse of his life in the Bronx. You can also view a bronze portrait bust of the author, created by Edmond Thomas Quinn for Poe’s 100th birthday, on view inside the cottage.
Those that can’t visit the cottage in person can instead embark on a virtual tour of it online.
Admission to the Edgar Allan Poe cottage costs $5 for adults and $3 for children, students, and seniors 65+. Members of The Bronx County Historical Society can enjoy free admission to Poe Cottage, and free admission for NYC residents is also available through Culture Pass.
2640 Grand Concourse, The Bronx
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