Fordham University

Last summer, after I toured the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage in the Bronx, I headed down the road to explore Fordham University. Poe used to wander around the campus and his famous poem "The Bells," was allegedly inspired by the ringing bells of the University Church.

Fordham is a private university and I was surprised when I was stopped by a security guard upon entering the gates. He asked what I was doing at Fordham, and for my ID, but let me go ahead when I told him I was "just looking around." I was a bit taken aback by the exclusivity of the campus, but once inside, I was grateful for the solitude.

The campus is really, really beautiful, with tree-lined paths, large, manicured lawns, gorgeous flowers, fountains, statues and wonderfully-imposing buildings that scream COLLEGE. While most of the campus felt very historic and well-preserved, there were some modern additions thrown in for a nice juxtaposition of the old and new.

I even came across a surprise cemetery, which is my favorite kind of surprise. Fordham was founded in 1841 as St. John's College by the Catholic Diocese of New York. According to a plaque outside the gates, the cemetery is the final resting place for "124 sons of St. Ignatius Loyola, 68 Jesuit priests, 44 Jesuit brothers, 12 Jesuit scholastics ... 3 Diocesan Seminarians, 9 students and 2 college workmen."

It only seemed right to end my day of all things Poe by listening to the ringing bells (What a world of merriment their melody foretells!) of University Church. The church and courtyard are really beautiful, and the campus was nearly deserted the entire time I was there. Listening to the bells ringing was such a wonderful, peaceful moment and I got major nerd-satisfaction thinking that Poe might have had a very similar day, more than 150 years ago.