H.P. Lovecraft Walking Tour

In the late nineteenth century, a child prodigy was born in Providence, Rhode Island. 1890 to be exact, and this child was reciting poems by the age of three and writing complete poetry by age six. As he grew older, this man became a noted writer of Horror Fiction, yet most of his works were short stories published in pulp Science Fiction magazines and newspapers. Rarely achieving fame and fortune during his lifetime, his works are still produced in television, films and reprinted in current literary collections.

I speak of Howard Phillips Lovecraft, an anomaly of a man who wrote much of his fiction inspired by his hometown, Providence. On a very warm day in mid-October, this reviewer and a colleague joined the "H.P. Lovecraft Walking Tour" and as we are both residents of this city, were pleasantly surprised to learn a great deal about Howard AND our fair hamlet.

Led by The Rhode Island Historical Society, and presented by the Rhode Island International Film Festival, this tour lasted about one hour and forty-five minutes, yet was filled with information and some great views of the city.

Following our knowledgeable tour guide Brendon, we departed the John Brown House and stopped at the Stephen Hopkins House, which features prominently in his work "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward," which is referenced many times during the tour.

Favorite haunts of H.P. including the Providence Athenaeum and the Providence Art Club, where he attended with his aunts several times after the death of his parents.

The tour paints a picture of a solitary man, living off a small inheritance while touring his neighborhood at night (he didn't venture out much during the day.) Frugal, rather antisocial and xenophobic, Lovecraft seemed as strange as some of his stories.

His young life may have been a factor in his writing style; father committed to Butler Hospital when Howard was only three, and his mother went the same route following bouts of hysteria and depression in 1921. She died there, and H.P. was left with only his two maternal aunts, with whom he lived for a brief time in the same city. He rarely sought any employment or friends, rather willing to spend his time writing, inspired by his nocturnal tours of the city.

One of the most influential locations was the John Mawney House, located at 135 benefit street, inspired "The Shunned House" a short story in which the decaying ivy and blackish unpainted surface housed death and sickness, plus a "monster" in the basement. As our guide explained some of the house's history, it's odd architecture further enhanced the spooky history.

The tour itself is a rare literary treat, yet those seeking some Halloween inspiration will be delighted, as well. As a historical event, the tour provides much information not only about the author himself but various tidbits of the city's history, as well. The walking event is concluded with a short film collection inspired by Lovecraft's works and is included in the ticket price of $19. Great fun; bring a group and make a day of it!

"The H.P. Lovecraft Walking Tour" was presented by the Rhode Island Film Festival" (RIFF) on October 21 and 22 and hosted by the Rhode Island Historical Society. For information or tickets, call 401-861-4445 or visit http://www.film-festival.org/HPLovecraft17.php or www.rihs.org.

This story is part of our special report: "10 Days of Halloween". Want to read more? Here's the full list.