2.+Poe's+House

[|Edgar Allan Poe] lived at 7th and Spring Garden Sts. from 1843-1844. [|Philadelphia Poe House]

The National Park Service took over care of the property in 1978. Poe's original house would have only included the building surrounded by the white picket fence. Poe published [|"The Raven"] in New York City in 1845 which suggests that he began writing his most famous poem while he lived in Philadelphia. [|Christopher Walken Reading] Poe's house is bereft of furnishings, but evidence from previous residences suggest his drawing room may have looked liked this. Notice the picture of the elk above the fireplace. This animal is featured in Poe's story [|"Morning on the Wissahiccon"](1844). On the third story of the house, [|"The Tell Tale Heart"] (1843) can be found beneath the floor boards. [|Vincent Price (Part 1)] [|Vincent Price (Part 2)] Poe's basement may have inspired the basement scene in his story [|"The Black Cat"](1843). [|Excerpt by Animated Poe] The Reading Room at the Poe House is furnished in accordance with ideas from his essay [|"The Philosophy of Furniture"](1840). This mural across the street from Poe's House is in the style of [|"The Oval Portrait"](1842). [|Audio of Complete Text] Poe lived in this house with his wife [|Virginia Eliza Clemm] and his aunt Maria Clemm. In January 1842 Virginia contracted [|tuberculosis] which inspired Poe to write [|"The Masque of the Red Death"](1842). Her death in 1847 was the inspiration for his poem [|"Annabel Lee"](1849). [|Basil Rathbone Reading]