5 Best Edgar Allan Poe Sights in Richmond
- Lauren Z. Ray
- Oct 23
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Richmond, Virginia was where Edgar Allan Poe grew up, fell in love, and found the inspiration for some of his most haunting stories. From romantic gardens to shadowy cemeteries, you can still trace his footsteps all over town. This list is the perfect blend of spooky, historic, and aesthetic.
1. St. John’s Episcopal Church
Start your Poe journey in the historic Church Hill neighborhood. St. John’s Church (1740) is intimately tied to Poe’s early life.
Why it’s special:👇
Poe’s mother, Elizabeth Arnold Poe, is buried in the churchyard. (see above photo)
The location sets the stage for a walk through Poe’s Richmond, the neighborhood where he spent formative years, and where echoes of his story still linger.
Visitor note: Check hours for access to the graveyard.
2. Elmira Shelton House
Next up: a stop in Poe’s romantic story. This house was the home of Elmira Royster Shelton, Poe’s childhood sweetheart who he later became engaged to a second time right before he died.
Why it matters:
This is one of the few surviving Richmond buildings with a direct link to Poe’s love life.
Visitor note: It’s privately owned, so this is more a “view from the sidewalk” stop rather than an interior-visit spot.
3. The Poe Museum
This is the centerpiece of any Poe-in-Richmond tour. The Poe Museum houses one of the largest public collections of Poe manuscripts, letters, first-editions and personal items like a lock of his hair!
Why it's awesome:
Housed in Richmond’s oldest standing residence.
Behind the museum: you can find the black cats who live here.
So many Poe personal items in the collection!
4. Linden Row Inn
Here’s one with architecture-lover written all over it, plus a direct Poe connection. These Greek Revival rowhouses were the site of a garden where Poe allegedly visited and courted Elmira.
Why it’s perfect:
Linden Row is one of the finest surviving Greek Revival rowhouse blocks in the U.S. and has so much history.
5. Shockoe Hill Cemetery
For the mood-setting part of your tour: this atmospheric cemetery is where Poe’s foster family and several people connected to him are buried.
What makes it special:
Established in 1820 as Richmond’s first city-owned cemetery.
Its connection to Poe: John & Frances Allan (his foster parents) and other figures from his life like Elmira Shelton are buried here.
*I recommend only visiting this cemetery with an official tour with The Valentine Museum, here.
6. Bonus: Statue of Edgar Allan Poe in Capitol Square
Why it's the perfect final stop:
This statue was unveiled in 1959 on the 110th anniversary of Poe’s death.
Situated in Capitol Square, giving you downtown vibes + literary history.
Here’s my suggested itinerary:
Visit the Poe Museum
St. John’s Church → Elmira Shelton House
Shockoe Hill Cemetery (with Valentine Museum Tour only)
Head to Linden Row Inn
Statue of Poe in Capitol Square
I hope you found this list helpful! There are more blogs on my website about Richmond travel tips.
You can also follow me on YouTube for my lifestyle vlogs & travel videos in Richmond or Instagram for daily updates.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to DM me on Instagram any time.
💚 Lauren