Vintage in The Bronx-Edgar Allan Poe's Cottage

In fact nothing could be ore simple---more utterly unpretending than this cottage.  Its marvellous effect lay all together in its artistic arrangement as a picture.  I could have fancied, while I looked at it, that some eminent landscape-painter had built it with his brush.

 Edgar Allan Poe-Landor's Cottage

Few people know that the inspiration for the cottage Poe describes above in one of his few non-horror tales, actually exists, and still stands in a busy urban section of the Bronx, in New York City.  Poe rented the cottage and lived their with his ailing wife Virginia from the summer of 1846 through 1847.  During the time Poe lived in the Bronx it was rural farm land and Poe had few neighbors, other then the nearby Jesuit residents of Fordham, College.   Recently the cottage was restored by the Bronx Historical Society and is now a museum. 

I have always loved the stories of Edgar Allan Poe so as soon as I heard the cottage had re-opened I made plans to visit and my husband and I made the trip in September.

The cottage is smack dab in the middle of urban sprawl of the Bronx and you have to pass plenty of Bodegas and apartment buildings to get there.  We did see this neat old Loewes Theatre

It seemed almost identical to the one in Jersey City where we live, but it appeared to be being used as a church rather then as a theatre.  Just when you think you won't find the cottage you come across the sign for Edgar A Poe park.

The 1930s knit dress I am wearing by the way is from Adeline's Attic on Etsy.

The cottage is right in the center of the Park.

Its very small, just as Poe described it, and is staffed by Volunteers who show you around and tell you a bit about Poe's life in the Bronx.  There is also a short film on the subject.  The interior has been very carefully restored to match descriptions of the cottage from the time Poe lived there.

 The rocking chair and bed are believed to be Poe's own and the rest of the furnishings are from the same period.  The cottage is open Saturdays and Sundays and admittance is five dollars for adults and three dollars for children and students.

 If you live in the New York area and are a fan of Poe's work I would definitely recommend a visit.