Shockoe Bottom
|
Shockoe Valley and Tobacco Row Historic District
|
|
View north on 17th Street
|
|
 
|
|
| Location | Roughly bounded by Dock, 15th, Clay, Franklin, and Pear Streets, Richmond, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°31′56″N 77°25′29″W / 37.53222°N 77.42472°WCoordinates: 37°31′56″N 77°25′29″W / 37.53222°N 77.42472°W |
| Area | 129 acres (52 ha) |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century Revival, Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Late Victorian |
| NRHP Reference # | 83003308 |
| VLR # | 127-0344 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 24, 1983 |
| Designated VLR | July 21, 1981; August 23, 2007 |
Shockoe Bottom is an area in Richmond, Virginia, just east of downtown, along the James River. Located between Shockoe Hill and Church Hill, Shockoe Bottom contains much of the land included in Colonel William Mayo's 1737 plan of Richmond, making it one of the city's oldest neighborhoods.
Shockoe Bottom began developing in the late 18th century following the move of the state capital to Richmond, aided by the construction of Mayo's bridge across the James River (ultimately succeeded by the modern 14th Street Bridge), as well as the siting of key tobacco industry structures, such as the public warehouse, tobacco scales, and the Federal Customs House in or near the district.
Shockoe Bottom is also home to several historic sites and buildings, including the Edgar Allan Poe Museum and the Mason's Hall, which was built between 1785 and 1787.
Throughout the 19th Century, Shockoe Bottom was the center of Richmond's commerce with ships pulling into port from the James River. Goods coming off these ships were warehoused and traded in Shockoe Valley.
Between the late 17th century and the end of the American Civil War in 1865, the area played a major role in the history of slavery in the United States, serving as the second largest slave trading center in the country, second to New Orleans. Profits from the trade in human beings fueled the creation of wealth for Southern whites and drove the economy in Richmond, leading 15th Street to be known as Wall Street in the antebellum period, with the surrounding blocks home to more than 69 slave dealers and auction houses. In 2006, archaeological excavations were begun on the former site of Lumpkin's Jail. Nearby is the African American Burial Ground, long used as a commercial parking lot, most recently by Virginia Commonwealth University, a state institution. It was reclaimed in 2011 after a decade-long community organizing campaign and today is a memorial park.
...
Wikipedia