Hasker and Marcuse Factory
Also known as: American Can Company
Why it's listed
Rising four to five stories along Venable Street in Richmond's Union Hill neighborhood, this brick factory was built in stages between 1893 and about 1915. It housed the Hasker & Marcuse Manufacturing Company, which made printed, multicolored tin boxes and tin and paper tags for chewing tobacco. Heavy timber columns and beams, load-bearing masonry, segmental-arched windows and stepped parapets give the building a distinct industrial character that contrasts with the modest dwellings nearby. The company grew alongside Richmond's large tobacco manufacturers, whose brand-name marketing relied on decorated packaging shipped along the East Coast. Its work is also tied to the development of offset lithography, a process first perfected for printing on tin and later adopted across the paper printing industry. Hasker & Marcuse was the only tin-printing firm in Richmond. After joining the American Can Company in 1901, the plant kept producing tobacco tins until the machinery was moved in 1951.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the factory is significant under Criterion A in industrial history for its role in developing polychromatic tin printing for tobacco packaging. The company was one of the earliest tin-printing establishments in the country to use offset lithography, a process that later became the main method in paper printing. It was also the only tin-printing firm in Richmond and unique there for making tin boxes on such a large scale.
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 83003303, listed August 11, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2401-2413 Venable St., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | August 11, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003303 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893-1915 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied at the time of nomination; the exterior retains nearly all original features and the interior is virtually original, though the fenestration is deteriorated and slated for repair in planned rehabilitation. The printing machinery was removed in 1951. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.53822, -77.41408 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 83003303.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16892156
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.