One of the Belvedere’s residents is going through her normal daily routine when she notices a “missing” poster outside of her building. Unlike most of us, she becomes intrigued by the disappearance. Then, when his body is found on the roof of her hotel, she becomes obsessed.
Essentially penniless, Edgar was buried in an unmarked grave near his grandfather, David Poe, Sr. in the Westminster Hall and Burying Ground in Baltimore. He was placed in a simple coffin under that marker on October 9, 1849.
A couple of years ago, I had the great luck to be able to visit Poe’s Baltimore home and his gravesite. The house museum is run by a group of fun, dedicated folks and the churchyard evokes everything that a northeastern historical city burial ground should. I’ve been to Sullivan’s Island and visited Fort Moultrie…
After visiting Poe’s grave at Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, we walked the few blocks to Amity Street and were guests in his humble home. He lived at the address from 1833-35. His grandmother received a widow’s pension as the surviving wife of a Revolutionary War solider. She, an aunt, two cousins and Poe all lived in the tiny house.
This past weekend, I visited Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, the final resting place of Edgar Allan Poe and other local luminaries, including James McHenry (signer of the US Constitution and namesake of Fort McHenry), Philip Barton Key (son of Francis Scott Key), and Robert Smith (Secretary of the Navy, Secretary Of State, and Attorney…