Edgar Allan Poe

https://www.nps.gov/edal/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe_National_Historic_Site The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site is a preserved home once rented by American author Edgar Allan Poe, located at 532 N. 7th Street, in the Spring Garden neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though Poe lived in many houses over several years in Philadelphia (1837 to 1844), it is the only one which still survives. Described as horrifying, mystifying, and brilliant, Poe’s writing has engaged readers all over the world. The six years Edgar Allan Poe lived in Philadelphia were his happiest and most productive. Yet Poe also struggled with bad luck, personal demons and his wife’s illness. In Poe’s humble home, reflect on the human spirit surmounting crushing obstacles, and celebrate Poe’s astonishing creativity. The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site is located at 532 N. 7th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123. It sits in an urban area served by Interstates 95 and 676. On- street parking is usually available near the site. The site is also easily accessible by public transportation. See the directions web page for more information. Poe House, exterior Color photo of a rectangular three story brick home with rows of windows on each floor. Edgar Allan Poe lived in Philadelphia for six years, but he resided at this home for about a year, 1843-1844. Parlor Color photo of the parlor in the Poe House showing illustrations of furniture on the walls. Wall mounted illustrations show how the room may have been furnished when Edgar Allan Poe lived in the house. Basement Color photo of the basement with brick floor, false chimney, and wooden staircase. Is this where Poe got his inspiration for "The Black Cat?" Descend to the basement and decide for yourself. Raven statue Color photo showing a large raven statue with wings outspread on a metal plinth. Stand in the shadow of the raven statue in the yard. The Reading Room A small red-carpeted room with faux marble table, red upholstered chairs and sofa, and red curtains. The Reading Room at the Edgar Allan Poe National Historical Site is furnished according to Poe's satirical essay "The Philosophy of Furniture." Edgar Allan Poe and Literary Criticism Edgar Allan Poe first gained recognition for his witty literary reviews. He constructed his own set of standards for American writers and was an early adopter of the belief that the quality of work should speak for itself without taking into account the writer's background. Black and white portrait etching of Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Allan Poe Invents the Modern Detective Story Poe was not the first to write mysteries, but he inspired later writers by introducing aspects that are now considered classic elements of detective fiction. Black and white drawing of Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Allan Poe Pioneers Science Fiction Edgar Allan Poe's writing delved into themes we now associate with science fiction. Learn more about his tales of balloon voyages and mesmerism. Black and white etching of hot air balloons in the sky. Edgar Allan Poe and His Tales of Horror Edgar Allan Poe mastered the horror genre, using first-person narration and descriptive language to explore the intricacies of the human mind. Black and white drawing of a black cat with a snarl. Edgar Allan Poe and His Tumultuous Romances After the death of his wife, Edgar Allan Poe had a number of romances. These women all honored his memory in some way after his untimely death. Black and white image of a young woman with short, dark hair. 2012 Freeman Tilden Award Recipients In 2012, seven rangers were awarded the national and region Freeman Tilden Awards for innovative and exciting interpretive programs. Learn their stories and more about their award-winning programs. Renee Albertoli Poe's Philadelphia When Poe arrived in Philadelphia, he found a city in transition due to the industrial revolution and racial tensions, but also a city full of intellectual and recreational opportunities. Colored print showing pedestrians in front of a white Greek Revival style building. Poe's Character Under Attack After Poe's death, Rufus Griswold launched an attack against Poe's character that became accepted as fact and was passed down throughout the years. Black and white engraved portrait of Rufus Griswold. The Mystery of Edgar Allan Poe's Death Edgar Allan Poe died in October 1849 in Baltimore, but the circumstances surrounding his death remain a mystery over a century later. Color image of a monument on Edgar Allan Poe's grave. More to Explore at Your National Parks When someone asks how many National Parks are there, they are thinking about the "big" parks such as the Grand Canyon or Yosemite. If you ask a National Park Service Park Ranger the answer probably be for the whole system. This article explores some of the historic and cultural sites in the National Park Service including James A. Garfield National Historic Site! brick path leading to a large white house and a tree is in front of the house with branches National Park Getaway: Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site Just his name evokes visions of beating hearts under floorboards, and the prophetic croaking of “The Raven.” Within walking distance of the world-famous Liberty Bell, sits a small house where the 19th-century American author lived for a brief time. Statue of a raven outside a brick building Regina P. Jones Underwood Brake Regina Jones-Brake's career with the National Park Service (NPS) began in 1976 with the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence. Over the next 33 years, her love of American history compelled her to share untold stories as she advanced from park ranger to management assistant. Regina Jones-Underwood pictured outdoors in her NPS uniform. Shaping the System Under President Jimmy Carter President Jimmy Carter oversaw one of the largest growths in the National Park System. Explore some of the parks that are part of the legacy of the presidency of Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th president of the United States from January 20, 1977, to January 20, 1981. Historic photo of Jimmy Carter walking through a crowd at Harpers Ferry

Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site Pennsylvania National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior The Life of a Poet Edgar Poe was born to itinerant actors in Boston in 1809. His mother Elizabeth Arnold Poe died when Edgar was two, by which time his father, David Poe, had disappeared. He was raised as a foster child by Frances Allan and her husband John Allan, a tobacco exporter of Richmond. Poe spent his youth between the ages of six and eleven with the Allans in England where he attended boarding school. Returning to Richmond, Poe later enrolled for a year at the University of Virginia. His tenure was marked by distinction in Latin and French and ended with the withdrawal of Allan's support due to Poe's gambling debts. J o h n Allan. Poe's toster father At eighteen, Poe set off for Boston where he published his first volume of poems. He subsequently enlisted in the army for two years. Following a brief reconciliation with Allan after his foster mother died, he obtained an appointment to West Point. But Allan soon remarried; Poe lost all hopes of Allan's support and he left West Point because the service was an inappropriate career for a young man of little means. Although Poe romanticized his forbears and pretended to have set off for Greece and St. Petersburg in some idealized aristocratic pursuit of freedom during his years in the army, it is clear that he faced, from age twenty-two, a life of struggle and poverty. In 1831, Poe published a new collection of poems. He appears to have spent most of the next four years in Baltimore living with his aunt,MariaClemm, and her daughter.Virginia. These were difficult times: letters to Allan indicate Poe feared imprisonment for debt and mentioned that he was perishing for want of aid. During this period, Poe was writing tales and selling them to journals in Baltimore and Philadelphia. When he became editor of the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond in 1835. Poe found his vocation: editor, critic and contributor to a series of journals, each of which flourished under his guidance. Poe married Virginia in 1836. With Maria Clemm Visitor information The Site The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site was authorized as a unit of the National Park Service in 1978. O p e n e d in August of 1980, extensive research u n c o v e r e d m a n y architectural features original to Poe's home. The National Park Service has not furnished the rooms due to the lack of primary evidence describing their contents d u r i n g Poe's occupancy. Please call for hours of operation. Closed Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is tree. Safety Reminder The Poe House was not built with 21st century visitors in mind. Please watch your step on uneven surfaces and on the steep and narrow stairways Administration The Park consists of a complex ot three buildings, two of which serve as a visitor center and entrance to the site. This area contains exhibits, an audio-visual program and a small sales facility. Ranger-guided tours of the Poe House begin here. The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site is administered through Independence National Historical Park, 143 S, 3rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106, For tour information you may contact the Poe NHS directly at (215) 597-8780. For Edgar Allan Poe NHS through the NPS H o m e Page, http://www.nps.gov/edal/ Groups should contact the Park in advance of their visit to obtain a reservation. Although picnicking is allowed on the grounds, there are no indoor picnic facilities. Getting There The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site is located at 7th and Spring Garden Sts. in Philadelphia, just a tew blocks north of Center City. When planning your visit we urge you to consider mass transit. Philadelphia is served by major air, rail, and bus lines and has an extensive public transpotation system. It you arrive by car: it you arrive in the city by train or bus, take the Market-Frankford subway east to 8th and Market Streets. Walk one block east to 7th Street and take the 847 bus to 7th and Spring Garden Streets, if you arrive in the city by plane, lake the "R-1 Airport Line" train to Market Street East (8th and Market Streets) and proceed as above. Westbound by car: After crossing the Ben Franklin Bridge, stay in right hand lane and exit at the red light (this becomes 7th Street). Follow 7th Street to Spring Garden Street. From the Walt Whitman Bridge, take exit for (I-95 North and follow Northbound instructions, below.) 8/08 Eastbound: Via I-76 (the Schuylkill Expressway) Exit onto I-676 East (toward "Central Philadelphia") and follow it to the 8th Street exit. At the bottom of the exit ramp proceed straight at the traffic light. Make a left at the second traffic light (this becomes 7lh Street) and proceed two blocks to Spring Garden Street. Southbound by car: Via I-95 Use "independence Hall/Historic Area" exit. At the bottom of the exit ramp turn right onto Callowhill Street. Follow Callowhill to 7t