



The Edgar Allan Poe Connection
Both Great Grandmothers once owned taverns in Baltimore, Maryland
one on Wolfe Street and one on Lombard Street
This area known as Fells Point
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Having visited Edgar Allan Poe’s gravesite at Westminster Hall and Burial Ground on several occasions plus knowing my great grandmothers both owned taverns near there I asked my mother where the taverns were located.
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“One was on Broadway Street and one on Lombard Street they competed with one another for patrons” Was her response. So the discovery was to begin. After grabbing a map and allowing her to guide me through the ‘old neighborhood of Fells Point’. Viewing this area and doing a little research it became clear that Edgar Allan Poe frequented this section of Baltimore. In fact the bench he was found on just prior to his death was on the same block, perhaps just outside of one of the taverns formally owned by my family Maryanna Janczak from Warsaw, Poland. The tavern was 'Mom's Place'. Both an amazing and interesting piece of family history.
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Gunner's Hall, located on the north side of Lombard Street in Baltimore, Maryland, has a rich history dating back to 1849. This tavern and hotel not only served weary travelers but also functioned as a polling place for the 4th Ward during the election in October 1849. Note, it is infamous as the last location where Edgar Allan Poe was found in a disoriented state on 3, 1849, before being taken to Washington College, where he later passed away. Today, the site stands as a reminder of Baltimore's vibrant past and connection to one of America’s most celebrated literary figures.