An update

Some may have noticed that it's been well over a month since my last post. For various reasons, I'm taking a bit of a break. I hope to get back to posting soon...But I wanted to post a quick update, as well as a thank you to everyone who has viewed, commented and contributed over the last 4 and a half years. We're at very close to 300,000 page views, more than I ever could have imagined!

VCU Rams - 1973

Here's a little collage of the VCU Rams from the 1973 Virginia Commonwealth University Cobblestone Yearbook to get you psyched for today's game at 12:15pm against Michigan.

Photos courtesy of VCU Libraries

3416 Semmes Ave - Before and After

Today we have a contribution from a reader named Richard with a great picture of his wife's grandfather's Service Station:

"3416 Semmes Avenue at the triangle where Forest Hill Ave (ne Bainbridge St) and Semmes Ave meet. Currently the location of Coqui Cyclery.

This is my wife's grandfather, James H. Brown, at the first of his four service stations, and an unidentified employee.

Visible in the picture is Patrick Henry School (still in use) and the house at 3313 Semmes Avenue. Also visible in the picture are the power lines for the electric street car that ran on Semmes until 1949."

Here's what the building looks like in 2013:

VCU demolition update - Before and After, Part Deux

Here's an update to the third most viewed post on the site, Five buildings VCU will tear down next month. Those five buildings are long gone, as I posted about in an update entitled: VCU demolition update - Before and After.

Here is what the 1000 block of Floyd Av looks like as of March 2013, the soon to be VCU Academic Learning Commons at 1000 Floyd Ave:

Here are the buildings that used to stand on this block: The Baptist Student Union at 1000-1002 Floyd Ave, built in 1905:

Row houses at 102 (built in 1900), 104 (built in 1900) and 106 (built in 1910) North Linden Street:

109 North Harrison Street - Education Annex, built in 1954:

I-95 James River Bridge - 1958 construction

What better way to follow up yesterday's post, then a shot of the same bridge under construction from 6 years earlier?

Photo courtesy of VDOT

I-95 James River Bridge - Before and After

Here's an angle I'm sure most of us are very familiar with: The view from North I-95 as you cross the James River into downtown Richmond. Below is what it looked like nearly 50 years ago, and just 2 days ago. Interesting that from the 1964 skyline, I only see one constant building. West Hospital is another (for now, more on that in future posts), but it's hidden today.

1964:

2013:

1964 photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

400 Block of East Grace St - Before and After

Here's a shot of West Grace Street downtown from close to 40 years ago, and a modern comparison. Although all these stores are currently empty, there's a lot going on around this stretch of Grace Street these days with 525 at the Berry Burke, Pasture, and the Rappahannock Restaurant just a block or two away. The two main signs in the 1975 shot—Alan Furs and Rooke Dickerson Shoes—Are still there today, just painted over.

1975:

2012:

1975 photo courtesy of VCU Libraries