On October 29 we will celebrate and memorialize Poe’s time in Westford, the impact he had on the community and the family he became so close to. We will dedicate a new David Christiana sculpture in memorial to Poe’s life in the place called his paradise (Westford).
Special guest speaker, J.W, Ocker, (O.T.I. S) Odd Things I’ve Seen.
Edgar Allan Poe dramatic poetry readings by storyteller, Rick Taylor.
The story of Eddie and Annie – Poe met Nancy Heywood Richmond during his “The Poets and Poetry of America Tour” in Lowell. Nancy was born in Westford and was the daughter of Amos and Lydia Buck Heywood of Graniteville Road. Edgar or Eddie as Nancy called him, spent time together in Westford and in Lowell, they exchanged letters and he affectionally called her “Annie”. It is believed that after Poe started to call her Annie that she never again answered to another name and Poe wrote the poem “Annie” for her.
Westford Remembers Poe is a collaboration between The Parish Center of the Arts, Westford Remembers
and the Westford Museum and Historical Society
David P. Christiana. local artist, sculpture and Westford Firefighter
David has created many of the historic pieces in town, including, the Westford Fallen Firefighter and September 11th monuments in Westford Center, The Rajiv Paluri memorial n Whitney Playground and the Westford Knight Sculptor on Depot St, His has also designed the Westford historic house signs and he is recognized as a talented photographer.
J.W. Ocker is the Lowell Thomas- and Edgar Award-winning author of macabre travelogues, spooky kid’s books, and horror novels. His books include A Season with the Witch, Twelve Nights at Rotter House, The Black Slide, and Cursed Objects. Ocker lives in New Hampshire.
Rick Taylor, Storyteller, will be reading the Poe’s famous poems, “The Raven” and “Annie”
Storyteller Abner Serd has a gift for bringing history to life. He comes to us fresh off an extended storytelling tour of New Zealand, where he entertained a wide variety of audiences with his recitations of classic 19th-century poetry. Prior to that, Abner performed as a historical interpreter at Boston’s Old North Church. He loves rummaging through museums and archives in pursuit of tales from long ago, but beware: as a humorist in the Mark Twain tradition, Abner has been known to stretch the truth from time to time.
Ryan Cozzens of Westford CAT recorded the Edgar Allan Poe Monument Dedication, Enjoy!