New-York tribune., 1920-04-28
The Poe Cottage
Precious Memorial and a
Misplaced Tablet

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: I first saw tie Poe cottage
many years ago at its original site on
Kingsbrdge Read. There were then
vcry tcw buildings in that vicinity.
The Poe Perk Of to-day at that time
was piece of waste land marked
only by rocks. bushes and struggling
trecsi A few days ago I visited the
fine little park for the first time since
its transformation. The old cottage,
carefully renovated, the only building
in the park appears like precious
gem in beautiful setting.
Upon inquirins for the original site
of the cottage | was directed TO q
vacant lot near at hand on the east
side of the street. There is a large
For Sale" sigh on the lot. Adjoining
it on the south stands new brick
building upon the street front Of which
appears a bronze tablet which states
that the original site of the Poe cot
tage was near that spot. This seem
ingly confirmed the information I had
received that the place where the-cot-
tage first stood was on this vacant lor.
the tablet being bit few feet from
its southorly line. The appearance Of
he place, however, was so dHeren.
from the memory l retained of it that
| felt in doubt whether it was the real
site. This uncertainty in my mind was
fully justified, for I soon found the
genuine place occupied by the cottage
when Poe lived in it, about 100 feet
south along the street (hingsbridge
Road, and from which it must have
been moved 70 the park. A number OF
large buildings intervene between il
and the first mentioned lot 1t is still
vacant and retains features that
plainly recalled The abrupt descent
at the rear OF the lot with evidently
the same mass of loose pieces of rock
encumbeling it that was there twenty
five years ago; the same old wide
picket fence and narrow ilagstone walk
through the gateway from The stree:
and the low ground, rock edge and
trees to the eastward beyond the lot.
On pursuing my quest still further.
/ found and conversed with q we'll
Informed gentleman who has always
lived in that locality and who is now
the owner OF several houses and loss
near at hand on the same street. He
fully confined my belief as to The
original site, stating that there was
no doubt whatever about it.
The tablet should be moved TO or
near this place, and it is TO be hoped
that the error Will be corrected before
this real location of the cottage is
occupied by new building and the
evidence It's features now afford obii-
Grated.
During my recent visit the small
rooms of the cottage were filed with
constantly changing throng of people
most OF whom were ignorant as TO why
the modest little house and the relics II
contains were on exhibition. II a small
admission fee We're Charged i: woa'a
doubtless largely lessen the nanoef
OF this class of visitors. who weary the
intelligent and Very competent lazy
custodian and integferc materially with
the enJoymea, Of these WHO ho.d dsas
the memory q tae eseas poet.
Would IL not Le altogether rrops'
and appropriate that vues remains
which .a.e rested il the Westminster
Cemetery at Baltimore ssnte his dsaia'
should be entom3cd IN this park or III
the now vacant lot upon which the
historic cottage hrst stood and which
was his home for years before he died.
TaiSTRAM COFFIN.
! New York. April IS. 1920. -.