Poe in Philadelphia

Abstract

This chapter explores Poe’s life and productive literary career in the city of Philadelphia, the place he lived the longest except for his childhood in Richmond. The chapter discusses the many ways in which the city shaped Poe’s tales. It specifically examines the places in Philadelphia that may have piqued his interest while writing some of his most famous horror stories, including Eastern State Penitentiary, Wills Hospital for the Lame and Blind, the Jefferson Medical College, the Pennsylvania Hospital, and the Philadelphia Exchange. It also notes Poe’s intention to found Penn Magazine and his early aspirations to become the owner and editor of a major literary magazine.