Located just a short distance south of the Sarah Helen Whitman residence stands this beautiful Greek revival building on the corner of Benefit and College Street. The Providence Athenaeum was established in 1836 after the previous Providence Athenaeum and the Providence Library Company combined forces to open this new library. When it opened its doors, it operated as a member-funded library that was open to the public, and today, it operates under the same mission. The library was known only as “The Athenaeum” until 1850 when they changed their name to The Providence Athenaeum.

The library is filled with both tangible and anecdotal history, especially relating to the romance of Edgar Allan Poe and Sarah Helen Whitman. The library served as a sanctuary for the couple during their courtship, granting them privacy from Whitman’s disdaining friends and family.

However, it was here that Whitman received an anonymous note that informed her of Poe’s broken promise of sobriety. This note ultimately ended their short engagement on December 23, 1848.

You can visit The Providence Athenaeum’s website at providenceathenaeum.org for further details, membership information, and their hours of operation.