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Edgar Allan Poe Cottage
Edgar Allan Poe Cottage
Edgar Allan Poe Cottage
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The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage (or Poe Cottage) is the former home of American writer Edgar Allan Poe. It is located on Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City.[2] The house is believed to have been built in 1797.[2][3] In 1913, it was relocated a short distance from its original location, and is now in the northern part of Poe Park.

Key Information

The cottage is a part of the Historic House Trust, listed on the National Register of Historic Places,[4] and has been administered by the Bronx County Historical Society since 1975.[5]

History

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Poe family years

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The Poe family—which included Edgar, his wife Virginia Clemm, and her mother Maria—moved in around May 1846[6] after living for a short time in Turtle Bay, Manhattan.[7] At the time, Fordham was not yet a part of the Bronx and the rural community had only recently been connected to the city by rail.[6] The cottage, which was then on Kingsbridge Road to the east of its intersection with Valentine Avenue, was small and simple: it had on its first floor a sitting room and kitchen and its unheated second floor had a bedroom and Poe's study. On the front porch, the family kept caged songbirds.[7] The home sat on 2 acres (8,100 m2) of land, and Poe paid either $5 rent per month[2] or $100 per year.[8] Its owner, John Valentine, had bought it from a man named Richard Corsa on March 28, 1846,[9] for $1000.[10]

Despite its small size and minimal furnishings, the family seemed to enjoy the home. "The cottage is very humble", a visitor said, "you wouldn't have thought decent people could have lived in it; but there was an air of refinement about everything."[11] A friend of Poe's years later wrote: "The cottage had an air of taste and gentility... So neat, so poor, so unfurnished, and yet so charming a dwelling I never saw."[12] In a letter to a friend, Poe himself wrote: "The place is a beautiful one."[10] Maria wrote years later: "It was the sweetest little cottage imaginable. Oh, how supremely happy we were in our dear cottage home!"[13] Poe's final short story, "Landor's Cottage", was likely inspired by the home.[9]

In this home, Poe wrote his poems "Annabel Lee" and "Ulalume" while the family cat sat on his shoulder.[14] During his time here, he also published his series on "The Literati of New York City", controversial gossip-like discussions of literary figures and their work, including Nathaniel Parker Willis, Charles Frederick Briggs, Thomas Dunn English, Margaret Fuller, and Lewis Gaylord Clark. As their publisher Louis Antoine Godey announced in his Lady's Book, they would soon "raise some commotion in the literary emporium."[15]

Virginia Poe's bed

The Poe family befriended their neighbors, including the family of John Valentine, and Poe even served as a sponsor for baptism for one of the local boys (who was named "Edgar Albert").[16] Poe also became friendly with the faculty at what was then St. John's College, now Fordham University.[11] He found the Jesuit faculty to be "highly cultivated gentlemen and scholars [who] smoked, drank, and played cards like gentleman, and never said a word about religion."[17] The college's church bells inspired his poem "The Bells".[18]

During the Poe family's time in the cottage, Virginia struggled with tuberculosis. Family friend Mary Gove Nichols wrote: "One felt that she was almost a disrobed spirit, and when she coughed it was made certain that she was rapidly passing away."[19] Virginia died in the cottage's first-floor bedroom on January 30, 1847. She was buried in the vault of the Valentine family on February 2.[20] Poe died a couple of years later on October 7, 1849, while in Baltimore.[21] At Fordham, Maria did not hear of his death until October 9, after he was already buried. Shortly thereafter, she moved out of the cottage to live with a family in Brooklyn for a time.[22]

Relocation

[edit]
The cottage was originally located on Kingsbridge Road before it was moved to its current location in Poe Park in 1913.

The cottage's immediate use following the Poe family is uncertain; however, it was reportedly occupied by an 'old southern lady'.[8] In 1874, an article by M. J. Lamb published in Appletons’ Journal described a pilgrimage to the site and noted the cottage was "dreadfully out of repair".[23] The cottage was sold at auction in 1889 for $775 to William Fearing Gill in the first step of preservation[24] after the Parks Department found it to be too expensive a proposition with rent approximately four times what Poe paid.[8] Gill would later become Poe's first American biographer.[25]

In 1895, the New York Shakespeare Society purchased the Cottage for use as a headquarters with the promise that it would be maintained in the condition in which Poe used it.[26] However, concerns about any move of the cottage sprung up almost immediately.[27][28] An article titled "Shall We Save the Poe Cottage at Fordham" was published in the Review of Reviews in 1896, urging the New York State Legislature to act on preserving the home with endorsements from Theodore Roosevelt, Hamlin Garland, William Dean Howells, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Henry Cabot Lodge, Horace Scudder and others.[29]

In 1905, it was announced that $100,000 had been authorized by the state legislature for the restoration of the cottage and creation of a park in which to house the cottage after the owners were reported to be denying visitors access to the cottage.[2] The restoration and park creation were not without complaint, and many felt the money would be better spent on other ventures and further that the cottage's authenticity would be lost if it were to be moved. The decision to move was finally made in 1910 and on November 13, 1913, Poe Cottage in Poe Park was dedicated at the corner of Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse.[8] In 1922, further reconstruction was undertaken by the New York Historical Society to restore the cottage to its original condition.[30]

Recent history

[edit]
Poe Park and Kingsbridge Road today

In 1962, Poe's Cottage was designated a Bronx landmark,[31] and in 1966 it was recognized by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission as an official city landmark.[32] In 1974 vandals struck, as in the past, leading to further criticism of the Cottage's management and preservation efforts.[33]

Vandalism continued to occur over the next few years,[34] though it tapered off by the end of the following decade, becoming less of a risk[35] due in part to the increased use of live-in caretakers. In the late 1990s, the cottage was under the care of a graduate student in philology who lived in the basement.[36]

In 2007, the proposed Visitors Center for the Cottage and Bronx Historical Society in Poe Park was honored by the New York City Art Commission's 2007 Design Awards.[37] The visitor center, designed by Toshiko Mori, opened in 2008[38][39] and was the first NYC Parks project completed under mayor Michael Bloomberg's Design and Construction Excellence Initiative.[40]

See also

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Edgar Allan Poe Cottage

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from Grokipedia
The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage is a historic frame house located in Poe Park at 2640 Grand Concourse in , , serving as the last residence of the American writer from 1846 until his death in 1849. Built around 1812 as a typical working-class dwelling in the rural village of Fordham, the modest five-room structure originally featured a , parlor, bedchamber, and two rooms, reflecting early 19th-century in the area. Poe rented the cottage, along with its surrounding two acres, for $100 per year, seeking a quiet retreat for himself, his wife (who suffered from ), and her mother Maria Clemm. During his residency, Poe composed several iconic works, including the poems "The Bells" and "Annabel Lee", as well as the prose poem "Eureka", while tending to Virginia, who passed away in the home in January 1847 at age 24. Following Poe's death in on October 7, 1849, and Maria Clemm's departure, the property faced threats from urban development, including the widening of Kingsbridge Road, leading to its relocation across the street to Poe Park in 1913 through efforts by the New York Shakespeare Society and public advocacy to prevent demolition. The cottage was designated a New York City Landmark in 1966, added to the in 1980, and has operated as a museum since 1975, owned by the Department of and managed by the Bronx County Historical Society in partnership with the Historic House Trust of New York City. Today, it features period furnishings from the , permanent exhibits on Poe's life and writings—such as ""—and temporary displays, including multimedia presentations on his Fordham years, attracting visitors interested in 19th-century and Bronx history. The site remains open to the public with guided tours available by appointment, underscoring its role as a preserved testament to Poe's final productive and poignant chapter.

Site Description

Architecture and Layout

The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage was constructed around 1812 by local farmer John Wheeler as a modest one-and-a-half-story wood-frame farmhouse, typical of early 19th-century rural dwellings in the Fordham area of . The structure features a simple asymmetrical plan with a raised basement, siding painted white, and a gabled originally covered in wood shingles, later replaced with fire-resistant materials for preservation. Key original elements include hand-hewn beams, wide plank floors, a central , and two fireplaces—one in the kitchen and one in the parlor—each served by its own , reflecting basic Federal-era construction techniques adapted for working-class use. The ground floor layout consists of three primary spaces: a sitting room, a , and a kitchen wing extending from the main body of the house, designed for efficient daily living in a compact footprint suited to a small family. Upstairs, the level contains two small rooms accessed via the original , with low ceilings and minimal placements that emphasize the cottage's unpretentious, . A small fronts the entrance, and the overall configuration, including the for storage, underscores 19th-century rural New York architecture focused on practicality over ornamentation. Restored architectural features preserve the cottage's historical integrity while evoking mid-19th-century , such as replicated woodwork, mantelpieces around the fireplaces, and period window sashes that allow into the interiors without altering the original spatial flow. These elements, including the retention of authentic plank and beamwork, highlight the building's role as a preserved example of design from the early 1800s.

Location and Setting

The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage originally stood on a 2-acre lot in the rural Fordham Village of what was then Westchester , now part of in . This site, situated at the intersection of what is now Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse (coordinates 40°51′55″N 73°53′40″W), placed the cottage in a quiet, agrarian landscape characterized by early 19th-century farms and proximity to the historic , a key colonial thoroughfare that later evolved into modern . At the time of Poe's residency from 1846 to 1849, the surrounding area offered a bucolic escape from urban , with open fields and scattered homesteads dominating the terrain. In 1913, the cottage was relocated approximately 450 feet north to its current position within Poe Park to preserve it from encroaching development. Poe Park, a 2.33-acre public green space opened in and dedicated to the author, now envelops the site with curving paths, lawn areas, mature trees, shrubs, flowerbeds, and memorials including a bronze bust of Poe presented in 1909. The park's design emphasizes serene, landscaped elements that evoke the original rural setting amid the cottage's white frame exterior. Over the intervening century, the surrounding environment has transformed dramatically from countryside to a densely built modern neighborhood in the Fordham section of , with high-rise apartments, commercial corridors along the Grand Concourse, and increased traffic reflecting broader urbanization trends in . Despite this shift, Poe Park remains a verdant oasis, buffering the cottage from the urban bustle and maintaining its historical context as a literary landmark.

Historical Background

Construction and Early Years

The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage was constructed around 1812 by John Wheeler as a modest one-and-a-half-story wood-frame farmhouse in the rural village of Fordham, then part of Westchester County. The structure featured hand-hewn beams, broad plank floors, a steep stairway, and a simple asymmetrical layout with a sitting room, small , wing, and spaces, typical of working-class for farm laborers in the area. Early records indicate the cottage was built on lands associated with the Valentine family, local farmers who resided in the vicinity, and it served initially as a residence for agricultural workers and their families. By the mid-19th century, prior to , the property had transitioned into a rental unit under the ownership of John Valentine, accommodating various tenant families in the growing but still agrarian community. No major structural modifications are documented during this period, though the building's basic form remained unchanged, reflecting its utilitarian design for everyday rural living. In the early 1800s, Fordham functioned as a quiet rural suburb north of , characterized by expansive fields, orchards, and small farms that supported a primarily agricultural economy. The village's socioeconomic revolved around farming and related trades, with modest homes like the cottage providing housing for laborers amid a of open countryside that offered respite from . This setting persisted until gradual began encroaching in the mid-19th century. In 1846, the cottage was rented to writer and his family.

Poe Family Residency

In May 1846, , his wife Virginia Clemm, and her mother Maria Clemm relocated to the Fordham cottage from their previous residence in , seeking affordable rural living amid Poe's mounting financial difficulties following the collapse of his Broadway Journal editorship. The family rented the modest wood-frame house from owner John Valentine for $100 annually, a sum equivalent to roughly $8.33 per month, which strained their limited resources as Poe struggled with irregular income from writing and editing. This move to the quiet village of Fordham, then a suburb north of , offered a respite from urban pressures but could not alleviate their deepening poverty, marked by unpaid bills and reliance on charitable appeals. Virginia's tuberculosis, diagnosed in 1842, had worsened progressively, with severe hemorrhages recurring and confining her to the cottage's first-floor bedroom. Poe devoted himself to her care, expressing profound anguish in letters about her relapses and his fear of losing her, while Maria Clemm managed household duties amid their shared hardships. Virginia died in the cottage on January 30, 1847, at age 24, leaving Poe in deep mourning and further declining health, as he too suffered from respiratory issues possibly linked to the same illness. During this period, Poe formed connections with the local community, including courteous interactions with residents who later recalled his modesty, and frequent visits to nearby St. John's College (now Fordham University), where he conversed with Jesuit faculty and students such as Rev. Fathers Doucet and Thebaud. Townsfolk assisted practically, contributing to Virginia's funeral expenses when funds ran short. Poe's daily routine in the cottage reflected his isolation and creative focus, rising early around 4 a.m. for solitary walks along the aqueduct or to a nearby rocky ledge, often returning to write in the serene environment that supported his routine. Amid that left groceries unpaid and prompted a public fundraising appeal yielding $60 from the New-York Express, Poe tended to a tortoise-shell that perched on his shoulder during composition sessions and warmed Virginia in her final days, alongside caged tropical birds he cared for attentively. His health deteriorated with occasional excessive drinking, exacerbating depression after Virginia's , though locals noted his generally temperate demeanor. The Fordham years marked a prolific phase despite adversity, with Poe revising "The Raven" and publishing his essay "The Philosophy of Composition" in April 1846 to elucidate its creation. He composed or completed key poems including "Ulalume" (1847), "The Bells" (1849), and "Annabel Lee" (1849), the latter inspired by Virginia's memory, as well as the prose poem "Eureka" (1848), and short stories such as "The Cask of Amontillado" (1846). These works, often exploring themes of loss and melancholy, emerged from the cottage's confines, where Poe resided until departing in 1849, shortly before his death in Baltimore.

Preservation and Relocation

Initial Preservation Attempts

Following Edgar Allan Poe's death in , the cottage he had rented with his family from 1846 to remained standing amid the rural village of Fordham, but it faced increasing threats from urban development as grew. By the late , the property had deteriorated, and in 1889, it was sold at a public auction for $775 to William Fearing Gill, a Poe biographer who purchased it specifically to prevent its and preserve its literary significance. This acquisition marked one of the earliest documented efforts to safeguard the site, motivated by growing in Poe's legacy during his residency there. In the , preservation momentum built as organizations recognized the cottage's vulnerability to encroaching . The New York Shakespeare Society leased the property in 1895 and launched a campaign to maintain it, while also proposing the creation of a dedicated Poe Park to contextualize the site within a public green space. That same year, a proposal to widen Kingsbridge Road posed an immediate demolition risk, prompting the Poe Memorial Association to lobby city officials in 1896 for $250,000 to acquire and protect the surrounding block. These efforts reflected broader civic campaigns to honor Poe amid the area's transformation from farmland to suburbia, though initial fell short. By the early 20th century, city planning advanced preservation. In 1897, approved a $100,000 plan for park development, leading to the acquisition of land for Poe Park in 1902, named in honor of the author to underscore the cottage's cultural value. Despite this, the cottage stayed under private ownership until 1913, when redevelopment pressures, including ongoing road expansions, again threatened demolition. The New York Shakespeare Society spearheaded a successful campaign to relocate the structure approximately 450 feet north across the street into the newly established Poe Park, ensuring its survival as a public landmark. The cottage was dismantled, moved, and reassembled on its new site, opening to visitors on November 15, 1913.

Modern Restoration and Recognition

In 1922, the New-York Historical Society conducted a comprehensive of the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, restoring both its interior and exterior to reflect its appearance during the based on contemporary historical accounts. This effort included refurnishing the rooms with period-appropriate items to evoke the era of Poe's residency. The cottage received further official protections in the mid-20th century, designated as a Landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1966. It was subsequently listed on the in 1980, under reference number 80002588. By the early 1970s, the site had suffered significant neglect and vandalism under city management, including theft of artifacts and structural damage that prompted calls for restricted access. In 1975, administration shifted to the , which undertook recovery efforts to stabilize and secure the property in cooperation with agencies. Ongoing preservation in the has focused on structural integrity and site enhancements, including a $250,000 facelift to the cottage in 2008 that addressed foundational and roofing issues. These works integrated with broader park improvements, such as the $1.2 million reconstruction of Poe Park completed in 2002, which enhanced landscaping and accessibility around the cottage. In 2012, the Poe Park , designed by and funded at $4.2 million, opened adjacent to the cottage, providing space for exhibits, programs, and improved visitor facilities.

Museum and Cultural Role

Exhibits and Features

The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage serves as a historic house with permanent exhibits focused on the author's residency and creative output during his time in Fordham from 1846 to 1849. The centerpiece is the multimedia exhibit "Edgar Allan Poe at Fordham," which explores Poe's life, including his relationships with wife and mother-in-law Maria Clemm, alongside his literary works produced there, such as the short story "" and the poem "." These displays recreate the modest domestic setting that inspired elements of Poe's writing, providing contextual insight into his final years marked by personal hardship and productivity. The cottage's interior features restored rooms furnished in period-appropriate 1840s style to evoke daily life during Poe's occupancy. Key artifacts include a in the upstairs bedroom where Virginia Poe died of in 1847 at age 24, a rocking chair thought to have been owned by the family and used by Poe, and a simple desk linked to his writing activities. A gilded mirror, also associated with the Poe household, adds to the authenticity of the parlor and bedroom setups, emphasizing the simplicity of their rural existence amid financial struggles. Temporary installations rotate to connect Poe's legacy with broader themes in , , and local history. As of November 2025, the exhibit ": Stay Scared!" examines the horror filmmaker's origins and his influences from Poe's gothic tales, featuring multimedia and artifacts on Romero's career. Recent examples include the surrealist art of Margarita Deida Pietri paired with Nuyorican poetry in the upper room, and a loaner display from the Poe Museum in detailing the circumstances of Poe's death, which opened in late 2023. In the surrounding Poe Park, a bronze bust of Edgar Allan Poe, sculpted by Edmond T. Quinn in 1909 and donated by the Bronx Society of Arts and Sciences, stands as a prominent memorial to the author's Bronx connection and contributions to American literature. This outdoor feature complements the cottage's indoor exhibits by anchoring Poe's presence in the landscape where he once lived.

Visitor Information and Impact

The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage is open to the public on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Sundays from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with walk-up admission available upon arrival. Admission operates on a suggested donation basis, with $5 recommended for adults and $3 for children and seniors; entry is free for Bronx County Historical Society members and holders of New York Public Library, Queens Public Library, or Brooklyn Public Library cards through the Culture Pass NYC program, and no one is turned away for inability to pay. Guided tours, including private options outside regular hours, can be scheduled for $25 per adult and $12 per child by contacting the Bronx County Historical Society at [email protected] or 718-881-8900 ext. 107. The site is accessible via the D or 4 subway lines at the Kingsbridge Road station or several MTA bus routes, including Bx1, Bx2, Bx9, Bx22, Bx28, Bx34, and BxM4. Educational programs at the cottage include school field trips and group workshops tailored to topics such as 19th-century and history, engaging students through hands-on activities and tours. Literary workshops, such as sessions led by local artists, are offered periodically, fostering creative exploration of Poe's works. Annual events feature celebrations of Poe's birthday on January 19, with special open hours from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, free admission, and activities involving poets and artists to commemorate his life and legacy. The cottage plays a key role in promoting Edgar Allan Poe's legacy by preserving the site of his final residence and highlighting his productive period in the Bronx from 1846 to 1849, where he composed works like "The Bells" and cared for his family. As a featured attraction of the Bronx Tourism Council, it contributes to local by drawing visitors to the borough's historic sites and enhancing cultural offerings beyond . The permanent exhibits on Poe's life and literary output support scholarly studies of 19th-century , providing multimedia resources that contextualize his influence on genres like horror and . Following the , County Historical Society has implemented digital enhancements, including virtual tours accessible online, to broaden access and support recovery efforts by maintaining engagement during periods of limited in-person visitation. Community engagement initiatives continue through collaborative events, such as the multi-site ": Stay Scared!" exhibit opening on October 31, 2025, which connects Poe's gothic themes to modern horror and involves local artists and institutions. Future plans emphasize expanding educational outreach and temporary exhibits to deepen ties with residents and literary enthusiasts.

References

  1. https://bronxhistoricalsociety.org/poe-cottage
  2. https://historichousetrust.org/houses/edgar-allan-poe-cottage/
  3. https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/edgar-allan-poe-and-the-historic-poe-park
  4. https://nylandmarks.org/explore-ny/edgar-allan-poe-cottage/
  5. https://www.nypap.org/preservation-history/edgar-allen-poe-cottage/
  6. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/poe-park/monuments/1194
  7. https://www.lehman.edu/vpadvance/artgallery/arch/buildings/poe.html
  8. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/edgar-allen-poe-cottage
  9. https://www.travelincousins.com/travelin-the-nyc-outer-boroughs-with-elisa/7-historical-facts-about-the-fordham-section-of-the-bronx
  10. https://www.nyctourism.com/articles/poe-cottage-how-did-it-get-there/
  11. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/poe-park/facilities/historichouses
  12. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/poe-park
  13. https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/80002588.pdf
  14. https://www.eapoe.org/geninfo/poechron.htm
  15. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/when-edgar-allan-poe-needed-to-get-away-he-went-to-the-bronx-180949454/
  16. https://www.eapoe.org/pstudies/ps1980/p1982101.htm
  17. https://www.eapoe.org/papers/misc1851/18910118.htm
  18. https://www.nps.gov/people/poe-virginiapoe.htm
  19. https://aleteia.org/2017/07/28/edgar-allan-poes-unknown-friendship-with-the-jesuits/
  20. https://www.nytimes.com/1974/04/03/archives/poe-devotees-are-gloomy-over-losses-and-vandalism-at-his-cottage-in.html
  21. https://www.pw.org/content/poe039s_bronx_cottage_receive_major_facelift
  22. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/poe-park/dailyplant/14013
  23. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/07/arts/design/07arts-RESTORATIONA_BRF.html
  24. http://urbanomnibus.net/2012/07/field-trip-poe-park-and-cottage/
  25. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/poe-park/highlights/11787
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