See also: Richmond, Virginia

18th Century History

• 1700s -
• 1710s -
• 1720s -
• 1730s -
• 1740s -
• 1750s -
• 1760s -
• 1770s - Richmond burns during Benedict Arnold's famous raid.
• 1780s -
• 1790s -

19th Century History

• 1800s - Gabriel Prosser's Rebellion (first major American slave rebellion)
• 1810s -
• 1820s -
• 1830s - Industrial Revolution hits Richmond, horse-drawn rail line opens between Richmond and Chesterfield (Midlothian area)coal mines. First steam train arrives. Tredegar Iron Company opens. Poe is editor of the Southern Literary Messenger (1835 - 1837)
• 1840s - Richmond and Danville Railroad chartered 1847, completed to Danville by 1854
• 1850s - completion of Great Ship Lock Park and Richmond's canal system.
• 1860s - The Civil War (1861 - 1865) has a profound impact on the Richmond area and culture. The city becomes capital of the Confederacy and the entire region becomes host for many famous Civil War battlefields. Richmond burns again during the retreat of the Confederates. Reconstruction affects Richmond as Virginia falls under martial law in military district #1 until 1869.
• 1870s - First Cigarette manufacturing plant (P.H. Mayo & Bro. Tobacco Co)
• 1880s - Second Industrial Revolution occurs as Richmond's tobacco empire expands. first electric streetcar opens.
• 1890s - Streetcar expansion begins (First monument on monument avenue. Ginter purchases Northside lots)

20th Century History

• 1900s -
  • Jake Wells , theater mogul, builds a number of vaudeville theaters and opera houses in Richmond. Other theaters and opera houses open on what became "Theater Row", to include The Bijou , the Colonial Theater, The Lyric Opera House.
  • Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sacred Heart Church (in Manchester), and Sisters of Visitation convent (now Richmond Hill retreat center) are paid for entirely by Thomas Fortune Ryan's money (1901 - 1906). reference:19 Jan 05 Style weekly article

• 1910s - Manchester and Richmond agree to consolidate (mutual agreement), other annexations in 1914

• 1920s -
  • Development of the Fan district.
  • Ellen Glasgow and James Branch Cabell.
  • WRVA takes the air (1925)
  • Opening of The Byrd Theater(1928), Loew's Theater (1928) (now called Carpenter Center) and The Mosque (1925) (now called Landmark Theater).
  • John Marshall Hotel opens (Oct 1929)

• 1930s -

• 1940s - Defense Supply center/Fort Lee, buses replace last streetcars 1949

• 1950s -
  • Massive Resistance.
  • Development fot he Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike.
  • Creation of the Barksdale Theater, the nation's first Regional Dinner theatre.

• 1960s - Opening of Willow Lawn shopping center just outside ciy limits
  • Virginia Commonwealth University created from merger of MCV and RPI (1968)

• 1970s -
  • 23 square mile area of Chesterfield annexed 1-1-70
  • RPS busing plan begins fall (1971)
  • Opening of Cloverleaf Mall (1972)
  • Richmond magazine begins as Surroundings magazine (not published regulary until 1986).
  • Opening of the Powhite Parkway (01/23/1973) and Downtown Expressway (

• 1980s -
  • RPS Plan G Fall, 1980 (7 high schools into 3)
  • Opening of Sixth street marketplace
  • 'The Diamond' baseball staduim built (1984), R-Braves arrive

• 1990s -
  • flood wall constructed, prompting increased development in Shockoe Bottom
  • Closing of Thalhimers, furthering decay of Broad Street shopping district
  • canal walk opens (1999)

21st Century History

• 2000s -
  • expansion of VCU along Broad street to include Siegel center and RAMZ apartments (2000 - present)
  • Convention center district remodeling -- to include Jackson Ward development, and replacement of old department stores and 6trh street marketplace with new arts center. (2000-present)
  • The Cordish Company builds Riverside on the James, a Power plant [www.cordish.com/developments/powerplant.asp] -like development set to open on Brown's Island. (2003-Estimated Spring 2005)
  • Ricmond Coliseum changes hands, and Renegades (hockey team)is replaced by Riverdogs (2003)
  • two new malls open nearly simultaneously at Stony point and Short Pump (Fall 2003)
  • Due to perceived corruption in city government, Wilder-Bliley commissions passes legislation to elect an at-large mayor. (2004)
  • Shockoe Bottom development -- 2004 push to develop ball park despite devastating flood damage from Tropical storm Gaston on 30 Aug 04.
  • City of Richmond purchases and begins commercial development of former Cloverleaf mall site. (2004)

The Future

• 2006 Completion of Richmond International Airport Construction Project
• 2007 Jamestown and Richmond founding 400th anniversary, Opening of Arts centers and Carpenter center
• First Freedom Center to open. website

Other References

• Valentine Museume timeline here
• Richmond Metropolitan Authority roads and infrastructure timeline here
• vast collection of other history resources
• http://TheRichmondGuide.com