Manchester Industrial Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: VDHR No. 127-0457
Why it's listed
This boundary increase brings more of Richmond's Manchester industrial area into an existing historic district, covering blocks between the James River and Commerce Road, from Semmes Avenue to Maury Street. It includes 34 contributing buildings and two contributing structures dating from 1910 to 1959, most built in the 1950s. Typical buildings are one- or two-story brick or concrete-block structures with flat roofs, steel or aluminum windows, and decoration limited to entrances. Larger examples include the Hopper Paper Company building, begun in 1922, which fills an entire block. Smaller examples include gas stations, groceries, a Quonset hut and Sol's Cafeteria, the only frame building. The area changed from houses to factories, warehouses and businesses serving workers, leaving more open space than the original district. Extending the period of significance to 1959 allowed several earlier excluded buildings to count as contributing. Today the area is mostly commercial, with some residential reuse planned.
Significance in brief: The expansion area documents the later phase of industrial and commercial growth in Manchester, as former residential blocks were replaced by factories, warehouses, garages and stores. The nomination extends the period of significance to 1959 and cites industry, commerce and architecture. The buildings share the height, scale and utilitarian masonry construction 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 12000468, listed August 1, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Parts of Decatur, Everett, Hull, Maury & Stockton Sts., 700 Semmes Ave., 300 E. 2nd St., 300 blk. E. 5th & 6th Sts., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | August 1, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000468 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1910-1959 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Commercial Style, Italianate (most buildings listed as no discernible style) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Largely a commercial district today; former industrial buildings now hold a brewery and restaurant, recycling centers, vehicle repair shops, plumbing suppliers and storage. One metal works still operates, and the former gas station at 501 W. 7th Street is vacant. |
| Acreage | 26.3 |
| Within district | Manchester Industrial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.52583, -77.43510 (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 12000468.
- 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.