Tredegar Iron Works
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Why it's listed
Tredegar Iron Works occupies about 22 acres in downtown Richmond, between the James River and the James River and Kanawha Canal. Founded in 1837 and named by its designer and builder Reev Davis, it grew under Joseph R. Anderson, who took charge in 1841 and expanded it into the third largest iron works in the country by 1861. During the Civil War it cast much of the Confederacy's heavy ordnance, built machinery for other arsenals, and rolled plates for the ironclad Virginia. Experiments with early submarines, torpedoes and machine guns were also carried out there. Four red brick buildings survive: the Office Building, the restored New Gun Foundry, the Spike Factory and the Company Store, along with ruins of the old gun foundry, locomotive shop and rolling mill. Later structures include a World War I shell foundry. After a 1952 fire the company moved in 1957, and the site became a research and storage facility.
Significance in brief: Under Joseph R. Anderson, Tredegar was the third largest iron works in the United States in 1861 and the Confederacy's main heavy ordnance producer. It cast cannon, rolled plates for the ironclad Virginia (Merrimac), and served as a testing ground for new weapons. Four historic buildings and several ruins survive.
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 71001048, listed July 2, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 500 Tredegar St., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | July 2, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71001048 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1841-65 |
| Architect / builder | Reev Davis and others |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Military |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 22, 1977 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a research, laboratory and storage facility by the Ethyl Corporation; the New Gun Foundry has been restored and is empty, and the Company Store is vacant and boarded up. |
| Acreage | 22 |
| Within district | James River and Kanawha Canal Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.53571, -77.44453 (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 71001048.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7837469
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.