Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site

Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site Review

One of America's most original writers, Edgar Allan Poe (1809-49), lived here from 1843 to 1844; it's the only one of his Philadelphia residences still standing. During that time some of his best-known short stories were published: "The Telltale Heart," "The Black Cat," and "The Gold Bug." You can tour the three-story brick house; to evoke the spirit of Poe, the National Park Service is displaying first-edition manuscripts and has set up painted backdrops in some rooms to provide a sense of how it may have looked in Poe's time. An adjoining house has exhibits on Poe and his family, his work habits, and his literary contemporaries; there's also an eight-minute film and a small Poe library and reading room. A statue of a raven helps set the mood. Special programs include Poetry Month tours (usually March or April) and popular "ghostly" tours in October (reservations required). The site, easily reached from the African American Museum, is five blocks north of Market Street. SEPTA Bus 47 travels on 7th Street to Spring Garden Street, where you should disembark.