In 1884, Walt Whitman purchased a modest, two-story frame house on Mickle Street for $1,750. It is the only house he ever owned. He lived there until his death in 1892, at the age of seventy-two. During his years in Camden, Whitman became a friend of the Philadelphia artist, Thomas Eakins. These two giants of nineteenth-century American culture found much to admire in each other's work. Each in his own medium broke with conventions, creating something new and distinctively American. Eakins photographed Whitman and painted his portrait.
Today the Walt Whitman House, a National Historic Landmark, provides an intimate glimpse into the life of the poet, attracting visitors from around the world. Whitman's original letters, personal belongings, the bed in which he died, and the death notice that was nailed to the front door have all been preserved, as well as a collection of rare nineteenth-century photographs, including the earliest known image of Whitman - an 1848 daguerreotype.
The Walt Whitman House is located at 328 Mickle Boulevard, between 3rd & 4th Streets, Camden, New Jersey. The House is 2 blocks east of the Camden Waterfront.