After more than a year of renovations, the home of Edgar Allan Poe, one of America’s greatest writers has been reopened. Built in 1812, the white wood cottage was renovated over the past year using traditional techniques to preserve the integrity of home.
In 1844, Poe moved into the home with his wife, Virginia, accompanied by his mother-in-law, with the hope that the country surroundings would help his wife recover from tuberculosis.
Unfortunately, Virginia succumbed to her illness and died in the cottage in 1847. Poe wrote some of his most famous works around this time, including Annabel Lee, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Bells. Poe died two years later, during a trip to Baltimore.
His genius was widely recognized during his life and after his death his last home became something of a literary landmark. Today, the tiny rooms have been restored with furnishings appropriate to Poe’s residency in the 1840s, including a desk, rope bed, and wicker rocking chair thought to have belonged to the family.