Talk:Edgar Allan Poe Cottage

Latest comment: 9 years ago by Midnightdreary in topic Poor quality photograph

Recent History edit

I know this section needs significant expansion, but to be totally honest I'm having trouble tracking down the sources as opposed to the old NY Times Archive. Suggestions? TRAVELLINGCARIMy storyTell me yours 01:22, 18 March 2008 (UTC)Reply

Irving Haas has a book about author's homes, if you can get your hands on it. Mary E. Phillips's biography of Poe has some info on early history - I have a copy of that right now so I'll see what I can find that's relevant. Thanks for getting started on this! --Midnightdreary (talk) 14:37, 7 April 2008 (UTC)Reply
Other questions... The NY Times source I noticed was dated 1889 - I believe better scholarship has been done since then. I'd have to confirm with reliable sources but my understanding is that Poe lived in this home until the end of his life in 1849, Maria Clemm (his mother-in-law) moved out a few months later. Regarding "The Raven", considering that Poe moved here (according to that 1889 source) in 1846 and "The Raven" was published in January 1845, Poe could not have possibly been living here when the poem was written (it's generally understood that Poe wrote it while staying at the Brennan Farm in New York in 1844). He did, however, write "The Bells" and possibly "Annabel Lee" here. Again, I'll need to confirm but just a heads-up. --Midnightdreary (talk) 15:07, 7 April 2008 (UTC)Reply
I found a more recent source that also appeared to confirm that this was where "The Raven" was written, let's both check to see what we find. I have no doubt they'll disagree and then we'll figure out what to do. Thanks for your help with this. TRAVELLINGCARIMy storyTell me yours 15:54, 7 April 2008 (UTC)Reply
Sourced or not, the article contradicts itself: I don't understand how Poe could have written "The Raven" at this house before he was living here... Granted, where Poe wrote "The Raven" is like "George Washington slept here" and I've seen claims that he wrote it in Delaware, Lowell, Massachusetts, Baltimore, Philadelphia... you name it! When I have access to my library again, I'm sure I can find a good five or six sources that say Poe wrote "The Raven" at the Brennan Farm, before he moved to Fordham. In fact, I could find sources that say Poe moved to Fordham indirectly because of his sudden fame. --Midnightdreary (talk) 16:26, 7 April 2008 (UTC)Reply
Oh I'm sure you can. I just had a quick squiz at Gooogle books and even those contradict themselves. I'd venture a guess that only Poe knows conclusively where he slept (as Washington knew his beds) and he's sure not talking! If he does, then we've got bigger problems :) TRAVELLINGCARIMy storyTell me yours 17:19, 7 April 2008 (UTC)Reply

I've done a little work on this but will certainly add more later; a cursory search has shown a fair amount of info. By the way, I have re-organized the headings... not sure it's perfect so feel free to improve or remove! --Midnightdreary (talk) 02:58, 9 April 2008 (UTC)Reply

Living In Fordham edit

I was raised in The Old Fordham Village area of The Bronx New York. Just a few blocks away from "The Poe Cottage" and "The Clemm Cottage". I was a member of The Bronx County Historical Society. I am an aquainted friend of Prof. Lloyd Ultan, Official Bronx Historian and one of the official historians for The City of New York. I have done extensive research on the history of Fordham Village, and some of the people who lived there in the area. Any Questions???

Aedwardmoch (talk) 06:07, 30 July 2008 (UTC)AedwardmochAedwardmoch (talk) 06:07, 30 July 2008 (UTC)Reply

Subheaders edit

Per your question, I think they look good. Looking at this again reminds me I need to do something about the nasty redlink in the first paragraph -- that's been on my to do list for a while TRAVELLINGCARIMy storyTell me yours 03:25, 9 April 2008 (UTC)Reply

Original Location of The Poe and Clemm Cottages edit

Around the early 1900's, "The Poe House" was threatened to be raised from it's original location on Kingsbridge Road, with Briggs Avenue to the back. Fortunately The Bronx Council of the Arts and Sciences group supported the saving of "The Poe Cottage", and had the structure moved across the street, what is Now "Poe Park", situated between Kingsbridge Road and The Grand Concourse. In the 1970's, due to vandalism and breakins, The Bronx Council of the Arts and Sciences, relinquished control over "The Poe Cottage" to The Bronx County Historical Society.

Unfortunately, the knowledge of "The Clemm Cottage" got overlooked over the years until the 1970's, when I and other BCHS fellow associates were looking over some old real estate maps at The BCHS Reference-Research Library, trying to designate "Old Fordham Village", as a historic neighboorhood", and saw the name "Clemm". "The Clemm Cottage" was located at it's original location on Briggs Avenue (near 195th. Street). Still a private residence sandwiched between building tenements (I later moved into one of those tenaments in 1978), the owner/residence claimed that we were mistaken... but a few years later, a neighboor-friend confirmed that it was "The Clemm Cottage". Tragically, in the early 1980's, the owner or resident left or retired to live with family... and "The Clemm Cottage" was abandoned. It was raized a few years later, too late in our failed attempt to get landmark protection.

We are convinced that Edgar Allen Poe's Mother-In-Law, Maria Clemm may have lived there at one time after Poe's death, or other Clemm family members resided there. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Aedwardmoch (talkcontribs) 18:26, 31 July 2008 (UTC)Reply

Did you know...? edit

...that, despite the DYK at the top of this page, Edgar Allan Poe did not write "The Raven" while living at what is now called Edgar Allan Poe Cottage in the Fordham section of The Bronx in New York City? Ugh. --Midnightdreary (talk) 18:36, 23 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

Nevermore! ScottyBerg (talk) 15:30, 23 October 2011 (UTC)Reply

Poor quality photograph edit

User:Jackheart314 is edit warring to include very poorly written content and a very poor quality photo that adds nothing useful to the article. Theroadislong (talk) 19:32, 13 March 2015 (UTC)Reply


why are you singling me out, the picture I haven taken is not of poor quality it clearly shows the rocking chair in full and clear view(which is one of the main attractions at the cottage) And why did you delete the part where I mention the 3 furniture's items that still remain from Poe's time, how is that not relevant? "Poe Park and Kingsbridge Road today" picture you can barely see the cottage, and is the 3rd picture from the outside if any picture should be delete it should be that one and not mine! (Jackheart314 (talk) 20:55, 13 March 2015 (UTC))Reply

I disagree with the accusation that there was "very poorly written content". It's important to clarify, however, that the removed text was a copyright violation. It absolutely cannot be reinserted. Also, I am suspicious of the copyright of the image; an earlier version was clearly a copyright violation, as the user admitted. --Midnightdreary (talk) 02:36, 14 March 2015 (UTC)Reply
"a mirror which once reflective Poe's image back to him, helps transcend this cottage back to life." I suggest that this WAS poorly written! Theroadislong (talk) 07:20, 14 March 2015 (UTC)Reply
You were referring, then, to new text that was added only once, not the original text which had previously been reverted. The original text was the copyvio. --Midnightdreary (talk) 03:20, 15 March 2015 (UTC)Reply