Antebellum Railroads

Antebellum Railroads

Richmond, Virginia

23219

The establishment of railroads along the James in downtown Richmond enabled the city to become one of the most prominent manufacturing and slavery-centered city in the antebellum United States. Railroad construction began in Richmond in the 1830’s in conjunction with Richmond’s plans to revitalize its canal and enable greater connections between the city and other parts of the country.[i] The first railway in Virginia, Chesterfield Railroad, traveled the southern border of Manchester. As the number of railroads expanded, the marketplace of Richmond became increasingly focused on transportation and trade, as infinitely more individuals were able to travel to and participate within Richmond’s economy.[ii]  As these industries continued to grow, the population of Richmond did as well, as booming businesses provided labor opportunities for foreign individuals from the North and other countries including Germany and Ireland.[iii]   Free and enslaved individuals alike built the locomotives, creating an incentive for journeying to the urban city. [iv] This influx of varying cultures altered the political and economic power that these individuals held in Richmond’s labor and political economies.[v]  The railroads built in the Canal were often created at Tredegar Iron Works, illustrating the powerful link the James provided between Richmond’s evolutions.[vi]  During the Civil War, these railroads allowed Richmond to become a medical center for Confederate forces.  The James River, the Kanawha Canal, and five railroads were completed by 1861, enabling a new level of networks between the city and the rest of the antebellum South.

---

[i] Link, William A., Roots of Secession: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Virginia, The University of North Carolina Press, 2003, 29.

[ii] Link, William A., Roots of Secession: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Virginia, The University of North Carolina Press, 2003, 32.

[iii] Gregg, Kimball D.,  American City, Southern Place: A Cultural History of Antebellum Richmond, Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2000, 21.

[iv] Gregg, Kimball D.,  American City, Southern Place: A Cultural History of Antebellum Richmond,  Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2000, 5.

[v] Link, William A., Roots of Secession: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Virginia, The University of North Carolina Press, 2003, 21.

[vi] Gregg, Kimball D.,  American City, Southern Place: A Cultural History of Antebellum Richmond,  Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2000, 4.

Tredegar Iron Works

Tredegar Iron Works

500 Tredegar Street

Richmond, Virginia
23219

Tredegar Iron Works is one of the most historically significant sites on the James River; the establishment of which catalyzed Richmond into one of the most extensive commercial manufacturing locals in the antebellum South.  Tredegar Iron Works was founded in 1836 by Francis B. Deane, Jr.  Along the falls of the James River.   This location provided endless opportunity for economic expansion for local markets, as this area sat between water and coal resources via the Kanawha Canal and the James.[i] Originally running as a milling operation, Tredegar ran on the water power derived from the canal.  In the 1840’s, Joseph R. Anderson became involved with leading Tredegar, adapting the site into an iron manufacturing gold-mine. [ii]Tredegar Iron Company provided iron material used in locomotives, cannons, and armor throughout the nineteenth century, changing Richmond into one of the most immense and prosperous economic systems in the South.[iii]  This expansion of the canal expedited immense social, economic, and political change in Virginia.  As Tredegar launched Richmond into a huge player in manufacturing, the railroads, bridges, and canals which connected the city with the rest of the South became the pillars of Richmond antebellum civilization.[iv] Hundreds of white and African American free and enslaved, laborers poured into the city to work within these blossoming industries. [v]Richmond’s population growth grew in conjunction with the economy; a result of a radically more connected culture.[vi] This period also solidified slavery as one of the key components of Virginia societal success and progress. [vii] During this period prior to the civil war, Tredegar became a key player in Richmond’s “seventy-seven iron making establishments and among the largest flour mills in the United States”.[viii]  During the Civil War, Tredegar Iron Works   operated on five acres of the James and manufactured war-materials like iron and ordnance to the Confederate forces.[ix]  Tredegar also created spikes, cables, ships, cannons, machinery, and locomotives.  This business was one of the most significant in Virginia’s history.  Tredegar was built on the James where it was able to harbor power from the region’s natural resources to launch Richmond to becoming the center of American iron manufacturing prior to the Civil War, as well as The Capital of the Confederacy as of 1861. The land where Tredegar Iron Works sat during antebellum times is now home to The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar.  This organization is a great site to visit to learn more about the extensive history of Tredegar Iron Works and the unquestionable role it played in the expansion and success of Richmond’s economy and culture.

---

[i] “National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form, Tredegar Iron Works,”  Virginia Historical Landmarks Commission Staff, United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service, Richmond, Virginia, 1971, 5.

[ii] “National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form, Tredegar Iron Works,” Virginia Historical Landmarks Commission Staff, United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service, Richmond, Virginia, 1971, 5.

[iii] “Tredegar Iron Works Records, 1801-1957,” Business Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. Accession 23881, 24808.

[iv] Gregg, Kimball D., American City, Southern Place: A Cultural History of Antebellum Richmond, Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2000 , 5.

[v] Link, William A., Roots of Secession: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Virginia, The University of North Carolina Press, 2003, 29.

[vi] Link, William A., Roots of Secession: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Virginia, The University of North Carolina Press, 2003), 29.

[vii] Link, William A., Roots of Secession: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Virginia, The University of North Carolina Press, 2003 , 6.

[viii] Link, William A., Roots of Secession: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Virginia, The University of North Carolina Press, 2003, 81.

[ix] National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form, Tredegar Iron Works,” Virginia Historical Landmarks Commission Staff, United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service, Richmond, Virginia, 1971, 5.

Tidewater Connection

Tidewater Connection Locks

East Byrd Street & 12^th Street

Richmond, Virginia

23219

The success of antebellum Richmond hinged upon the expansion of the James River, limitlessly connecting the city with the rest of the South.  Since the late eighteenth century, George Washington and other members of antebellum society labored to create a way to successfully navigate the rapids of the James River.[i] The Tidewater Connection Locks were constructed in 1854 as a project by the James River and Kanawha Company after acquiring the Richmond Dock Company.[ii] These five stone locks connected the James River tidewater to the Kanawha canal basin.[iii] These locks were fifteen by 100 feet and created a flight of stairs in which boats could be lowered from the upper basin to the lower James.[iv] The creation of the Tidewater Connection Locks allowed traffic within the canal and Richmond’s downtown to progress exponentially.  Boats were now better able to navigate the currents surrounding the James’ fall line and expand the already flourishing industries.[v]   Extensive bridgework, railroad expansion, and business ventures launched Richmond into becoming the center of manufacturing in antebellum America, creating a demand for profitable and successful means of transferring goods.  The building of the Tidewater Connection Locks filled this void and enabled the city to flourish via the banks of the James.  This site illustrates the technological development that the city underwent throughout the antebellum era and the crucial role that the James River played in the evolution of Virginia. Visitors can access the site of the Tidewater Connection Locks for free through the Riverfront Canal Walk.

---

[i] “James River & Kanawha Canal, Locks 1-5, Tenth to Thirteenth of Canal Street, Richmond, Independent City, VA,” Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC,  3.

[ii] “James River & Kanawha Canal, Locks 1-5, Tenth to Thirteenth of Canal Street, Richmond, Independent City, VA,” Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC,  3.

[iii] “James River & Kanawha Canal, Locks 1-5, Tenth to Thirteenth of Canal Street, Richmond, Independent City, VA,” Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC,  3.

[iv] “James River & Kanawha Canal, Locks 1-5, Tenth to Thirteenth of Canal Street, Richmond, Independent City, VA,” Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC,  3.

[v] Leib, Jonathan I., “Robert E. Lee, ‘Race,’ Representation and Redevelopment along Richmond, Virginia’s Canal Walk,” Southeastern Geographer 44 (2), 243.

Manchester Bridge

Old Manchester Bridge

Richmond, Virginia

23224

Manchester Bridge was one of many bridge expansion projects across the James in antebellum Richmond.  Manchester was originally a city independent from Richmond that was known for its active ports via its prime locale on the canal.  Staples of Richmond agriculture and commerce, including tobacco, coal, and iron were manufactured and exported through this area of the City on an exponential scale. Manchester is perhaps most notably recognized as one of the major slave import cities in the eighteenth century United States.[i]  The slave market was able to thrive in this locale due to the docks and mills along the canal, providing a prime opportunity for marketing commodities.[ii] This solidified Richmond as a culture and economy rooted in slavery; catapulting Richmond to become the largest slaves state by 1860, home to about half a million slaves. [iii]  The immense history of the African American slave experience in Old Manchester can be explored by guests via the Canal Walk.  There is a “slave trail” which is about three miles long that reaches the Manchester Docks as well as Lumpkin’s Slave Jail and other significant sites along the James.  Additionally, the old pier on the south end of the Manchester Bridge is now the site of Manchester Climbing Wall, a locale frequently used by Richmond climbers. 

---

[i] McGraw, Marie Tyler,  At the Falls: Richmond, Virginia and Its People, North Carolina: UNC Press Books, 1994, 1.

[ii] McGraw, Marie Tyler, At the Falls: Richmond, Virginia and Its People, North Carolina, UNC Press Books, 1994, 1.

[iii] Link, William A., Roots of Secession: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Virginia, The University of North Carolina Press, 2003, 3.

The Headman Statue

The Headman Statue

Richmond, Virginia

23219

The Headman Statue is a bronze sculpture located on Brown’s Island along the Canal Walk, which symbolizes the immense role African Americans played in the antebellum development of Richmond’s manufacturing, commerce, economy, and culture.  Created By Paul DiPasquale in the 1980’s, this statue is a source of recognition for African Americans in Richmond’s past.  The statue depicts an African-American man, or headman, navigating a boat along the canal.  This work, although not from the antebellum period, does represent an important aspect of the city’s antebellum development and expansion, paying necessary homage to the experience of African-Americans during this period.  Guests can see this sculpture hear the footbridge of Belle Isle on the Canal Walk. 

Wilton House Museum

Wilton House Museum

215 South Wilton Road

Richmond, Virginia

23226

The Wilton House is one of the most prominent antebellum plantations along the banks of the James River.  William Randolph III, a prominent member of Virginia society in the eighteenth century, built the home between 1750 and 1753.  The sprawling brick mansion rested on two-thousand acres of Randolph land and was modeled after the English Georgian style of architecture.[i]  The home features predominately original interiors including an elaborate staircase, a refined parlor, a dining room, library, a nursery, and many bedrooms; adorned by large windows, working fireplaces, and marble accents.[ii] Wilton House is one of the most unique architectural homes from the pre-revolutionary era Virginia due to its floor-to-ceiling vertical paneling completely throughout the structure.[iii] Originally located fifteen miles west of its current location on the James, Wilton House was one of the most significant homes in antebellum Richmond.  The Randolph’s owned the home for more than a century, during which time Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Marquis de Lafayette were guests.[iv]  Wilton House was eventually purchased in 1933 by the National Society of Colonial Dames of America.[v]  This organization took apart and rebuilt the home at its current site in Henrico County.  The Wilton House contains eighteenth and nineteenth century art, furnishings, and archival collections which represent the cultural style antebellum Virginia gentry.[vi]  Additionally, this home represents the crucial role that the James River played in the lives of individuals throughout the Richmond. The Wilton House is a beautiful architectural site to explore, offering individuals a unique view into the lifestyles and customs of the eighteenth century Richmond elite.

---

[i] “National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form, Wilton,” Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff, United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service, Richmond, Virginia, 1975, 2.  

[ii] “National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form, Wilton,” Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff, United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service,  Richmond, Virginia, 1975, 3.  

[iii] “National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form, Wilton,” Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff, United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service, Richmond, Virginia, 1975, 2.  

[iv] “About Wilton House,” Wilton House Museum, Wiltonhousemuseum.org, 2014.

[v] “About Wilton House,” Wilton House Museum, Wiltonhousemuseum.org, 2014.

[vi] “About Wilton House,” Wilton House Museum, Wiltonhousemuseum.org, 2014.

Works Cited

Works Cited 

“About Wilton House,” Wilton House Museum, Wiltonhousemuseum.org, 2014. http://www.wiltonhousemuseum.org/about-us/wilton-house/.

Gregg, Kimball D. American City, Southern Place: A Cultural History of Antebellum Richmond. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2000.

“James River & Kanawha Canal, Locks 1-5, Tenth to Thirteenth of Canal Street, Richmond, Independent City, VA.” Historic American Engineering Record. Washington, DC: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, 1968. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/va/va0800/va0894/data/va0894data.pdf.

Link, William A.  Roots of Secession: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Virginia. The University of North Carolina Press, 2003.

McGraw, Marie Tyler. At the Falls: Richmond, Virginia and Its People.  North Carolina: UNC Press Books, 1994.

“National Register of Historical Places Inventory—Nomination Form, Tredgar.” United States Department of the Interior. Nashville: National Park Service, 1976. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Richmond/127-0186_TredegarIronWorks_1976_Nomination_NHL.pdf.  

“National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form, Tredegar Iron Works.” United States Department of the Interior. Virginia: National Park Service, 1971. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/va/va1200/va1268/data/va1268data.pdf.

“National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form, Wilton,” Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff. United States Department of the Interior.  Virginia: National Park Service, 1975. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Richmond/127-0141_Wilton_1976_Final_Nomination.pdf.

“Tredegar Iron Works Records, 1801-1957.” Business Records Collection. Richmond: The Library of Virginia, 2004. http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=lva/vi00494.xml.