Edgar Allan Poe Museum (Richmond)
Encyclopedia
The Edgar Allan Poe Museum is a museum located in Richmond
, Virginia
, dedicated to American writer Edgar Allan Poe
. Though Poe never lived in the building, it serves to commemorate his time living in Richmond. The museum holds one of the world's largest collections of original manuscripts, letters, first editions, memorabilia and personal belongings. The museum also provides an overview of early 19th century Richmond, where Poe lived and worked. The museum features the life and career of Edgar Allan Poe by documenting his accomplishments with pictures, relics, and verse, and focusing on his many years in Richmond.
to Philadelphia in 1738 and came to the James River Settlements and Col. Wm. Byrd's land grant (now known as Richmond) in the company of the family of his fiance, Maria Dorothea Scheerer, whom he later married; the house was a "Home for the Bride." (One of Jacob's nephews, George Ege
, was a member of the United States House of Representatives
from Berks County, PA.) Dendrochronology
suggests that additional construction on the house occurred in 1754. Jacob Ege died in 1762. Samuel Ege, the son of Jacob and a Richmond flour inspector, owned the house in 1782 when it first appeared on a tax register.
In 1824, when the Marquis de Lafayette revisited Richmond, a volunteer company of young Richmonders, the Junior Morgan Riflemen, rode in procession along Lafayette's carriage. One of the riflemen, the then 15-year-old Edgar Allan Poe, stood as honorguard outside the Ege house as Lafayette visited its inhabitants. The house remained in possession of the Ege family until 1911.
but were turned down because he was deemed a disreputable character. The same group went on to begin the Poe Museum. In 1911, Preservation Virginia (formerly known as the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities) saved the house and opened it in 1922 as the Old Stone House.
The museum is only blocks away from the sites of Poe's Richmond homes and place of employment, the Southern Literary Messenger
. It is also a few blocks from the grave of his mother Eliza Poe
who was buried in Richmond's Church Hill, in the graveyard of St John's Church. Poe never lived in this home. Its completion, originally as the "Edgar Allan Poe Shrine", was announced on October 7, 1921:
The Model Building contains an eighteen-foot-long model of Richmond as Poe would have known it. Also displayed in this gallery are Poe's boyhood bed and furnishings from his boyhood home. The Elizabeth Arnold Poe Memorial Building includes many first and early editions of Poe's works including an 1845 publication of "The Raven
" and one of only 12 known existing copies of Poe's first collection Tamerlane and Other Poems
. Among the highlights of the collection displayed in this building are Poe's vest, trunk, and walking stick and a lock of his hair. Manuscripts and rare early daguerreotype
s and portraits are also exhibited there. The Exhibits Building is devoted to temporary exhibits related to Poe's place in popular culture. One such exhibit was dedicated to the many theories of Poe's death
and another featured illustrations of the poem by artist James William Carling
. Other recent exhibits include "Poe in Comics," "Poe Face to Face: Early Portraits and Daguerreotypes of Edgar Allan Poe," and "Ratiocination: Poe the Detective."
A courtyard area behind the museum includes a garden inspired by Poe's poem "To One in Paradise." This space is also available for weddings.
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, dedicated to American writer Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
. Though Poe never lived in the building, it serves to commemorate his time living in Richmond. The museum holds one of the world's largest collections of original manuscripts, letters, first editions, memorabilia and personal belongings. The museum also provides an overview of early 19th century Richmond, where Poe lived and worked. The museum features the life and career of Edgar Allan Poe by documenting his accomplishments with pictures, relics, and verse, and focusing on his many years in Richmond.
Old Stone House
The Museum is housed in the "Old Stone House", built circa 1740 and cited as the oldest original building in Richmond. It was built by Jacob Ege, who immigrated from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to Philadelphia in 1738 and came to the James River Settlements and Col. Wm. Byrd's land grant (now known as Richmond) in the company of the family of his fiance, Maria Dorothea Scheerer, whom he later married; the house was a "Home for the Bride." (One of Jacob's nephews, George Ege
George Ege
George Ege was a United States Congressman, elected to the House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. He was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, to Anna Catherine and George-Michael Ege, who had immigrated from Germany in 1738...
, was a member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Berks County, PA.) Dendrochronology
Dendrochronology
Dendrochronology or tree-ring dating is the scientific method of dating based on the analysis of patterns of tree-rings. Dendrochronology can date the time at which tree rings were formed, in many types of wood, to the exact calendar year...
suggests that additional construction on the house occurred in 1754. Jacob Ege died in 1762. Samuel Ege, the son of Jacob and a Richmond flour inspector, owned the house in 1782 when it first appeared on a tax register.
In 1824, when the Marquis de Lafayette revisited Richmond, a volunteer company of young Richmonders, the Junior Morgan Riflemen, rode in procession along Lafayette's carriage. One of the riflemen, the then 15-year-old Edgar Allan Poe, stood as honorguard outside the Ege house as Lafayette visited its inhabitants. The house remained in possession of the Ege family until 1911.
Museum history
Amidst Poe's centennial in 1909, a group of Richmond residents campaigned for the city to better recognize the writer. Citizens asked the city council to erect a statue of Poe on Monument AvenueMonument Avenue
Monument Avenue, in Richmond, Virginia, is a premier example of the Grand American Avenue city planning style. The first monument, a statue of Robert E. Lee was erected in 1890. Between 1900 and 1925, Monument Avenue exploded with architecturally significant houses, churches and apartment buildings...
but were turned down because he was deemed a disreputable character. The same group went on to begin the Poe Museum. In 1911, Preservation Virginia (formerly known as the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities) saved the house and opened it in 1922 as the Old Stone House.
The museum is only blocks away from the sites of Poe's Richmond homes and place of employment, the Southern Literary Messenger
Southern Literary Messenger
The Southern Literary Messenger was a periodical published in Richmond, Virginia, from 1834 until June 1864. Each issue carried a subtitle of "Devoted to Every Department of Literature and the Fine Arts" or some variation and included poetry, fiction, non-fiction, reviews, and historical notes...
. It is also a few blocks from the grave of his mother Eliza Poe
Eliza Poe
Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe was an English-born American actress and the mother of the American author Edgar Allan Poe.-Life and career:...
who was buried in Richmond's Church Hill, in the graveyard of St John's Church. Poe never lived in this home. Its completion, originally as the "Edgar Allan Poe Shrine", was announced on October 7, 1921:
This day... at a first expense of about $20,000, completes the Edgar Allan Poe Shrine, and marks the seventy-second anniversary of the death of the poet. If he is aware of mundane affairs he must be pleased to find that, at length, there has been reared to his memory a lasting and appropriate memorial.
Exhibits
The Poe Museum's four buildings contain exhibits focusing on different aspects of the author's life and legacy. The parlor of the Old Stone House is used for the display of furniture from the homes in which Edgar Poe and his sister Rosalie Mackenzie Poe lived. Of special interest in this room is a piano that once belonged to Poe's sister.The Model Building contains an eighteen-foot-long model of Richmond as Poe would have known it. Also displayed in this gallery are Poe's boyhood bed and furnishings from his boyhood home. The Elizabeth Arnold Poe Memorial Building includes many first and early editions of Poe's works including an 1845 publication of "The Raven
The Raven
"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845. It is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow descent into madness...
" and one of only 12 known existing copies of Poe's first collection Tamerlane and Other Poems
Tamerlane and Other Poems
Tamerlane and Other Poems is the first published work by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. The short collection of poems was first published in 1827. Today, it is believed only 12 copies of the collection still exist....
. Among the highlights of the collection displayed in this building are Poe's vest, trunk, and walking stick and a lock of his hair. Manuscripts and rare early daguerreotype
Daguerreotype
The daguerreotype was the first commercially successful photographic process. The image is a direct positive made in the camera on a silvered copper plate....
s and portraits are also exhibited there. The Exhibits Building is devoted to temporary exhibits related to Poe's place in popular culture. One such exhibit was dedicated to the many theories of Poe's death
Death of Edgar Allan Poe
The death of Edgar Allan Poe on October 7, 1849, has remained mysterious: the circumstances leading up to it are uncertain and the cause of death is disputed. On October 3, Poe was found delirious on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland, "in great distress, and ... in need of immediate assistance",...
and another featured illustrations of the poem by artist James William Carling
James William Carling
James William Carling was a pavement artist from Liverpool, England.Carling was born at 38 Addison Street, Liverpool in the Holy Cross parish in 1857. He was the son of extremely poor Irish parents. From an early age James was known as the "little drawer" and used Liverpool's street pavements for...
. Other recent exhibits include "Poe in Comics," "Poe Face to Face: Early Portraits and Daguerreotypes of Edgar Allan Poe," and "Ratiocination: Poe the Detective."
A courtyard area behind the museum includes a garden inspired by Poe's poem "To One in Paradise." This space is also available for weddings.
See also
- Edgar Allan Poe House and MuseumEdgar Allan Poe House and MuseumThe Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, located at 203 Amity St. in Baltimore, Maryland, is the former home of American writer Edgar Allan Poe in the 1830s. Now open as a museum, the small unassuming structure is a typical row home, and also houses the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore. It was...
in Baltimore, Maryland - Edgar Allan Poe National Historic SiteEdgar Allan Poe National Historic SiteThe Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site is a preserved home once rented by American author Edgar Allan Poe, located in the Spring Garden neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Edgar Allan Poe CottageEdgar Allan Poe CottageThe Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, sometimes called simply Poe Cottage, is the former home of American writer Edgar Allan Poe. It is located on Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse in the The Bronx, New York, a short distance from its original location, and is now in the northern part of Poe Park.The...
in The Bronx, New York