Paying Our Respects at Edgar Allan Poe's Grave

What’s a trip to the Maryland State Archives without a side trip to Baltimore. We went to the Westminster Hall and Burying Ground on Fayette Street to see Edgar Allan Poe’s gravesite. It’s a lovely small, and slightly spooky cemetery. Another interesting burial is James McHenry–Fort McHenry is named for him. The plaque explains McHenry was present when George Washington resigned his commission, shortly after the end of the American Revolution. Washington resigned at Annapolis, established as the US capital on 23 November 1783.¹

People bring offerings, such as the cigarettes at the base of the marker.

The cemetery walls are kind of faux Egyptian and feel a bit spooky.

“State House Trust,” Maryland Manual On-Line: A Guide to Maryland and It’s Government (https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/25ind/html/68shous.html : accessed 19 October 2022).

About Author

Vanessa Wood is located in Connecticut. She writes on genealogical topics. She enjoys researching families in California, Tennessee, and Virginia. She is a DAR member and a member of the California and Tennessee genealogical societies. Vanessa is the author of the book Pryor Wives: Stories of Family, Fortune, and Fiasco. Her books are available on Amazon.com.