Main Street Station

Main Street Station (c. 1901-1949)

Main Street Station (2017)

Site Name: Main Street Station

Date of Construction: 1901

Reason for Construction: Main Street Station was originally built to function as a train depot and offices for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad and the Seaboard Air Line Railroad.

Site History: Main Street Station was originally opened on November 27, 1901 at the crossroads of the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Railroad, which traveled east and west, and the Seaboard Air Line (SAL) Railroad, which traveled north and south. The Station was designed in 1898 by Wilson, Harris, and Richards of Philadelphia, a firm that specialized in railroad architecture, and was one of the last gable-roof train sheds ever constructed. SAL stopped using Main Street Station for passenger services in 1959, moving these services to Broad Street Station instead, which is now the Science Museum of Virginia. However, Amtrak started service at Main Street Station in 1971. This ended soon afterwards since Hurricane Agnes caused the station to flood in 1972, eventually leading Amtrak to discontinue its passenger service through Main Street Station in 1975 which led to the closing of the station. The station was later bought in 1983 in order to convert it into a shopping mall, though in that same year a fire destroyed the upper floors and roof of the station’s headhouse. It was later restored and turned into a shopping mall in 1985 though the mall failed after only two years. In 1991 the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act was passed, which called for the preservation of existing systems before the construction of new facilities. This led the state of Virginia to purchase Main Street Station in 1995 and to begin restoring it for use as a train station in 2001. Main Street Station was reopened in 2003 and Amtrak restored its service to the station as well. Main Street Station is also now a historic landmark, having been added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and Designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

Area History: Main Street Station is located in Shockoe Bottom, the oldest neighborhood in Richmond. Shockoe Bottom was the site of the earliest settlement of Richmond when it was founded by William Byrd in the 1730s. The area was named after Shockoe Creek which forms the western boundary of the neighborhood and was located where 15th Street is today. The area is also bounded by Broad Street to the north 25th Street to the east, and the James River to the south. The area of Richmond around Richmond became an early place of commercial vitality. Main Street was the main route for travelers passing east and west through Richmond, which led to the establishment of taverns, inns, shops, and a public market along the street. This caused Main Street to become Richmond’s first major commercial area in the 18th and 19th centuries. The tobacco industry also gained a large presence in Shockoe Bottom during the 18th century when many tobacco inspection warehouses were established in the area. However, in the 19th century the focus of the tobacco industry in Shockoe Bottom switched from exporting cured tobacco to manufacturing chewing tobacco. The tobacco industry continued to grow throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Before the Civil War, Shockoe Bottom was also the center of Richmond’s slave trade, containing auction houses, offices, and slave jails. Much of Shockoe Bottom, however, was burned down in 1865 as the Confederate army fled Richmond at the end of the Civil War. Despite this, however, the area remained a commercial center and a hub of activity in Richmond with the construction of many railroads, such as the Virginia Central Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, beginning in the 1860s. This development of railroads contributed to continued industrial development in the area even after much of the neighborhood had been destroyed.

What about the site has changed? Since its construction, Main Street Station has had several changes both in its construction and its use. While Main Street Station was originally built as a train station for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad and the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and even though it is used as a train station today, its has been used for several other purposes as well, being used as a shopping mall from 1985 to 1987 and for Virginia Department of Health Offices in 1990. Main Street Street Station was also built in the early 20th century, when railroad travel was at the peak of its importance. However, since then new forms of travel have become more common, such as automobiles, which can be seen by the construction of Interstate 95 next to the station. This change in the importance of rail travel also had an impact on the station itself, since the decline in the passenger rail service contributed to Main Street Station’s closing in 1975. Several changes were also made to the building’s structure when it was renovated and restored between 2001 and 2003. The building had to be modified so as to make it comply with building codes from 100 years after its construction. These changes included removing asbestos from walls, replacing floors with stronger materials, adding a steel skeleton to support the second floor, as well as adding security systems, safety systems, a new elevator, and mechanical electrical, and plumbing upgrades. However, while the structure of the building was changed, the renovation was done in a way that the building would look the same as it did before.

What about the surrounding area has changed? Since it was founded in the 1730s, Shockoe Bottom has remained a very central part of activities in Richmond as well as Richmond’s history. However, while the area remains a very important part of Richmond, it has become less of a commercial center. Shockoe Bottom is now better known for its dining, art, and history. Most industrial buildings in the area have been converted for office or residential use. An example of this is Tobacco Row, which used to contain several tobacco factories and warehouses, though none today are still used for this purpose, instead being used as office space or residential buildings. Measures have also been taken to prevent flooding in Shockoe Bottom because of the eight major floods that occurred in Richmond between 1969 and 1987, which had large effects on Shockoe Bottom due to its being lower down than the rest of Richmond, and several of which also flooded Main Street Station. The Richmond Floodwall was constructed in 1994 to prevent floods up to 32 feet in height.

Reflection: Before this project I hadn’t really known how complex the history of Main Street Station was. I had known it was a train station, but I had assumed that it had only been used as a train station since it was built. I hadn’t known that it had been used as a mall or for government offices, or even that there had been a fire there in the 80’s. I also learned a lot about Shockoe Bottom. From discussions in class I had learned that it was a central part of Richmond and its economy, particularly concerning the slave trade, but I hadn’t realized what a large influence it had had on industry and transportation. It was also interesting to see how Shockoe Bottom has changed over time. Usually when I think of Shockoe Bottom I think of the canal walk or the restaurants, since the area is better known for these now. It was interesting to see how Shockoe Bottom has changed in this way, such as with the conversion of factories and warehouses for office and residential use.

Author: Meg Taylor

Sources:

Great American Stations. “Richmond - Main Street Station, VA (RVM).” Great American Stations. Last modified 2016. Accessed March 19, 2017. http://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/richmond-main-street-station-va-rvm/.

Hawkins, Jeff. Richmond Railroads. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2010. https://books.google.com/books?id=RoW1uLOC0yQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=main+street+station+richmond+history&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwizkqvj7JXSAhWI0YMKHZxYD6MQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=main%20street%20station&f=false.

Historic Shockoe Slip. “Historic Shockoe Slip.” Historic Shockoe Slip. Last modified 2017. Accessed March 19, 2017. http://www.shockoeslip.org/index.php.

Moody, James W. “Virginia SP Main Street Station and Trainshed.” National Archives Catalog. Last modified July 10, 1970. Accessed March 19, 2017. https://research.archives.gov/id/41683003.

National Park Service. “Main Street Station and Trainshed.” National Park Service. Last modified 2017. Accessed March 19, 2017. https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/richmond/mainststation.html.

National Park Service. “Shockoe Valley and Tobacco Row Historic District.” National Park Service. Last modified 2017. Accessed March 19, 2017. https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/richmond/shockoevalleytobaccohd.htm.

National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Shockoe Bottom.” National Trust for Historic Preservation. Last modified 2017. Accessed March 19, 2017. https://savingplaces.org/places/shockoe-bottom#.WM7kpRIrKCV.

Richmond Outside. “Floodwall Park (JRPS).” Richmond Outside. Last modified 2017. Accessed March 19, 2017. http://www.richmondoutside.com/destination/floodwall-park-jrps/.

Richmond Times-Dispatch. “Historic Main Street Station Photos.” Richmond Times-Dispatch. Last modified March 4, 2015. Accessed March 19, 2017. http://www.richmond.com/archive/collection_ef5d4374-c293-11e4-8ace-7b4ecb30e31b.html#5.