Court End
Encyclopedia
Court End is a neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia
that sits to the north of the Capitol Square
and East Broad Street. It developed in the Federal era, after Virginia's capital moved from Williamsburg
.
that is open to the public in Court End include the John Marshall House
, Monumental Church
, the Wickham House
at the Valentine Richmond History Center
, the White House of the Confederacy at the Museum of the Confederacy
, Executive Mansion and Virginia State Capitol
. Other adjacent historic structures include the Capitol Square Bell Tower, Hotel Richmond
, Murphy's Hotel, Old City Hall
. The neighborhood includes the Egyptian Building
, First African Baptist Church, the Medical College of Virginia's West Hospital
and Morson's Row. Notable architects associated with Court End include Robert Mills (architect)
, who designed Monumental Church, Thomas U. Walter
, who designed First Baptist Church, now Hunton Hall, Alexander Parris
and Walter Dorwin Teague
, who designed the Centennial Dome
.
Except for museums, most of the area is publicly owned, as Virginia Commonwealth University
's Medical College of Virginia campus is a primary landowner in the area, as well as the Commonwealth of Virginia and City of Richmond. The neighborhood's 20th century inventory is strong, with the Depression
era Virginia Department of Transportation Headquarters, Virginia State Library and Archives (old) and MCV West Hospital
.
Free attractions include the Richmond City Hall Observation Deck and the Library of Virginia
. Other building lobbies are open to the public, including Old City Hall. The area's historic status as entertainment district was restored with Historic Richmond Foundation
's recent sale of the National Theater for restoration into a music hall.
There is an effort to package the neighborhood's various paid attractions. The Court End Passport, sold by the Valentine Richmond History Center
, provides access to buildings in the neighborhood, including John Marshall House
, and Wickham House
. Each year, the neighborhood sponsors Court End Christmas, where many of the buildings, including those owned by VCU, are open to the public.
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
that sits to the north of the Capitol Square
Capitol Square
Capitol Square is a tall skyscraper in Columbus, Ohio. It was completed in 1984, has 26 floors, and of floor space. Abramovitz, Harris & Kingsland designed the building, which is the 13th tallest building in Columbus....
and East Broad Street. It developed in the Federal era, after Virginia's capital moved from Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
.
Description
Early American Federal architectureFederal architecture
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
that is open to the public in Court End include the John Marshall House
John Marshall House
The John Marshall House is the home of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall, located in Richmond, Virginia. Marshall was appointed to the court in 1801 by John Adams and served for the rest of his life, writing such influential decisions as Marbury v. Madison and McCulloch v...
, Monumental Church
Monumental Church
Monumental Church is a former Episcopal Church that stands at 1224 E. Broad Street between N. 12th and College Streets in Richmond, Virginia. Designed by architect Robert Mills, it is one of America's earliest and most distinctive Greek Revival churches and is listed on the National Register of...
, the Wickham House
Wickham House
The Wickham House, also known as the Wickham-Valentine House or the Valentine Museum, in Richmond, Virginia was completed in 1812 and is considered one of the finest examples of architecture from the Federal period. It was built by John Wickham and designed by Massachusetts architect Alexander...
at the Valentine Richmond History Center
Valentine Richmond History Center
The Valentine Richmond History Center is a museum dedicated to the history of Richmond, Virginia, USA, in the Court End neighborhood. It started out as an eclectic collection of Mann S. Valentine, Jr., the independently wealthy creator of Valentine's Meat Juice...
, the White House of the Confederacy at the Museum of the Confederacy
Museum of the Confederacy
The Museum of the Confederacy is located in Richmond, Virginia. The museum includes the former White House of the Confederacy and maintains a comprehensive collection of artifacts, manuscripts, Confederate imprints , and photographs from the Confederate States of America and the American Civil War...
, Executive Mansion and Virginia State Capitol
Virginia State Capitol
The Virginia State Capitol is the seat of state government in the Commonwealth of Virginia, located in Richmond, the third capital of Virginia. It houses the oldest legislative body in the United States, the Virginia General Assembly...
. Other adjacent historic structures include the Capitol Square Bell Tower, Hotel Richmond
Hotel Richmond
Once a leading hotel in downtown Richmond, Virginia, the Hotel Richmond overlooks the Thomas Jefferson designed State Capitol in Capitol Square...
, Murphy's Hotel, Old City Hall
Old City Hall (Richmond, Virginia)
Old City Hall, known formerly as City Hall, is the former city hall of Richmond, Virginia that was designed by Elijah E. Myers. It served as City Hall from its completion in 1894 through the 1970s. The building occupies its own city block in downtown Richmond, bounded by 10th and 11th Streets to...
. The neighborhood includes the Egyptian Building
Egyptian Building
The Egyptian Building is a National Historic Landmark in Richmond, Virginia, built in 1845. It is the first permanent home of the Medical Department of Hampden-Sydney College and now is a part of Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. It is located on Shockoe Hill at the 1200 block of E...
, First African Baptist Church, the Medical College of Virginia's West Hospital
West Hospital
thumb|200px|Plaque on hospital's west auditorium entranceWest Hospital is a building on the MCV Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University noted for its Art Deco architecture.The building, in Richmond's Court End, is in a crucifix shape...
and Morson's Row. Notable architects associated with Court End include Robert Mills (architect)
Robert Mills (architect)
Robert Mills , most famously known for designing the Washington Monument, is sometimes called the first native born American to become a professional architect, though Charles Bulfinch perhaps has a clearer claim to this honor...
, who designed Monumental Church, Thomas U. Walter
Thomas U. Walter
Thomas Ustick Walter of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was an American architect, the dean of American architecture between the 1820 death of Benjamin Latrobe and the emergence of H.H. Richardson in the 1870s...
, who designed First Baptist Church, now Hunton Hall, Alexander Parris
Alexander Parris
Alexander Parris was a prominent American architect-engineer. Beginning as a housewright, he evolved into an architect whose work transitioned from Federal style architecture to the later Greek Revival. Parris taught Ammi B. Young, and was among the group of architects influential in founding what...
and Walter Dorwin Teague
Walter Dorwin Teague
Walter Dorwin Teague was an American architect, designer and one of the most prolific American industrial designers in terms of volume of completed work. Teague's name and vision lives on through the legacy of his company....
, who designed the Centennial Dome
Centennial Dome
The Centennial Dome, also known as the Virginia Centennial Center, was designed by Walter Dorwin Teague to serve as a focus for Virginia’s efforts to publicize Virginia’s Civil War history. It is one of the most modern structures ever built in Richmond, Virginia, USA. Built for the 1961 Civil War...
.
Except for museums, most of the area is publicly owned, as Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
's Medical College of Virginia campus is a primary landowner in the area, as well as the Commonwealth of Virginia and City of Richmond. The neighborhood's 20th century inventory is strong, with the Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
era Virginia Department of Transportation Headquarters, Virginia State Library and Archives (old) and MCV West Hospital
West Hospital
thumb|200px|Plaque on hospital's west auditorium entranceWest Hospital is a building on the MCV Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University noted for its Art Deco architecture.The building, in Richmond's Court End, is in a crucifix shape...
.
Free attractions include the Richmond City Hall Observation Deck and the Library of Virginia
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia, is the library agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia, its archival agency, and the reference library at the seat of government. The Library moved into a new building in 1997 and is located at 800 East Broad Street, 2 blocks from the Virginia State...
. Other building lobbies are open to the public, including Old City Hall. The area's historic status as entertainment district was restored with Historic Richmond Foundation
Historic Richmond Foundation
Historic Richmond Foundation was founded in 1956 by Mary Wingfield Scott in order to save the Church Hill area surrounding St. John's Church. It is an organization "dedicated to salvaging properties of historic or architectural value."-Preservation:...
's recent sale of the National Theater for restoration into a music hall.
There is an effort to package the neighborhood's various paid attractions. The Court End Passport, sold by the Valentine Richmond History Center
Valentine Richmond History Center
The Valentine Richmond History Center is a museum dedicated to the history of Richmond, Virginia, USA, in the Court End neighborhood. It started out as an eclectic collection of Mann S. Valentine, Jr., the independently wealthy creator of Valentine's Meat Juice...
, provides access to buildings in the neighborhood, including John Marshall House
John Marshall House
The John Marshall House is the home of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall, located in Richmond, Virginia. Marshall was appointed to the court in 1801 by John Adams and served for the rest of his life, writing such influential decisions as Marbury v. Madison and McCulloch v...
, and Wickham House
Wickham House
The Wickham House, also known as the Wickham-Valentine House or the Valentine Museum, in Richmond, Virginia was completed in 1812 and is considered one of the finest examples of architecture from the Federal period. It was built by John Wickham and designed by Massachusetts architect Alexander...
. Each year, the neighborhood sponsors Court End Christmas, where many of the buildings, including those owned by VCU, are open to the public.