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Some
individuals---like Edgar Allan Poe---stride across life with great elan. He
came by his dramatic flair quite naturally, having inherited it from his
father, his mother and his maternal grandmother, all of whom were actors.
Poe's biographers believe that David Poe deserted his family before his early
death. Poe's mother, Elizabeth Arnold Poe, died in Richmond in 1811 when
Edgar was just under three. A plaque in St. John's Cemetery commemorates her
passing, but the exact gravesite is unknown.
The Edgar Allan Poe
Museum
in Richmond is a complex of buildings that surround the Old Stone House of
1737-39. When the Marquis de Lafayette toured Richmond on his triumphant
return to America in 1824, he stopped at this old landmark. Among those who
escorted him was Edgar Allan Poe, a member of the Morgan Junior Riflemen.
Poe's grandfather had served with Lafayette during the Revolution. The Old
Stone House is only blocks away from the former site of Poe's first Richmond
home.
Guided tours of the
museum's large collection of Poe memorabilia add details to the portrait of
this genius. In 1826 when Poe entered the University of Virginia, founder
Thomas Jefferson was still on hand to greet incoming students. Perhaps no
remarks were exchanged between these two great American intellectuals, but it
is interesting to imagine their paths crossing.
Poe was adopted
unofficially after his mother's death. His foster father refused to give him
enough money to cover his tuition, living expenses and mounting debts.
Consequently Poe traveled to Boston and enlisted in the army. Although he was
appointed to West Point, he deliberately broke minor rules and was dismissed.
He was to gain international recognition as a writer of indisputable genius,
but Poe spent much of life in poverty.
To acquaint visitors
with Richmond and the Poe connection, the museum's first display is a scale
model of Richmond circa 1809-1849. Museum docents retrace Poe's footsteps
around the old city. He spent more time here than in any other city. He grew
up, married and first gained national recognition for his writing in
Richmond’s Southern Literary Messenger.
The museum is open
year-round from Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Sunday and
Monday hours are 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. with guided tours given on the hour. It is
closed on Christmas Day. Admission is charged.
Directions:: From
I-95S take Richmond Exit 74B, the Franklin Street exit, and travel east on
Main Street. From I-95N take Exit 74C, 17th Street, and travel east on Main
Street. The Edgar Allan Poe Museum is on the left at 1914-16 E. Main Street.
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