The First Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony For Sarah Helen Whitman: A Great Success!

Levi Lionel Leland

Sunday, June 27, 2021, the long anticipated Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony For Sarah Helen Whitman took place at the North Burial Ground in Providence, Rhode Island. The occasion marked the 143rd anniversary of Whitman’s death.

Jeff Jerome, curator emeritus formerly with The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum in Baltimore, Maryland was our guest speaker, and Catherine Beyer Hurst, local historian and actress, played Mrs. Whitman.

We had a modest turnout of enthralled guests who traveled as far as New York and Washington D.C.! One special Poe enthusiast was from Peru! It was such an honor to have them gathered at this event.

At the closing of the ceremony, Jeff Jerome presented me with a piece of horsehair plaster wall from the suite in which Edgar Allan Poe and his wife, Virginia Clemm Poe, spent their honeymoon in Petersburg, Virginia.

Our wheels are already turning for next year! Until then, enjoy these photos of a few of the highlights from this year’s event…

The grave of Sarah Helen Whitman with a custom wreath made by Bloom Back Flowers.
Organizer and presenter, Levi Lionel Leland.
Jeff Jerome, curator emeritus formerly with The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.
Jeff Jerome with our actress, Catherine Hurst, who played Mrs. Whitman.
Left to right: Poe enthusiast Roger Bow, who traveled from New York to attend the event, organizer and presenter Levi Leland, and curator emeritus of the Poe House, Jeff Jerome.
Our actress Catherine Hurst as Mrs. Whitman, reading selected poems from Mrs. Whitman’s works.
The enthralled audience!
Poe enthusiast from Peru, who traveled from Washington D.C. to attend the program!
Jerome presenting Leland with a piece of wall from the honeymoon suite of Edgar Allan Poe and Virginia Clemm Poe.

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