Grays, Elliott, Marker-Jefferson Davis Highway
Also known as: 127-6150-0002
Why it's listed
A gray granite slab on a small triangular traffic island in South Richmond, this marker stands where Harwood Street, Ingram Avenue and Jefferson Davis Highway (US 1) meet. Erected in 1929 by the Elliott Grays Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, it measures 47 inches tall, 25 wide and 12 thick, and sits on a concrete base. A carved Southern Cross of Honor appears above the inscription, a feature found on none of the other fifteen Jefferson Davis Highway markers in Virginia. The text notes a memorial tree planted in soil from battlefields on the site of Battery 17 of Richmond's inner defenses; that tree has since died. The marker belongs to a group of sixteen erected in Virginia between 1927 and 1946 as part of a national memorial highway project begun by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1913. It was listed for its link to the era of named highways and for its place in a women's organization's commemorative effort. The chapter still maintains it.
Significance in brief: It is one of sixteen United Daughters of the Confederacy markers placed along Jefferson Davis Highway in Virginia, and it is tied to the era of privately promoted "named highways" and to a major undertaking by a women's organization. It meets Criterion A in Transportation and Social History and Criteria Consideration F as a commemorative property. The Keeper amended the form to classify it as an object and to begin the period of significance in 1929.
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 06000748, listed August 31, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Harwood St., Ingram Ave., and Jefferson Davis Hwy., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | August 31, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000748 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Period of significance | 1929-1947 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marker remains in its original location and is maintained by the Elliott Grays Chapter UDC; the memorial tree mentioned in its inscription died many years ago. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.50518, -77.44651 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 06000748.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16891855
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.