Main Street Station and Trainshed
Also known as: New Union Station; Seaboard Airline/Chesapeake & Ohio Railroa
Why it's listed
Main Street Station is a railroad terminal on East Main Street in Richmond's Shockoe Valley, begun in 1900 and finished a year later. Philadelphia architects Wilson, Harris and Richards designed it for a crossing of two lines: the north-south Seaboard Air Line and the east-west Chesapeake and Ohio. The brick-faced main block rises three and two-half stories, with a rough stone loggia, a steep red tile roof, elaborate dormers and a six-story clock tower. Inside, a main waiting room has marble floors, a screen of Corinthian columns and a coffered ceiling. Behind it, a wrought-iron and cast-iron train shed about 486 feet long covers four terminating tracks. The station was listed for its architecture, as an excellent example of French Beaux Arts influence in the Second Renaissance Revival mode, and for its role as a monumental gateway to the city at the height of rail travel. The cast-iron shed is among the few remaining in the country.
Significance in brief: It marked the crossing of the Seaboard Air Line and the Chesapeake and Ohio railroads and was regarded as one of Richmond's most renowned buildings. It is an excellent example of French Ecole des Beaux Arts influence, specifically Second Renaissance Revival. It is also a surviving example of a disappearing building type, with one of the few remaining large cast-iron train sheds in the country.
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 70000867, listed October 15, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1020 E. Main St., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | October 15, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000867 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1901 |
| Architect / builder | Wilson, Harris and Richards (Philadelphia) |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance Revival (French Renaissance adaptation, Beaux Arts influence) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 8, 1976 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition, and in use as a railroad station; the main block has some interior alterations, such as a modern ticket office and partitioning. |
| Acreage | 9.9 |
| Within district | James River and Kanawha Canal Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.53485, -77.42891 (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 70000867.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q141093771
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.