Poe's Cottage Tour

Today we took a trip to the Bronx to visit Poe's Cottage with some homeschooling friends. This was Edgar Allen Poe's last residence (after that he traveled around until his death). It is a very small house with low ceilings (to conserve heat). Here was where he wrote Annabelle Lee, The Bells, The Cask of Amontillado, Landor's Cottage, and the Domain of Arnheim. He live there with his wife, Virginia, his mother-in-law, and Mary Louisa Shoe(?), who was Virginia's nurse when Virginia was dying of tuberculosis. Virginia had asked Poe to move to the country on a Valentine's Day. They rented the house from a man name Valentine for $100 per year. The house is actually across the street from where it originally stood. It was moved into the park when apartment buildings were being put up in the area.

We learned the some interesting facts today. Poe hated cities. He wasn't a people person. Chase found it ironic that they ended up building a city around his home. Marina didn't know he spent a year at West Point before flunking out. The cottage has Virginia's original straw mattress. Chase was able to take a picture of her bed.

This bust of Edgar Allen Poe is the original which was made when the park was founded. Lighting wasn't good in here, so I tried to lighten the picture a little.



Here are the kids on the front steps of the cottage. I think they enjoyed their visit!