The Horse You Came in On

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The Horse You Came in On is the nifty name for a bar in Baltimore, Maryland. I happened to see this online and just had to share. This saloon can be found in Fell’s Point Historic District in Baltimore in a Colonial-era building. This bar has been in business since 1775, which makes it the oldest in Baltimore. It happens to be the only bar in Maryland that never closed its doors during the Prohibition. The Horse You Came in On was a favorite drinking spot of Edgar Allan Poe and was supposedly the bar in which he took his very last drink before they found him wandering in the streets. Afterwards they took him to Washington Medical College, where he died four days later. There is still much mystery surrounding his death. In the bar today you can find a seat with the sign “Poe’s Last Stop.” This makes me wonder if someone might have something bad befall them if they sit in that chair. The bar is located on the last street before the docks on the Patapsco River. It is just a short walk away from where Poe first met and fell in love with Virginia Clemm, who passed away from tuberculosis in 1847. At that time Poe had moved to live across town in Amity Street, where today you can find the Poe House and Museum. Even though it is still a disputed topic that this bar was actually the last place Poe drank, he was found only a few blocks from it. It has become a beloved dive bar hosting live music most nights. Locals fondly call it “The Horse.” Just in case Poe should show up in spirit, the staff leaves a glass of whiskey for him before they lock up. I wonder if they have ever found an empty glass when they reopened the next day. I wouldn’t mind the chance to lift a glass or two with Poe, would you?