Will The Poe Toaster Make His Pilgrimage?
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Will he or won't he? That is the question as we get ready to mark the birthday of Edgar Allan Poe. Poe is buried at Westminster Hall graveyard. Each year, on this night, a mystery person has left roses and cognac at Poe's grave.
Denise Koch reports last year, however, he failed to appear.
For the past six decades, a mysterious figure emerged from the dark to "toast" Edgar Allan Poe on his birthday.
Each year, on Jan. 19, the so-called "Poe toaster" left roses and a bottle of cognac at the famed poet's gravesite---that is, until last year.
"I was very disappointed. So was everyone else that was standing here, waiting for the guy to show up," said one visitor.
Fans were shocked, but the Poe toaster's absence seemed to only deepen the mystery surrounding the tradition.
"I heard that the person passed away a while back. I heard someone took up the tradition," said another fan.
"My immediate instinct was the Poe toaster had to be David Franks," said another.
Now, as Poe's birthday returns, fans are hoping the visitor will also return.
"It's something I've always wanted to do is stay overnight here and wait and now I'm upset if it's over and I never get a chance," said a fan.
Ron Matz will be live from the gravesite Wednesday morning.
