Completed in 1927, the model remained in the West Room of the Old Stone House until 1964 when it was moved to its present building. Miss Ragland was again hired to restore the model and repair any damage caused by the move. Sergi Troubetzky completed additional renovations in 1984. The disastrous fire of November 1999 required restoration and cleaning which employees Michelle Dell' Aria and Chris Semtner completed late in 2000. At that time the model was moved from the east to west wall, tilted for better viewing and a time line was added.

Poeana
The Poe Museum owns one of the largest collections of Poe memorabilia in the world, much of it now currently on display. Fans of Poe will enjoy seeing the walking stick he accidentally left in Richmond fewer than two weeks before his mysterious death, the key found in his pocket during his final delirious days that opened the trunk in which he packed his few possessions, and the lock of hair a friend clipped from the poet's famously lofty brow after he died.

Firsts
An exhibit of first editions of Poe's work includes the expected, an 1845 copy of The Raven and other Poems, and the unexpected, a rare textbook on conchology, which became a bestseller and led to accusations against Poe of plagiarism when it was discovered he only wrote the introduction. Also on display are a facsimile of Poe' s first book, Tamerlane, the 1827 publishing flop that is now the rarest and most valuable piece of American literature, an original manuscript of the mysterious prose poem "Siope" written in Poe's fastidious hand and the edition of "Godey's Lady's Book" in which Poe's scandalous and highly popular, "Literati of New York City," was published. This is the gleefully opinionated piece of literary gossip that made Poe unwelcome in the drawing rooms of successful New York writers while ensuring his East Coast notoriety.

"Lord, Have Mercy on My Poor Soul"
Poe died in this hospital October 7, 1849. The cause of his death is not known. The exhibit displays some of the various suggested causes.

1857 Beating 1874 Epilepsy 1921 Dipsomania 1926 Heart 1970 Toxic Disorder 1970 Hypoglycemia 1977 Diabetes 1984 Alcohol Dehydrogenase

1989 Porphyria 1992 Delirium Tremens 1996 Rabies 1997 Heart 1998 Murder (Beating) 1999 Epilepsy 1999 Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The Raven Room
Illustrations by James Carling. The Edgar Allan Poe Museum of the Poe Foundation, Inc. owns the James William Carling drawings housed in the Raven Room. Carling submitted these drawings to Harper and Brothers Publishers in 1882 for their forthcoming edition of The Raven. Gustave Dore also submitted illustrations. Dore, then at the end of a long and distinguished career, won over the young British artist. These are forty-three illustrations on exhibit. On the wall as you enter the room is a brief synopsis of the artist's life.