Shockoe Slip Historic District (Boundary Increase III)
Also known as: Vdhr # 127-0219
Why it's listed
This southern expansion of the Shockoe Slip Historic District in Richmond takes in the remaining historic industrial buildings between the Downtown Expressway and the north bank of the James River. Four brick warehouses built between about 1886 and 1910 served the tobacco trade, and R.J. Reynolds occupied them by 1924. A Classical Revival hydroelectric plant of about 1898 generated power for the city's electric streetcars. The Haxall Canal, first built as a mill race for flour mills around 1789, was rebuilt to supply that plant. An 1860 granite-paved arched bridge once linked the area to Shockoe Slip. The most prominent building is a four-story Italianate warehouse with a five-story central tower. Two 1970s metal-clad warehouses and a relocated 1907 memorial cross do not contribute. The area was listed because it shows Richmond's tobacco, flour-milling and electric-power industries and preserves durable brick, concrete and stone industrial design. The expressway built in the 1970s obscured its original link to the Slip.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the resources meet Criterion A as part of Richmond's industrial development, serving the tobacco industry, the streetcar system and the electrical grid. They also meet Criterion C as representative late-19th and early-20th century industrial design, including an Italianate warehouse, a Classical Revival power plant and a warehouse by architect Charles Robinson.
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 12000519, listed August 14, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 300 blk. S. 11th, 1200 & 1300 E. Byrd Sts., 1201 Haxall Pt., 13th St. Bridge, Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | August 14, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000519 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1933 (unchanged) |
| Architect / builder | Charles Robinson (architect of 301 S 11th St); R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company; A.B. Eddins/Old Dominion Tobacco Warehouse & Stemmery; Virginia Passenger & Power Co. |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Italianate; Industrial vernacular; Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The warehouses were recently vacated by Alcoa; the hydroelectric plant, unused since 1975, is privately owned and awaits redevelopment. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Within district | James River and Kanawha Canal Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.53588, -77.43609 (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).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 12000519.
- 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.