Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church

Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church (1978)

Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church (2016)

Site Name: Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church

Date of Construction: 1869

Reason for Construction:  Sixth Mount Zion was founded after the Civil War because there were few churches in the South for black people to freely and peacefully worship.

Site History: Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church was founded by Peter Randolph and John Jasper on September 3, 1867. The church originally congregated in an abandoned Confederate horse stable on Brown’s Island, a simple building that was typical of early black churches in the Reconstruction era. The church was moved from Brown’s Island to a former white Presbyterian church which relocated due to the growing African American population in Jackson Ward, which was contracted by John Boyd. The move to their current location in Jackson Ward was due to over expansion in the building caused by the popularity of John Jasper’s “De Sun do Move” sermon. John Jasper (July 4, 1812–March 30, 1901) was one of the most prominent post-Civil War black ministers, and attracted many blacks to the church due to his popularity. In his sermon, he described the “fundamental truth of the Bible and the power of God”, which gained the attention of both white and black people in throughout the nation. He attracted more than 2,500 members to the church, which eventually served as a religious center for the residents of Jackson Ward. The church today has been recognized by two historic highway markers, one by the church itself and and another in Fluvanna county where John Jasper was born. The site is also recognized on the National Register of Historic Places as well as the Virginia Landmarks Register. The church also has a nationally recognized museum, making it one of the smallest in the country.

Area History: Jackson Ward Historic District is one of the most famous historically black neighborhoods in Richmond and throughout Virginia. It is one of the only two districts in Richmond that are National Historic Landmarks. African Americans began to enter Jackson Ward in the early 19th century, and by the 20th century, the majority of the neighborhood was occupied by blacks. It was, and still is, home to many successful black people and businesses, such as Maggie Walker, who founded the Penny Savings Bank, and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, a famous actor and dancer.

What about the site has changed?: The modern day church was renovated in 1925 by African-American architect Charles T. Russell due to the age of the building, and the many repairs that the building required. There were other renovations done such as the expansion of the sanctuary, the addition of two towers and an education wing , and the redesign of the entrance. He also renovated the building in the Gothic Revival style, to show the dignity that the church represents.

What about the surrounding area has changed?: During the 19th century, many whites began to move out of Jackson Ward because of the increasing black population in the area. Now, it is one of the most prominent black communities in the Richmond area. Many of the buildings today have been restored to compensate for their old age; however there are a few that have been abandoned and vandalized, due to it being in a city environment. Today it is the last surviving residential area in downtown Richmond. Interstate 95 also had to build around the church in order to avoid demolition of the landmark, and the church can now be seen from the highway. After the highway was built however, it created a split between the tight-knit community of Jackson Ward and destroyed many buildings in the area, resulting in many black families to leave for other black neighborhoods in the Richmond and Virginia area.

Reflection: As a member of Third Street Bethel AME, another historically black church in Richmond, it was interesting to learn about the history of Sixth Mount Zion and how the history related or differentiated from the history of my own church. It was also interesting to learn more about Jackson Ward and the history it has.

Sources:

Richardson, Selden. Built by Blacks. Edited by Maurice Duke. Richmond, VA: The Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods, 2007.

National Park Service. "Jackson Ward Historic District." National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/richmond/jacksonwardhd.html.

Library of Virginia. "John Jasper." Library of Virginia. http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/trailblazers/2012/?bio=jasper.

African American Registry. "The Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church of Richmond Founded." African American Registry. http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/sixth-mount-zion-baptist-church-richmond-founded

Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church. "About Us- Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church." Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church. http://www.smzbc.org/about-us.html

Authors: Vanessa Johnson

Broad Street Historical District

Broad Street Historical District (c. 1950s)

Broad Street Historical District (c. 2016)

Site Name:

Broad Street Commercial Historic District

Date of Construction:

Late 19th through Early 20th Century (1880-1930)

Reason for Construction:

The buildings of the Commercial District of Broad Street were developed and designed to give each building a distinctive personality. The area blossomed as a central location for Richmonders to shop as well as eat, evolving into one of the more popular weekend hangout spots in the city.

Site History:

Broad Street has a rich history beginning as a small street running through the center of town, but has turned into one of the busiest and most shop populated streets in the area.  Almost double the width of any other city street, this important corridor has carried wagon, rail, streetcar, bus and automobile traffic since the 1830s. Broad Street ran from Belvidere to 4th Street when originally constructed.  Richmond had the nation’s first electric streetcar system, and Broad Street was the central hub. One of the historic photographs we recovered had a picture of these cable cars and they took up a lot of the street. I couldn’t imagine life today if they still ran down the median of Broad Street. Typically small family run shops like food and recreational shops were built along the north side of the street, while the big department stores were located along the south side of the street. Above storefront apartments provided housing for African Americans and newly arrived immigrants, which added to the vitality of the community.

Area History:

Richmond emerged as a major city during the post-colonial era, when Richmond was a major commercial and industrial center. Richmond was a major trade capital as it was along the crossroads of tobacco, coal, and flour manufacturing. In addition to these  products, Richmond was one of the first American cities to manufacture steel and brick supplies. For much of this time, the main road splitting to the North and South side of the powerful city was Broad Street. During both World Wars, Richmond was able to successfully launch an industrial revolution, which diversified the population as well as establishing a prosperous economy. However with this period of prosperity, racial tensions grew as a result of economic imbalance created from the discrimination that was seen throughout the United States at the time. Richmonders really pushed for equal education and integration of schools, which as we know first-hand was successful. In the 1980s Richmond began to emerge as the research and governmental-rich city that we know today, as well as trying to solidify their national presence as a hip and cool place to live, work, and visit.

What has changed about the site?

Broad Street is now 15 miles and still home to some of the largest shops and companies in the Richmond-Metro area. Broad Street continues to represent progress and the future of industry from the city all the way through Short Pump. It grows and expands updates to the modern times and adds shops every few years. We will see just how far out it stretches in the future of this great city.

What about the surrounding area has changed?

Downtown Richmond has been built upwards like many other cities within the United States. A city that began with a measly centralized road, Broad Street, has blossomed to one of premier river cities in America. The downtown area has gone from a small agricultural market to an American leader in law, electricity, and banking. The city has expanded from 60,000 people to a metropolitan area with 1.25 million people.

Reflection:

We learned a lot from this project about Broad Street and the surrounding shops and companies. Walking Broad gave us a lot of chances to see the different shops along the way and buy a lot of really good food. Our experience allowed us to really see what Richmond was long ago and how far its come over the years and how great our river city is we have a truly unique experience living here.

Sources:

"Old and Historic Districts of Richmond Va." Richmond City Government. Accessed March 17

, 2016.      http://www.richmondgov.com/planninganddevelopmentreview/documents/Old_Historic_Dist.pdf.

"The Progress of Broad Street." Mapping American History. 2011. Accessed March 17,

2016.         https://urmappingamericanhistory.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/the-progress-of-broad-street/.

“Richmond History.” City Data. 2009. Accessed March 17

, 2016. http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-South/Richmond-History.html.

Henry Haas and Mike Rhyner

Tredegar Ironworks

Tredegar Ironworks (c. 1865)

Tredegar Ironworks (c. 2016)

Anthony Sylvester

3/17/2016

Period 6

Rephotography Project

Step 5

Name: Tredegar Ironworks

Date: 1837

Reason for Construction: Built because of the increasing market in the railroad industry.

Site History: The site was built when a group of investors and industrialists hired a group of ironworkers and an engineer named Rhys Davies from Tredegar, Wales. The site was opened up in 1837; however the same year, the Panic of 1837 would hinder its stability for its first few years. The site would continue to run in its state of poor output until 1841, when the site's owners would hire a civil engineer named Joseph Anderson for management over the site, which would prove to be beneficial to the site. Anderson, over the course of his managerial position, would reorganize the site drastically to maximize outputs. Areas, such as a cotton factory, located on the site were turned into more appropriate facilities, like a spikes factory; production of railroad-related materials were increased, and the site even produced components for ships. At the brink of the Civil War, Tredegar had prospered into the largest ironworks in the Confederacy, which was a primary reason for the shift of the capital of the Confederacy from Montgomery, Alabama to Richmond, Virginia. Soon, it turned from mainly a railroad-oriented factory into a munitions factory, creating much of the ammunition, rifles, and artillery for the Confederate army. It also would provide materials needed for the construction of many of the Confederacy’s ironclad ships. After the war concluded, Anderson had restored his factory due to assets that were kept overseas, which helped as the currency of the confederacy would begin to fail. With the advent of steel processing, the option of converting the factory into that of a steel mill was open until the Panic of 1873 occurred, and the factory would find that they would not be financially able to convert to the more profitable market. The site would continue to run, and even produce materials for the Spanish-American War, and both World Wars, but in 1957, the land was sold to the Ethyl Corporation, which preserved the site and its remaining structures.

Area History: The city of Richmond was a perfect area for the construction of the Tredegar Ironworks, as the city had seen growth in the iron industry throughout Richmond. Yet, at the same time, the slave industry was also hitting its all-time high in Richmond, which would prove to be a reliable source for the site’s labor. Especially as the ironworks are reasonably close to the area of Shockoe Bottom, which, at the time, was one of the largest slave trades in the nation.

Site changes: Since its purchase in 1957, it has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark, and has been converted into a Civil War Visitor’s Center for the Richmond National Battlefield Park, as well as an American Civil War Center.

Area Changes: With the decline of the iron industry and the need for manufacturing in Richmond, as well as the freedom of the African Americans from slavery, the city shifted away from an industrial center and grew more into a cultural center, embracing this history.

Reflection: The Tredegar Ironworks serves as an excellent example of manufacturing and industrialization during Civil War America, being one of the most productive and essential ironmills at the time. Although the confederacy had lost the war, the ironworks was able to maintain its use in Richmond for the next century as an iron manufacturer. Despite its decline in 1957, it remains today as a helpful source of understanding of Civil War, industry and even Richmond history for future generations.

Sources:

"Document Not Found." DynaXML Error: Invalid Document. Accessed March 15, 2016. http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=lva/vi00494.xml;query.

"The Cultural Landscape Foundation." Tredegar Iron Works. Accessed March 16, 2016. https://tclf.org/landscapes/tredegar-iron-works.

"Education from LVA: Tredegar Strike." Education from Library of Virginia: Tredegar Strike. Accessed March 16, 2016. http://edu.lva.virginia.gov/online_classroom/shaping_the_constitution/doc/tredegarstrike.

Authors: Anthony Sylvester

Byrd Theatre

Byrd Theatre 1941

Byrd Theatre 2016

Site Name: Byrd Theatre

Date of Construction: 1928

Reason for Construction: Built to be a theatre where movies would be shown. One of the Nation’s Grand Movie Palaces.

Site History: The Byrd Theatre, named after Richmond founder WIlliam Byrd, was built by Charles Somma and Walter Coulter during the height of filmography in Richmond. It was built to play both movies with sound and silent movies with their Mighty Wurlitzer Organ accompanying for the sound; however, silent movies quickly became rather obsolete. In spite of this, the Byrd Theatre continued to put on organ performances and still does so to this day on the original Mighty Wurlitzer. Today the Byrd Theatre remains one of the most iconic and popular Richmond attractions and continues to play second-run movies at very low costs.

Area History: Byrd Theatre is located along Cary Street in the Carytown district of Richmond. The Cary Street before the theatre was a largely commercial area of Richmond with many shops and a few residential houses; however, when the Byrd Theatre was built it gained greater prominence, namely with the construction of the Cary Court shopping center in 1938: the first strip mall in Richmond. After these two major developments, the surrounding area quickly grew into one of the biggest commercial areas in Richmond.

What about the site has changed? Nearly nothing about the site has changed. Despite its continued use both as a regular movie theater and for events such as the French Film Festival, the Byrd Theatre Foundation (a non-profit organization that purchased the theatre in 2007) has attempted to preserve the theatre exactly how it was in 1928. The seats, the organ, the foundation and building are all the same, they even use the old projector occasionally for showing short intros to films. The original projector has been replaced with newer projectors to be able to actually play more recent films and keep up with film expectations.

What about the surrounding area has changed? The surrounding area has also changed little in terms of the buildings and its purpose, it is still a lively and successful commercial area. The surrounding stores and shops have grown and changed but have retained most of their original structures, despite more modern businesses and many remodelings, from exterior paint jobs to interior furniture replacement.

Reflection: Not being from Richmond and only having been to the Byrd Theatre once in my life, it was very interesting to learn about how well preserved and maintained this site was despite its continued use. Before I had thought that most all historic sites that were in original condition were more or less museums or that if the site was still used then it was mostly redone with modern luxuries. This has been a very fascinating investigation. (I also relearned that I hate research)

Sources:

Lohmann, Bill. “Saving the Mighty Wurlitzer at the Byrd Theatre.” Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 22, 2014. http://www.richmond.com/news/local/columnists -blogs/saving-the-mighty-wurlitzer-at-the-byrd-theatre/article_41806c21-0942-5d19-9207-e81842765085.html.

Calos, Katherine. “Byrd Theatre turns down offer of Cannes seats.” Richmond Times-Dispatch. May 8, 2014. http://www.richmond.com/entertainment/article _db102dbd-04da-52eb-95a2-7d0d0a36a271.html.

“History.” The Byrd Theatre. Accessed April 3, 2016. http://byrdtheatre.com/restoration -history-byrd-theatre/.

“Byrd Theatre History.” The Byrd Theatre. Accessed April 3, 2016. http://byrdtheatre.com/history/.

Weidner, Marisa. “Carytown, Then and Now.” The Valentine. Last modified March 31, 2014. http://thevalentine.org/blog/carytown_then_and_now#.

Byrd Theatre 1941. Dementi Studio. http://www.dementi.com/richmond-va-historic-photos.

Kemmerly, William F. Byrd Theatre 2016. 2016, Digital Photograph.

“Byrd Theatre 1979 Final Nomination.” Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Accessed April 3, 2016. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Richmond/ 127-0287_Byrd_Theater_1979_Final_Nomination.pdf.

“Cary Street Park and Shop Center 2001 Final Nomination.” Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Accessed April 3, 2016. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/ Cities/Richmond/127-0438_Cary_Street_Park_and_Shop_Center_2001_Final_Nomination.pdf.

Author: Fritz Kemmerly

Magnolia Grange

Magnolia Grange, 1893

Magnolia Grange, 2016

Name: Magnolia Grange

Date Constructed: 1822

Reason for Construction: Private Residence

History of the Site: Magnolia Grange was built in 1802 by William Winfree atop a previous residence destroyed in a fire in 1808. It remained in his family until 1845 and eventually ended up in the hands of the DuVals about 10 years later. While they fled the house during the Civil War, it was left untouched due to the DuVal’s being French Huguenots and both sides of the Civil War wanting French support. When the DuVals returned, they attempted to profit off of the house in many ways, including by chopping down the namesake magnolias, but they were eventually forced to sell the property. The house then passed through two additional owners before being bought by the Cogbill Family in 1881. It then remained in the possession of the Cogbills until 1969, when it was sold at an auction, and remained a private residence until 1984, when it was sold to the Chesterfield Historical Society.

History of the Area: Chesterfield County was founded in 1749 after splitting from Henrico County due to the citizens feeling uninvolved in their local government. While it was initially agricultural, it eventually became more of a mining area. When Route 1 was built in the early 20th century, it ran through Chesterfield, so lodging and other tourist-related venues sprouted up. The area became more developed in the post-war era, with places such as Southside Plaza sprouting up as the county became more suburbanized. Iron Bridge, the street on which the estate currently rest, is a part of VA Route 10, which was constructed in 1918. From then until 1928, it was the most significant roadway in the state. Like the rest of the area, Iron Bridge suburbanized, as the rest of Chesterfield did.

Changes to the Site: Magnolia Grange has changed very little since 1984, being largely untouched by the development of the rest of the county. However, this was very intentional, with the house being owned by an organization dedicated to the preservation of Chesterfield’s historical sites. Strangely enough, though, reservation seems to have been a goal of even the owners of the place when it was a private residence, with the later private owners restoring the area, and the nomination of the site for the National Registry called the commercial development a threat. However, as stated before, the magnolia trees for which this site was named have been removed, in addition to the area of the site itself being cut down significantly due to being right off of Iron Bridge.

Changes to the Area: Chesterfield, in contrast with Magnolia Grange, has changed extensively. Most notably, it has changed from the days of the house’s construction in that Chesterfield is no longer rural, which can be deduced from how the area was relatively based in mining. Instead, due to the construction of Route 1 and the post-war development, it has turned into a suburban area.

Reflections: From this research, I have learned that progress and advancement is an inevitable consequence of time. This is particularly evident in Magnolia Grange due to those who applied it for the NRHP, considering commercial development a threat; yet, it eventually was surrounded by said development, only remaining in its current state due to preservation efforts on the part of the CHS. Not even the area in front of the house in entirely untouched, with a parking lot and brick pathway being added within the lifetime of the house. Additionally, electricity was added relatively recently, ensuring that progress, while late, eventually came to this house. And I also believe that this fate will befall other historical sites, either to make it more convenient to be shown its historical significance, as is the case with the Chesterfield Historical Society upon buying the house, or with disregard to any historical significance it may hold in the future, like the actions of private owners throughout the house’s history.

Sources

Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia. Lecture, Magnolia Grange,  Chesterfield, VA, March 12, 2016.

Clark, Frances Watson. Chesterfield County. Images of America. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pulishing, 2006.

National Park Service US Department of the Interior. National Registration of Historic Places Inventory. Compiled by National Park Service. Report no. 10 300. N.p.: n.p., 1980. Accessed February 17, 2016. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/counties/chesterfield/020-0074_magnolia_grange_1980_final_nomination.pdf.

Strong, Dave. “The Virginia Highways Project.” http://www.vahighways.com/. Last modified September 25, 2005. Accessed April 4, 2016. http://www.vahighways.com/route-log/va010.htm.

Author: JaKoby Cuthbertson

Immanuel Episcopal Church

Immanuel Episcopal Church (c. early 1900s)

Immanuel Episcopal Church (c. 2016) 

Site Name: Immanuel Episcopal Church

Date of construction: 1853

Reason for construction: Though merely built to be a church, this site served to revitalize the Episcopal Church in the state of Virginia, and soon after served as a U­­­nion field hospital during the civil war.

Site History: Although the Church itself was built by George Washington Bassett, grandnephew of Martha Washington, in 1853, its location had been used since the early 18^th century for church meetings, which met under a simple frame. Once the gothic-style brick church was built, it quickly became a representation of the revitalization of the Episcopal Church. According to Bishop John Johns, who consecrated the building, the name Immanuel was chosen because it means “God with us” in Hebrew. From its founding until roughly 1857, the Immanuel Church was considered a ‘lesser’ church to the Saint Paul’s Church at Hanover Courthouse, however the small size of the Saint  Paul’s congregation soon inspired the two churches to converge, and Immanuel remained even after the Civil War, despite the economic hardships it caused. The year 1869 brought a new pastor, Reverend B. Elliott Habersham, and a larger population: 46 members. During Habersham’s time, the church gained many improvements, such as a new painted roof and a new organ. In 1896, a group of young women organized the Immanuel Junior Auxiliary, a mission group that raised money for the church. The women in this group played a large role in funding for the church, especially during the Great Depression, until the mid-twentieth century.

Area History: Hanover County was officially formed in 1720, named after King George I of England, who was elector of Hanover, Germany. The Old Church Area, then mainly farmland and still very rural, was an unofficial community in the midst of Hanover County. By the time of the Civil War, it did not consist of much more than several private homes and a few taverns that were quickly taken over by Union troops. In 1864, Union and Confederate troops met at Matadequin Creek, near the Old Church crossroads, and a harsh yet small battle ensued, ending with Union victory. After the Civil War, the Old Church area, like the rest of the South, was hit by a rough depression, and spent the next few decades beginning to recover.

What about the site has changed? Not much outside of the obvious has changed. The Cherub School Preschool was built in 1988, and the surrounding cemetery has grown a bit, but other than these things and the necessary upkeep for such an old building, not much has changed.

What about the surrounding area has changed? The Old Church area has changed a lot, population-wise. While it is still regarded as ‘the middle of nowhere’ by most people in Hanover, especially those that live there, the area has grown in popularity and is generally regarded as a nice place to live, if you don’t care about fast internet or being close to town. Many neighborhoods in Old Church have large amounts of land, with some houses placed on multiple acres of forest, and the area still has a ‘country’ feel to it.

Reflection: I feel like this project did more building on old knowledge instead of creating new knowledge, which is great, but not what I was expecting. I already knew that Hanover County was a site of lots of battles- my local elementary school is literally called “Battlefield Park”- but I never knew of any in Old Church, just Pole Green and Cold Harbor, though these areas probably have blurred borders. It was pretty neat to learn about a place that I’ve known for so long, and I can’t wait to go back and see it again for the photo.

Author: Abigail Mister

Sources:

Colvin, Steve. "A Detailed History of Immanuel." Accessed March 13, 2016.      

            http://www.immanueloc.org/Who_we_are/Historical_Roots/Historical_Notes/.

"History." Hanover County Historical Society. Accessed March 13, 2016.

http://www.hanoverhistorical.org/history.html.

"Historic Sites: Old Church." Virginia Tourism Corporation. 2016. Accessed March 15, 2016.

http://www.virginia.org/Listings/HistoricSites/OldChurch/.

Maggie L. Walker Governor School

Maggie Walker Governor School (c. 1938)

Maggie Walker Governor School (April 2016)

Name of the site: Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School (formerly Maggie L. Walker High School)

Date of construction: 1938

Reason for construction: Built to serve as a vocational high school for the Richmond community’s African American youth.

Brief history of the site: Originally, there was only one high school in Richmond serving African Americans (Armstrong High School), but due to rapidly growing populations during the 1920s and 1930s, the Richmond Public School System built new facilities, including one designated for African Americans: Maggie L. Walker High School. The building of Maggie Walker specifically was due to a series of various events, including the merger of Hartshorn College with Virginia Union University in 1931. This made the land of Hartshorn College’s former campus available, which was then bought by Richmond Public Schools in 1937 in hopes to build a needed second high school for African Americans in Richmond as well as a memorial for Maggie L. Walker, who died three years prior in 1934. The building of Maggie Walker High School was partially funded by Roosevelt’s Administration of Public Works and was completed in 1938, although there was an expansion of the school in 1963.

Brief history of the surrounding area: Newtowne West neighborhood, originally called Sheep Hill, is the surrounding area of Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, located north of Broad Street between Lombardy Street and Hermitage Road. This site was originally under the settlement of Jewish and German immigrants in the early 1900s. In the early 19th century, Newtowne West was a middle to low class African American neighborhood that was originally for the working class who were in need for a place to stay. These neighborhoods were the precedent for the start of many successful industrial businesses that helped build Richmond as it is today. As time progressed onward to the 1920s, Newtowne West began to grow and become a better community, with some period of decline in between due to problems with the government concerning economic policies. Newtowne West is a surrounding area that is currently under rejuvenation, which also includes the renovating of the current Maggie Walker Governor's School.

What about the site has changed?

Built during the Jim Crow era, the school solely had African American students until the Civil Rights era, when the school was desegregated in 1964. This said, even after desegregation, the majority of the students were still African American. The school closed in 1979, and the building was unused until major renovations in the early 2000’s. Then, the building was reopened in 2001 to serve as the home of Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, which is a school for gifted students for Richmond and its surrounding counties. In regards to architectural change, the expansion in 1963 added symmetric wings at the north and south ends of the building, as well as additions on either side of the auditorium. So it can be concluded that the school has definitely been preserved over the century.

What about the surrounding area has changed?

Comparing between the past Newtowne West with the current Newtowne West, the type of people living in there and the type of economic activity. The ethnicity of the people living there has become more diverse, including more than just African Americans. Also, in the past, the working class mainly focused on masonry and carpentry while today, the jobs go further than building buildings. Disputes with the government over economic policies has led to the neighborhood’s decline and also times of rich economic activities has led to subsequent revitalization.

Reflection

Despite going to this school for the last three years, we only had vague knowledge about the building itself. We knew about what the building was previously used for and the renovation, but not much else. From this project, we learned more in depth knowledge about the building, including the reasons for why it was built and the circumstances behind it. For example, we had no idea that the location of this school was once the campus of  Hartshorn College, or that the building of the school was funded by Roosevelt’s Administration of Public Works. We also did not know beforehand that the school had actually been expanded in 1963. In addition to the school itself, we have learned about the formation of the surrounding area and its history. Looking back on the surrounding area, we have been able to read about the start of a neighborhood and how much it has grown through economic activities since then. Overall, considering how we come to this school every day, we had little knowledge beforehand on the site and the surrounding area, so it was quite interesting to learn about.

Sources of information:

"Carver and Newtown West Walking Tour." Visit Richmond VA. Accessed March 15, 2016. http://www.visitrichmondva.com/includes/events/Carver-and-Newtown-West-Walking-Tour/9825/562/.

"Maggie L. Walker High School." National Park Service. Accessed February 18, 2016. http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/richmond/MaggieWalkerHighSchool.html.

"Neighborhoods in Bloom." Richmond City Government. Accessed March 15, 2016. http://www.richmondgov.com/Neighborhoods/carver.aspx.

Authors:

Kevin Li and Jonathan Lee