Get a glimpse into one of the most darkly romantic minds in American literature by touring the apartment once rented by the author and critic Edgar Allan Poe.

Though Poe was born in Boston and died in Baltimore, he considered his happiest and most productive period to be the six years he spent in Philadelphia. He lived in several homes during that time; this apartment, which Poe shared with his wife and mother-in-law from roughly 1843 to 1844, is the only one that survives. Unlike other historic homes, Poe’s former residence is kept unfurnished, aside from one room where visitors can read and hear recordings of his work. Interpretive rangers bring the empty space to life with insights into the author’s macabre imagination and tragic life story.

A Romantic Innovator

Poe's writing continues to influence various forms of literature. Though he was most famous during his lifetime as a literary critic and is best remembered now for his imaginative short fiction and poems, he is also widely recognized as the creator of detective fiction and praised for his contributions to science fiction.

Updates on Edgar Allan Poe

  • Blog Post

    National Poetry Month Trivia Challenge

    Apr 2016 | By Jennifer Errick

    Q: The former homes of four prolific American poets are preserved in the National Park System. Can you name these four beloved writers?

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