One of the most famous students of the University of Virginia was author and poet, Edgar Allan Poe. Poe was born in Boston and raised in Richmond, Virginia after being orphaned as a young boy. He only enrolled for one term here at UVA, studying Ancient and Modern Languages. His stepfather refused to pay off debts that Poe incurred during his time here, due to gambling with other students, so Poe left without graduating.
Though Thomas Jefferson died a few months after Poe enrolled at UVA, it is possible that they met one another – remember that Jefferson hosted dinners at his home every week for students and was still doing so during the time Poe was a student. One story does say that Poe attended Jefferson’s funeral, which is fairly likely, given Jefferson’s contributions to UVA and his status as a former president.
Here at room number 13 at West Range, you can see the room that is said to have belonged Edgar Allan Poe while he studied at UVA. The furniture is authentic to the period, but was not used by the poet. The room is sealed by a glass door, so that visitors can have a look, and you can press a button to hear a recording to learn more, if you have a moment.
Photo “University of Virginia - room of Edgar Allan Poe” by Futurilla is licensed under CC BY 2.0
