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How Much Would You Pay To Rent/Save Poe's Cottage?
By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 3, 2010
Modified Nov 3, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 3, 2010
Modified Nov 3, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
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Photo by Tom Giebel
Edgar Allan Poe came to Manhattan in April of 1844 hoping to make a name for himself in the literary world, and two years later found himself moving to a cottage in the Bronx with his wife Virginia who was suffering from tuberculosis (she died there a year later). Poe eventually moved to Richmond, Virginia, but his time in New York is still making headlines; recently a letter was discovered in which he apologizes for his drunken behavior while in town, and now it's 163 years later and the Bronx County Historical Society is trying to save his old home.
According to the Daily News, they need $2MM to help with operating expenses; the director of the cottage told them, "We need to do this. There are so many things we are not able to do because of a small budget." They've raised just $20K so far, and are having a fundraiser on December 10th at the National Arts Club in Manhattan to raise more (tickets will be $100 each).
The cottage—located at East Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse—costs around $300K to run annually, with the city paying 40% of that. It's where Poe penned The Cask of Amontillado and Annabel Lee, which is surely worth something—so maybe they can rent it out to a Poe fan. How much does a single-family home (renovated, with a porch and yard!) go for in that area?
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edgar allan poe
Poe Cottage
the bronx
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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