Edgar Allen Poe's Birthday, January 19th

Having been both an English major and an English teacher, not to mention a born Philadelphian, it goes without saying that I am acquainted with Edgar Allen Poe.  In school, we all read his short stories, The Cask of the Amontillado, most well-known, and on my own, as a child I read The Pit and the Pendulum, made into a film.  Also, I read many other books and short story collections of the work of Edgar Allen Poe, and over the years, have been to many presentations featuring his work, most recently the Knights/Collings House Halloween storytelling event where a talented group of thespians recited his stories in different rooms of the house - very well done.  

It is my personal opinion, that Edgar Allen Poe is especially appealing to high school students because for some reason, they have a taste for horror and the macabre, although at present it seems populated more by zombies and vampires.

Anyway, I though I would give you a 'heads up' about his birthday in case you wanted to do something to celebrate.  You could visit the raven at the Philadelphia Library, or you could go to his house:

"The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site is a preserved home once rented by American author Edgar Allan Poe, located at 532 N. 7th Street, in the Spring Garden neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though Poe lived in many houses over several years in Philadelphia, it is the only one which still survives." 

Address: 532 N 7th St, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Hours:  ⋅ Opens 9AM Fri

Management: National Park Service

Considering the state of our government at present (the closing of the parks for the budget stand-off, you might want to call before you go!

By the way, speaking of ravens, there was a handsome sculpture of one on the Viking Ship in Philadelphia that I visited this summer with friend, Barb Solem.  Apparently, the Vikings used them as land spotters!