{"id":468,"date":"2013-07-25T21:12:35","date_gmt":"2013-07-26T02:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asylumeclectica.com\/sightseer\/?p=468"},"modified":"2013-11-04T20:38:14","modified_gmt":"2013-11-05T02:38:14","slug":"edgar-allen-poes-grave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.decidedlygrim.net\/sightseer\/?p=468","title":{"rendered":"Edgar Allen Poe’s Grave"},"content":{"rendered":"

Edgar Allan Poe’s Gravesite<\/strong>
\nWestminster Hall, Baltimore, MD<\/strong>
\nJune 13, 2001<\/strong><\/p>\n

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On an oppressively hot and humid June day, I rode the light rail to downtown Baltimore to spend a half hour wandering about the hallowed morbid soil of the Westminster Burying Grounds – the\u00a0churchyard<\/a>\u00a0and cemetery where\u00a0Edgar Allan Poe’s grave<\/a>\u00a0is located. Perhaps you’ve heard the story of that special unknown black-clad someone who lays three red roses and a bottle of cognac at Poe’s grave every year on the anniversary of his birth. Well, this is where it happens. This is actually the third resting place for Edgar’s remains – the first two being on the other side of the burial grounds (which we’ll get to later. \u00a0Edgar’s remains were disinterred and moved to this memorial gravesite in 1875.)<\/b><\/b>Anyway, I wandered about the monument to see the epitaphs for other members of the Poe family all along its sides: Edgar’s beloved\u00a0aunt (and mother-in-law)<\/a>, Edgar’s\u00a0wife (and cousin)<\/a>, and Edgar\u00a0himself<\/a>. Edgar’s epitaph was significantly more eroded than the other two, which makes me think that a lot of people have placed their marble-damaging hands against his name. I refrained from such abuse of The Original Master Of The Macabre’s grave – aren’t you proud?<\/b>After spending some reverent time at Edgar’s grave, I turned to explore the\u00a0rest of the graveyard<\/a>. There were quite a few interesting old gravestones – including\u00a0this one<\/a>\u00a0which, though partially concealed, reveals a poignant elegy: “Sacred to the memory of Fanny H. Peachey, Consort of Thomas G. Peachey, who was born November the 24, 1799 and departed this transitory life February the 11, 1822, in the 23rd year of her age. The amiable qualities of this interesting female were such as endeared her to all who knew her: she was a dutiful child and a truly affectionate wife. In early life she bore the cross of Jesus and by that life has left ample reason to believe that she has ascended to the… bliss.” Yep, Fanny was Peachey! <groan…><\/b>Many of the graves here were of a rather peculiar design (by west coast standards, that is). They looked rather depressingly like\u00a0crematoriums<\/a>\u00a0more than crypts. And these ones\u00a0against the wall<\/a>\u00a0weren’t very pretty either. But, by and large,\u00a0hospital construction next door<\/a>\u00a0aside, I thought it was a most attractive and serene little cemetery. Here are some additional photographs from the site (with descriptions when applicable).<\/b><\/p>\n\n\t\t