It's been over 170 years since Poe lived at 3 Amity Street, the quaint little house then on the outskirts of Baltimore. Poe moved in with his Aunt, cousins, and grandmother near the beginning of 1833 and moved out in 1835. The house has changed ownership, been remodeled and renumbered 203 North Amity Street, and had an addition added outside. It has fallen into disrepair, been restored by the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore, and turned into a museum. In many ways, it is not the same place at all that a 23-year-old Poe moved into so long ago.
That's where the magic of history and imagination come in. We know certain facts about the way Poe and his relatives lived when the house was known as 3 Amity Street. Using these facts, we can present you with a fairly good idea of his life may have been like. Then, it's up to you to piece together those facts and fill in the gaps with your imagination.
As you explore Poe's bedroom and the museum items that occupy the modern 203 N. Amity Street, use your imagination to take you back to mid 1800s. Imagine walking up the tiny, twisting staircase at night to Poe's stiflingly hot room. Imagine looking out the window-not at endless rows of houses like today, but instead at a few scattered houses and fields. In short, walk back through time and imagine touching, smelling, and using the things you see, just like Poe and his family did so long ago.
You can choose to explore three rooms in the Poe house. In each, you can move your mouse over different items to learn more about their history and use.
The Garret — Explore the room scholars think Poe lived in during his stay at Amity Street.
The Front Bedroom — Check out historical items related to Poe, including a piece of his coffin and a lock of his hair.
The "Kitchen" — Learn about Poe-related artifacts like Virginia's deathbed portrait and the family china.
