Baltimore will pay the B&O Railroad Museum $180,000 to put the Edgar Allan Poe House on the road to becoming a self-sufficient, serious tourist draw, under a proposal approved by the city’s Board of Estimates Wednesday.You’ll find the complete story here.
The overriding idea is to turn the Poe House into a draw that will not only see increased attendance, which has fluctuated between 3,000 and 5,000 annually, but also make Baltimore a destination for Poe enthusiasts. It also envisions an annual operating budget of between $200,000 and $300,000--substantially more than the $85,000 the city had been spending annually on the Poe House. ...
The plan calls for B&O officials to spend a year working with members of the newly formed nonprofit Poe Baltimore. It envisions an expanded website, logo, promotional brochures and orientation videos, as well as some joint operation of the two West Baltimore museums.
After a year, Poe Baltimore would assume full responsibility for operating and funding of the house. The house closed Friday after 33 years of being operated by the city. Poe Baltimore and city officials have said they hope to have the house ready for a spring reopening.
READ MORE: “The House of Poe to Reopen May 24,” by Ron Charles (The Washington Post).
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