Visiting Edgar Allan Poe’s Grave: A Spooky Walk Through Baltimore's Past

by Roxanne Crouse August 23, 2025

Hey spooky cats! 🐈⬛ While staying at the haunted Lord Baltimore Hotel (yes, it’s as creepy and cool as it sounds), we discovered that Edgar Allan Poe’s grave was just a half-mile walk away. As lovers of the macabre, mysterious, and the melancholy, there was no way we were passing that up.

So we laced up our boots and set off to find the final resting place of the master of gothic horror himself.

Finding Poe (and a Raven Feather)

Just a short stroll from the Lord Baltimore Hotel, nestled behind Westminster Hall, sits a surprisingly peaceful cemetery that houses not one but several burial spots of Edgar Allan Poe. Yes, you read that right. He was moved three times before finally settling into the monument you see today. More on that in a bit.

The first thing we spotted was a large, impressive memorial dedicated to Poe and his family right at the front of the cemetery. But if you’re a true Poe fan, don’t stop there. Walk to the back corner of the churchyard, where you’ll find his original grave—once marked only with the number 80.

And in true poetic fashion, we found a raven feather lying near the grave. Coincidence? Maybe. But it felt like a quiet nod from the man himself.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Death: Still a Mystery

Now, for those who like their graves with a side of unsolved mystery, Poe’s death is still one of literature’s greatest question marks.

In October of 1849, Poe was found wandering the streets of Baltimore in a delirious, incoherent state, wearing someone else’s clothes. He was taken to Washington College Hospital (now known as Baltimore City Marine Hospital), where he died on October 7th, never regaining full consciousness. His death certificate and medical records have been lost to time, and the official cause of death remains a mystery—suggestions have ranged from alcohol poisoning, rabies, carbon monoxide poisoning, and even cooping, a voter fraud scheme involving kidnapping and forced voting.

His funeral was shockingly modest. Only a handful of people attended the gloomy graveside service on October 8th, 1849, under a dreary, overcast sky. It’s said the ceremony lasted just a few minutes.

Grave-Hopping: Poe’s Post-Mortem Journey

Originally buried in an unmarked grave in the Poe family plot, Poe was eventually moved in 1875 when admirers raised funds for a new monument. The large headstone and tribute we see today were installed to give him a more proper memorial. But because of the tight layout of the cemetery, they actually had to move his body again to fit the headstone.

And yes—this morbid game of musical graves continued until 1921 when they finally settled on the current configuration. No more posthumous redecorating (we hope).

The Cemetery Itself: Gothic Vibes and Ghostly Rumors

The Westminster Burying Ground is atmospheric in the best way—weathered gravestones, imposing mausoleums, and the church looming above like a scene straight from one of Poe’s own stories.

And wouldn’t you know it, the cemetery is said to be haunted. Many have reported strange sounds, shadows moving on their own, and cold spots around Poe’s grave. We didn’t catch any full-bodied apparitions on camera (yet), but we’ll be going over the footage with a fine-toothed EMF detector. Fingers crossed for ghost photo bombs.

A Note for the Curious

One cool find was a note left for Poe at the grave. I was dying to open it (pun intended), but I resisted. If you visit, you might spot your own little tributes—roses, coins, bottles of cognac, and of course, the occasional raven feather.

And for Ripley’s fans: part of Poe’s burial history even made it into Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

Back to the Lord Baltimore Hotel...

After paying our respects to Poe, we headed back to the haunted Lord Baltimore Hotel for a night of ghost hunting. That video is coming soon—editing it has taken longer than usual because I used more cameras than ever before (possibly too many, but what is too many when it comes to catching a ghost on tape?).

So keep your eyes peeled, spooky cats! Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the paranormal madness to come.

TL;DR:

Edgar Allan Poe’s grave is just a half-mile walk from the Lord Baltimore Hotel.
He died under mysterious circumstances in 1849 and was originally buried in an unmarked grave.
His body was moved multiple times before landing under the monument we see today.
The cemetery is haunted, gothic, and full of hidden graves and creepy vibes.
A raven feather marked our visit—coincidence? You decide.

👻 Until next time, stay spooky and curious. And if you visit Poe’s grave, say hi for me (and maybe leave him a little something from your gothic heart).