Richmond National Battlefield Park
Why it's listed
Richmond National Battlefield Park protects a series of Civil War sites around the Confederate capital. Richmond sat at the head of navigation on the James River, about 110 miles from Washington, and served as the Confederacy's political center, a medical and manufacturing hub, and a main supply depot. Union armies launched seven major drives against it. The park commemorates the Seven Days' Battles of 1862, the Cold Harbor fighting of 1864, and five lesser operations. Its units include Chickahominy Bluff, Beaver Dam Creek, the restored Watt House at Gaines' Mill, Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, Fort Harrison, Fort Brady, Drewry's Bluff and Parker's Battery. Well-preserved trenches and earthworks survive at several of them. A 78-mile driving tour links the areas, and the National Park Service interprets them with markers, exhibits and visitor centers. In 1980 a proposal was made to add 201 acres in Henrico County to recognize the New Market Heights battle and the role of black soldiers.
Significance in brief: The park commemorates the Seven Days' Battles, Cold Harbor and five lesser operations from the 1861-65 defense of Richmond. Richmond was the Confederacy's political, medical and manufacturing center and a main supply depot. The material also covers a 1980 proposal to add 201 acres in Henrico County for the New Market Heights battle, which involved black Union troops.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 66000836, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | Address restricted by the NPS (common for archaeological sites and some private homes) |
|---|---|
| County | Hanover County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000836 |
| Resource type | District |
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The park is administered by the National Park Service and open to visitors for daytime use, with visitor centers at headquarters, Cold Harbor and Fort Harrison. Earthworks and artifacts are protected by Federal law. |
| Acreage | 771.4 |
| Coordinates | 37.42592, -77.25352 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 66000836.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7330919
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.