Broad Street is a 15-mile-long (24 km) road located in the independent city of Richmond, Virginia, and adjacent Henrico County. Broad Street is significant to Richmond due to the many commercial establishments that have been built along it throughout Richmond's history. From downtown through miles into the suburbs, the street is largely dedicated to retailing and offices, including regional and neighborhood shopping centers and malls.
The GRTC Pulse bus rapid transit line follows Broad Street from its terminus at the Willow Lawn station on the western edge of the city east to 14th Street in Downtown Richmond.[1]
History and developmentedit
Originsedit
When the city was originally laid out circa 1744 by Col. William Mayo, Richmond was a small area along the James River. What is now called East Broad Street was its northern border. The street was situated uphill from the town. Due to gullies and other terrain issues, it was hard to get to, from the central Main Street area, until Capitol Square was built. The Broad corridor was referred to as "upper country."[2]
Richmond's city streets had no names until 1780, when Thomas Jefferson's plan named it H Street. It was informally referred to as Haxall street for a while, but the name didn't stick.[3] "H" remained the name until Broad Street acquired its current name in 1845.[4] Areas north of that were what an early chronicler called the non-tax paying side, as they were outside of city limits.[5] To the west, Broad connected to Richmond Road. Broad Street ceased to be the county line when an adjoining portion of Henrico County was annexed by the jurisdictionally independent City of Richmond in 1867.[6]
Broad Street connects many historical sites in Downtown Richmond. It is home to the lavish Empire Theatre,[9] which is the state's oldest operating theatre. Theatre IV, the Children's Theatre of Virginia, the second largest children's theatre in the nation, owns the Empire and presents its mainstage season there in downtown Richmond. Until the late 19th century, the trains of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad ran down the center of the street from the present Harrison Street east to Eighth Street. The area around Sixth and Broad Streets was the center of retailing in the Southeast, with department stores such as Miller & Rhoads, Thalhimers, G. C. Murphy, Woolworth, Raylass, Sears, Cohen's and W. T. Grant and niche retailers like Hofheimer's. It was also home to "theater row", which included venues such as the National.[10][11][12]
In 1919, the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad relocated its terminal to the more suburban Broad Street Station.
West Endedit
As Richmond moved westward, so did the retail district. Miles away, Short Pump Town Center in western Henrico County on Broad Street has leading retailers including Macy's and Dillard's.
See alsoedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia.
^"November Theatre in Richmond, VA - Cinema Treasures".
^Robert P. Winthrop (September 1986). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Broad Street Commercial Historic District" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. and Accompanying four photos and
^Nancy W. Kraus (n.d.). (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
^Kimberly M. Chen and Hannah W. Collins (June 2006). (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
January 01, 1970
broad, street, richmond, virginia, broad, street, mile, long, road, located, independent, city, richmond, virginia, adjacent, henrico, county, broad, street, significant, richmond, many, commercial, establishments, that, have, been, built, along, throughout, r. Broad Street is a 15 mile long 24 km road located in the independent city of Richmond Virginia and adjacent Henrico County Broad Street is significant to Richmond due to the many commercial establishments that have been built along it throughout Richmond s history From downtown through miles into the suburbs the street is largely dedicated to retailing and offices including regional and neighborhood shopping centers and malls Looking East on Broad Street at VCU Contents 1 Description 2 History and development 2 1 Origins 2 2 Downtown 2 3 West End 3 See also 4 ReferencesDescription editThe east end of Broad Street is located at the northeastern edge of Chimborazo Park It extends through Church Hill to Downtown Richmond Also known as U S Route 250 west of Downtown Richmond it extends west through Richmond s West End all the way to the outermost suburbs of Richmond just beyond Short Pump near the intersection of I 295 and I 64 Continuing west into Goochland County Broad Street becomes Broad Street Rd U S Route 250 the road extends all the way to Sandusky OH The GRTC Pulse bus rapid transit line follows Broad Street from its terminus at the Willow Lawn station on the western edge of the city east to 14th Street in Downtown Richmond 1 History and development editOrigins edit When the city was originally laid out circa 1744 by Col William Mayo Richmond was a small area along the James River What is now called East Broad Street was its northern border The street was situated uphill from the town Due to gullies and other terrain issues it was hard to get to from the central Main Street area until Capitol Square was built The Broad corridor was referred to as upper country 2 Richmond s city streets had no names until 1780 when Thomas Jefferson s plan named it H Street It was informally referred to as Haxall street for a while but the name didn t stick 3 H remained the name until Broad Street acquired its current name in 1845 4 Areas north of that were what an early chronicler called the non tax paying side as they were outside of city limits 5 To the west Broad connected to Richmond Road Broad Street ceased to be the county line when an adjoining portion of Henrico County was annexed by the jurisdictionally independent City of Richmond in 1867 6 Downtown edit Broad Street Commercial Historic DistrictU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtVirginia Landmarks RegisterRichmond City Historic District nbsp 1913 postcard view of Broad Street looking South at 7th and Broad Streets Note the streetcars nbsp nbsp Show map of Virginia nbsp nbsp Show map of the United StatesLocationAlong Broad St area roughly bounded by Belvidere Marshall Fourth and Grace Richmond VirginiaCoordinates37 32 45 N 77 26 35 W 37 54583 N 77 44306 W 37 54583 77 44306Area29 acres 12 ha Architectural styleClassical Revival ItalianateNRHP reference No 87000611 original 04000851 increase 1 07000219 increase 2 VLR No 127 0375Significant datesAdded to NRHPApril 09 1987 8 Boundary increasesAugust 11 2004March 27 2007Designated VLROctober 14 1986 7 Broad Street connects many historical sites in Downtown Richmond It is home to the lavish Empire Theatre 9 which is the state s oldest operating theatre Theatre IV the Children s Theatre of Virginia the second largest children s theatre in the nation owns the Empire and presents its mainstage season there in downtown Richmond Until the late 19th century the trains of the Richmond Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad ran down the center of the street from the present Harrison Street east to Eighth Street The area around Sixth and Broad Streets was the center of retailing in the Southeast with department stores such as Miller amp Rhoads Thalhimers G C Murphy Woolworth Raylass Sears Cohen s and W T Grant and niche retailers like Hofheimer s It was also home to theater row which included venues such as the National 10 11 12 It has also been the site of major institutional structures including Monumental Church the Library of Virginia the present and former city halls and the Virginia Department of Transportation headquarters In 1919 the Richmond Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad relocated its terminal to the more suburban Broad Street Station West End edit As Richmond moved westward so did the retail district Miles away Short Pump Town Center in western Henrico County on Broad Street has leading retailers including Macy s and Dillard s See also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Broad Street Richmond Virginia Transportation in Richmond VirginiaReferences edit System Map PDF Map Greater Richmond Transit Company Retrieved May 8 2019 https www richmondtourguys com broad street roads of richmond accessed June 1 2023 https richmond com sports local how richmond streets got their names article 3211460e ae5c 5f9c a541 e24b3445b471 html accessed June 1 2023 https www tclf org broad street commercial historic district text Originally 20established 20as 20the 20northern update 20the 20original 20city 20grid accessed June 1 2023 Samuel Mordecai quoted in https www richmondtourguys com broad street roads of richmond accessed June 1 2023 https richmond geo hub cor hub arcgis com datasets 95928c29333441eca19e187800fe29cc 0 explore location 37 525135 2C 77 493427 2C11 67 accessed June 1 2023 Virginia Landmarks Register Virginia Department of Historic Resources Archived from the original on September 21 2013 Retrieved March 19 2013 National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 November Theatre in Richmond VA Cinema Treasures Robert P Winthrop September 1986 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Broad Street Commercial Historic District PDF Virginia Department of Historic Resources and Accompanying four photos and Accompanying map Nancy W Kraus n d National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Broad Street Commercial Historic District 2004 Increase PDF Virginia Department of Historic Resources Archived from the original PDF on March 4 2016 Retrieved December 29 2013 Kimberly M Chen and Hannah W Collins June 2006 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Broad Street Commercial Historic District 2007 Increase PDF Virginia Department of Historic Resources Archived from the original PDF on March 4 2016 Retrieved December 29 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Broad Street Richmond Virginia amp oldid 1168911891 Broad Street Commercial Historic District, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
