Jackson Ward Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: VDHR No. 127-0237
Why it's listed
This addition to Jackson Ward in Richmond brings in a block-by-block strip of buildings along North First, Second and Third Streets, East Marshall Street and one double house on North Adams Street. Most are brick commercial buildings of one to three stories, and several began as houses that were altered with storefronts. The earliest is a Federal-style townhouse at 400 North Second Street, built about 1830. An Italianate double house at 106-108 East Marshall survives from about 1900, and the 1914 Neoclassical Revival Fraternal Order of Eagles building stands at the eastern edge. Directory and map research shows the area changing from residential to commercial by the 1920s, with a growing number of African American shopkeepers and residents. Businesses included a barber shop, dry cleaner, shoe shops and a pool hall, and the NAACP's Richmond office was in one building. The area was added because it shares the scale, materials and development pattern of the original historic district, with a period of significance of 1800 to 1926.
Significance in brief: The added area extends the commercial edge of Jackson Ward, the historic African American community known as the "Harlem of the South." Its buildings show the shift from residential to commercial use between the late nineteenth century and the 1920s, and the changing makeup of the neighborhood's residents and businesses. The nomination cites architecture, commerce and Black ethnic heritage, and the buildings match the scale, massing and materials of the original district.
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 08000424, listed May 16, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 400 blks. 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Sts., 106-108 E. Marshall, 411-413 N. Adams St., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | May 16, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000424 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1926 |
| Architect / builder | Asbury and Whitehurst, architects (Fraternal Order of Eagles Building) |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Federal, Neoclassical Revival, Moderne, Commercial Style, Colonial Revival, Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Black |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current functions include specialty stores and multiple dwellings, and some buildings are vacant, such as the Bliley Garage and the double house at 411-413 North Adams Street, whose openings are covered in plywood. |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Within district | Grace Street Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 37.54587, -77.43970 (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 08000424.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.