Murphy's Hotel, 8th & Broad - 1905

Murphy's Hotel, at the corner of 8th and Broad, circa 1905. The original hotel was built in 1872. In 1886 the buildings in this photo replaced the original, and the elevated walkway over 8th Street was added. Then this version was torn down in 1913 and replaced with a larger 12 story building. The hotel was later sold to the state, and in 1969 was converted to offices. Sadly, it was demolished in 2007.

Here's a link to a few pictures of the newer building, and it's demolition.

Here's what this intersection looks like today. The parking lot on the left is where the 1913 version of Murphy's Hotel stood until 2007:

Photo courtesy of The Library of Congress

Soul Asylum & The Lemonheads at The Flood Zone - 1992

Here's a poster for Soul Asylum, The Lemonheads & Failure at The Flood Zone in Shockoe Bottom, November 24th, 1992, right around the height of mainstream success for both headlining bands. Back before Have A Nice Day Cafe took over the spot in the late 90s, The Flood Zone brought some great bands to Richmond. It's probably best known for the weekly Dave Matthews Band shows in the early 90s.

I'll have more music related posts as time goes on, and if anyone has any old ads/flyers/photos of national bands playing Richmond that you would like to share, use the email link on the right.

W. Jackson Street, Jackson Ward - 1920s

The 100 block of West Jackson Street in Jackson Ward from what looks to be the 1920s, judging by the car on the right. I drive past these three houses a lot, and have always loved the larger house on the right. The fact that all of the houses in this photo survived the construction of I-95 less than one block away is a miracle. Hopefully someone will fix these up before they end up one big empty lot, like a lot of other sections of Jackson Ward these days.

Here's (sort of) what these three houses look like today. This shot is a few years old, and unfortunately the middle house has had a fire and all three houses look much worse:

Photo courtesy of The Library of Congress

VCU - James Branch Cabell Library - 1970

The James Branch Cabell Library on VCU's Monroe Park campus, probably from the first year it was open in 1970. Only one story tall in this photo, the other three floors wouldn't be added until 1975. Behind the library are a row of houses on Park Ave that have since been demolished. The performing arts center now covers that whole block.

Virginia Capitol Bell Tower, girl with swastika - 1908

A group of young women enjoy a nice day sitting in the grass in front of the Bell Tower on the grounds of the Virginia State Capitol in downtown Richmond, circa 1908. The Bell Tower was completed in 1825, and is still used today to call the General Assembly of Virginia into session.

One thing interesting about this photo is the swastika pin one girl has on her collar, about a dozen years before the Nazi party in Germany would adopt it as their symbol.

Here it is uncropped:.

Photo courtesy of The Library of Congress

500 Block of West Broad St - July 1980

A run down stretch of W. Broad St near VCU in downtown Richmond from July of 1980. The On Leong Chinese Merchants Association occupied two of the four buildings pictured, but even they appear long gone by the time this photograph was taken. The building on the far left is now gone and the CVS parking lot has replaced it. A great restaurant, The Belvidere at Broad, now occupies 506 W Broad. See below for a current, much less desolate shot of this scene.

Here's roughly the same shot today:

Photo courtesy of The Library of Congress

Azalea Mall - Late 1960s

Northside's Azalea Mall in it's late 60s heyday. Richmond's first enclosed mall opened to much fanfare in 1962, closed in 1995 from among other things, competition from the new Virginia Center Commons a little to the north, and was demolished in 1999.

Driving by today you'll still see the sign in the photo below, but it's now rusted and surrounded by cracked asphalt, weeds, litter and small trees. Don't be fooled by the desolation though, the Azalea Garden Center is still open at the rear of the property, near Westminster Canterbury. It's a great family run business, and I highly recommend it.

Double house on College Street in downtown Richmond - Early 1900s

This house at 311-313 College Street in downtown Richmond appears to have occupied the block where VCU's Massey Cancer Center now resides, across from the Egyptian building.

The small sign in front of the house says "Funeral Parking," possibly from the Monumental Church which was located around the corner?

Photo courtesy of The Library of Congress

Bruce Springsteen at the Franklin Street Gym - 1973

From Valentines Day 1973 comes this flyer for Bruce Springsteen opening for Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks at what was then the new VCU gym on Franklin Street. Bruce was a regular in Richmond in the early 70s, first with Steel Mill, then later with his own band, including a 9 show run at The Back Door on Grace Street in February of 1972 (later Twisters & Nanci Raygun, now Strange Matter). Click the photo below for the high resolution image.

The Brucebase website has a few pictures from this concert and a little history here.

And here is a review of Bruce's set that night that ran in the University of Richmond Collegian on February 22nd, 1973.

Image from the February 1973 issue of the Fan Free Funnies, courtesy of VCU Libraries