Edgar Allan Poe’s bucolic Bronx cottage

In 1846, Edgar Allan Poe, his wife (and cousin) Virginia, and his mother-in-law moved from Manhattan to a little wooden house built in 1812 in The Bronx’s rural Fordham neighborhood. The isolated, modest home, which rented for just $100 a year, must have suited Poe well; he wrote “Annabel Lee” and “The Bells” there.

But his time in the house would be short. Virginia succumbed to tuberculosis in 1847. Poe died in 1849 in Baltimore. The home passed through several hands until 1905, when the New York State Legislature designated funds to preserve it as a historical landmark. 

A 1920 photo from Valentine’s City of New York guidebook:

In 1910 the house was moved to Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse, restored with original furnishings (including Poe’s bed and rocking chair), then designated a landmark in 1962.

Next spring, Poe Cottage will close for yearlong renovations, so if you want to see it, better make plans soon. More information is here.

Tags: Annabel Lee, Edgar Allen Poe, Poe Cottage, Poe Park, The Bells