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323 Vinton St., Richmond’s Fulton Hill, a 4,000‑sq‑ft 19th‑century home, has re‑entered the market after a 60‑year pause, just in time for Halloween. The house, listed at $575,000 since September, was briefly marked pending earlier this month but is now back for sale.
The property was once owned by Sarah Elmira Royster Shelton, Poe’s early love. In the 1840s, young Poe and Elmira courted and were engaged. When Poe left for the University of Virginia, Elmira married Alexander Shelton, a shipping magnate who bought the house in 1839. After Shelton’s death in 1844, Elmira became a wealthy widow. Poe returned to Richmond after his wife’s death in 1849, rekindled his romance with Elmira, and they were engaged again. Poe died ten days before the wedding—a tragedy that has become part of his legend. The Poe Museum’s curator, Chris Semtner, recounts these events in a YouTube video that accompanies the listing.
The house was originally built in 1810 by William Mayo, the surveyor who laid out Richmond and after whom the Mayo Bridge is named. Mayo’s “Cottage” was largely destroyed in a 1901 lightning‑induced fire and rebuilt in 1910 in a Victorian style. The two‑story brick home boasts six bedrooms, two baths, a grand front porch, a foyer with millwork, and four fireplaces. Its 13‑foot ceilings and decorative details reflect the era’s craftsmanship.
In 1965, the Crow family purchased the property for $17,500 and renamed it “The Crow’s Nest.” They also bought the adjacent 1321 Vinton parcel, now offered together with the main house. The Crows owned the home for six decades; after Elsie Crow’s death in 2013, the property passed to her children in 2015. The city values the main parcel at $287,000 and the adjoining lot with driveway and two‑car garage at $73,000.
The listing, managed by Compass agent Jenny Maraghy, emphasizes the Poe connection and includes interior videos and an oral history from the Poe Museum. The house’s legacy extends beyond Poe: Elmira Shelton, who never remarried after Poe’s death, is remembered as “Poe’s First and Last Love” in an 1888 obituary. She inspired poems such as “Tamerlane,” “Song,” and “To Elmira,” and her influence is noted in Poe’s “To Zante,” which foreshadows the refrain “Nevermore” in “The Raven.”
For buyers interested in a home steeped in literary history and Victorian charm, 1323 Vinton St. offers a unique opportunity. The property’s price remains unchanged at $575,000, and the listing is available for viewing on the CVRMLS platform.
