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Rare Historical Photos Of Old Richmond, Virginia From Late 19th And Early 20th Century

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Richmond is the capital city of Virginia, founded in 1737, at the falls of the James River. It served as the capital of the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Richmond was a heavily industrialized and rapidly growing city in the mid-19th century. The city had a large number for woolen mills, tobacco and cotton warehouses, and iron factories. By the 1880s, the city had a population of over 60,000. Richmond was the first city that successfully made the first electrically powered trolley, which opened its first line in January 1888 and replaced the horsecars. By the early 20th century, Richmond had an extensive network of electric streetcars. In 1914, Richmond became the headquarters of the Fifth District of the Federal Reserve Bank. During the Great Depression, the economy of Richmond was disrupted, and the tobacco industry helped the city to recover.

Here below are some historical photos of old Richmond, Virginia, that capture street, roads, buildings, landmarks, and everyday life from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

#1 Edgar Allan Poe’s mother’s house, Richmond, 1930

Edgar Allan Poe's mother's house, Richmond, 1930

12 Points
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#2 Ruins of Richmond & Petersburg Railroad bridge, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

Ruins of Richmond & Petersburg Railroad bridge, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

9 Points
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#3 Main Street Station, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1905

Main Street Station, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1905

6 Points
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#4 Sixth Street Market, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1908

Sixth Street Market, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1908

6 Points
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#5 Ladies Hollywood Memorial Association, a monument to Confederate dead, Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1905

Ladies Hollywood Memorial Association, a monument to Confederate dead, Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1905

5 Points
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#7 Main Street west from Twelfth, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1912

Main Street west from Twelfth, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1912

5 Points
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#8 St. John’s Church and graveyard from street, Richmond, April-June 1865

St. John's Church and graveyard from street, Richmond, April-June 1865

5 Points
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#9 Japanese Palm Garden and Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1905

Japanese Palm Garden and Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1905

5 Points
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#11 Main Street from Eleventh, Richmond, Virginia, 1905

Main Street from Eleventh, Richmond, Virginia, 1905

5 Points
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#12 Chamber of Commerce building, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1906

Chamber of Commerce building, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1906

4 Points
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#13 Edgar Allan Poe’s mother’s house, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1930

Edgar Allan Poe's mother's house, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1930

4 Points
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#14 Negro freedmen by canal, a group of Contrabands at Haxall’s Mill, Richmond, June 9, 1865

Negro freedmen by canal, a group of Contrabands at Haxall's Mill, Richmond, June 9, 1865

3 Points
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#17 Main Street from Eleventh, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1905

Main Street from Eleventh, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1905

3 Points
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#19 Grace Street and Capitol Square east from 8th, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1907

Grace Street and Capitol Square east from 8th, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1907

2 Points
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#20 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Ninth & Grace Streets, Richmond, Virginia circa 1900

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Ninth & Grace Streets, Richmond, Virginia circa 1900

2 Points
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#22 Broad Street and Murphy’s Hotel, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1905

Broad Street and Murphy's Hotel, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1905

2 Points
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#23 The Old Stone House also-called ‘Washington’s headquarters,

The Old Stone House also-called 'Washington's headquarters,

2 Points
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#24 Crowd before headquarters of the U.S. Christian Commission, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

Crowd before headquarters of the U.S. Christian Commission, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

2 Points
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#25 Destroyed Richmond & Petersburg locomotive, Richmond, April 1865

Destroyed Richmond & Petersburg locomotive, Richmond, April 1865

2 Points
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#26 Federal soldier guarding Whitworth gun on wharf awaiting shipment, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

Federal soldier guarding Whitworth gun on wharf awaiting shipment, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

1 Point
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#27 Battered smokestack from C.S.S. ironclad ram Virginia No. 2, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

Battered smokestack from C.S.S. ironclad ram Virginia No. 2, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

1 Point
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#28 Ruins of Gallego Mills, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

Ruins of Gallego Mills, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

1 Point
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#30 A closeup of the young ladies shown in an earlier post of the Canal Bridge at Seventh Street in Richmond, Virginia, Spring 1865

A closeup of the young ladies shown in an earlier post of the Canal Bridge at Seventh Street in Richmond, Virginia, Spring 1865

1 Point
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#31 A burned district along the James River, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

A burned district along the James River, Richmond, Virginia, April 1865

1 Point
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#32 Ruins of the State Arsenal at Richmond showing stacked and scattered ammunition, April 1865

Ruins of the State Arsenal at Richmond showing stacked and scattered ammunition, April 1865

1 Point
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#33 Children on Canal Bridge at the foot of Seventh Street in Richmond after the fall of the city, Spring 1865

Children on Canal Bridge at the foot of Seventh Street in Richmond after the fall of the city, Spring 1865

1 Point
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#34 Belle Isle railroad bridge from the south bank of the James River after the fall of Richmond, Spring 1865

Belle Isle railroad bridge from the south bank of the James River after the fall of Richmond, Spring 1865

1 Point
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#35 The E.J. Crane, watchmaker and jewelry store in Richmond, Virginia, 1899

The E.J. Crane, watchmaker and jewelry store in Richmond, Virginia, 1899

1 Point
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#36 Libby Prison, the infamous Confederate jail, Richmond, April 1865

Libby Prison, the infamous Confederate jail, Richmond, April 1865

0 Points
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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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9 Comments

  1. There are so many old classic photos, but it bugs me that it is nearly impossible to find any good photos of shockoe creek without having to go through old newspaper articles, and even those are grainy. The canal basin has a few solid photos, but the creek remains elusive.

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      • The book nonesuch place gave the best description/history of the creek. I realize urban planning wasn’t as sophisticated as it is today, but imagine if that creek had remained open instead of becoming an open then closed sewer. After finishing the pipeline, paddle through shockoe creek all the way up to the Oliver Hill Courthouse, then turn west around the diamond to the bacons quarter branch.

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