Any fellow Lovecraftians out there?! I’m a big fan of H.P. Lovecraft and his weird, cosmic twist on horror. So, travelling to his birthplace (and deathplace) in Providence, Rhode Island, was the perfect adventure for this weirdo.
Lovecraft was deeply inspired by his surroundings in Providence. He loved taking long walks around the city and his writings hold many references to specific locations. This made my wanderings around Providence even more thrilling.
One of the places H.P. Lovecraft visited frequently was The Ladd Observatory. This isn’t surprising since he was passionate about space and astronomy. This astronomical observatory is still open to the public and I was so happy to have stumbled upon it during my walk down Doyle Street.
Another place I wanted to find was the final residence of H.P. Lovecraft. This is where he based Robert Blake’s home in his story “The Haunter of the Dark”. After much searching I found it located on 65 Prospect Street. It was hard to find because there aren’t any markers that indicate where it is and there’s even a plaque on the house that says “Samuel B. Mumford House” which confused me. Who is Samuel? Why is there no plaque for Lovecraft? THIS IS MADNESS! Thankfully, my fellow Lovecraftians on the interwebs helped me find this place.
Another location that inspired Lovecraft is The Fleur-de-Lys Studios. This funky building is the fictional home of Henry Anthony Wilcox from his story “The Call of Cthulhu”. How cool is that?! I love the architectural style of this building with it’s wooden framing and mustard yellow colour. It’s so unique and artsy! The Providence Art Club still uses this space as a studio and I can see why. The exterior will fill you with creative juices before you even enter through the door!
It’s amazing to feel like I’m walking around in Lovecraft’s shoes and finding his spirit in Providence. Around every corner there is something interesting or weird to admire. For example, along South Main Street there’s a 12 foot high gun totem made from concrete, steel, and over 1,000 handguns. How odd is that? This monument was constructed in 2001, so obviously Lovecraft didn’t see it, but I can’t help but wonder what he would have thought of it.
I also came across a lovely memorial for Lovecraft during my wanderings. It’s located just outside the John Hay Library on Prospect Street. This library holds the largest collection of original H.P. Lovecraft manuscripts. It’s basically a goldmine! I was pleased to find this little tribute outside of the library but I didn’t actually enter the library. That’s something I’ll do during my next visit.
Time to break for some lunch! It should be no surprise by now that I chose a cafe/bakery. I’m a huge lover of coffee and during all of my adventures I ALWAYS end up at a cafe. They’re just so cosy and smell so good. Au Bon Pain was my pick and I was very pleased. I was pretty hungry from walking so I ordered a cuppa, chicken noodle soup and a sandwich, followed by some tasty sweets for dessert. It was a lovely lunch.
Back to business! My next stop was The Providence Athenaeum located on Benefit Street. Apparently Lovecraft spent many hours in the stacks here writing or reading stories from his favourite authors. I was pleasantly surprised to find a monument for Lovecraft inside the library. After quietly walking around the library I could, again, picture myself in his shoes. If I had more time I would have definitely spent some time up in those stacks with a good book.
Next up was a trip over to Swan Point Cemetery to find H.P. Lovecraft’s grave. Usually I’ll roam around a cemetery until I find the grave I’m searching for, but this time I decided to save time and ask the information desk. They were SUPER nice and helpful. I was given a map of the cemetery and they circled exactly where Lovecraft’s grave was located. I made my way down the winding pathway until I found it behind a huge obelisk tombstone.
How did Lovecraft die? Well, from what I know he was diagnosed with cancer in his intestine, which lead to nutrition issues. I think ultimately he died from malnutrition as a side effect of the cancer. I know a bit about intestinal issues, so I can imagine he was in great pain and suffered during his last days, which makes me sad.
My final stop of the day was to Lovecraft Arts & Sciences. It’s a bookstore, tourist information spot, and provider of weird collectibles. I had a fantastic talk with the guy working that day and he shared with me his knowledge of Lovecraft. We also talked a bit about Salem and the occult. Before leaving the shop I bought a complete collection of Lovecraft’s works and a creepy bookmark to go with it.
I truly enjoyed walking around Providence. The weather was so nice in the afternoon and it made me wish I didn’t have to go so soon. Alas, I was back on the train and heading towards my next adventure in Boston.
Goodbye! H.P Lovecraft and your beautiful city of Providence.
See you soon! Edgar Allan Poe and your historical city of Boston.
Whoa Dana 