I’ve come across some helpful old maps of the Richmond region detailing our property. The Library of Congress’s American Memory collection features a F.W. Beers Atlas from 1876. In section J, you can zoom in and get a great look at the area prior to development of the row, but you can see that it is John C. Shafer’s property and some of his others – including his residence – nearby. I have highlighted the project area from a screen grab. You can view the full map by Clicking Here.
Special Collections at the VCU Cabell Library found a great city atlas the year our row was being constructed. This illustrated map even outlines the original footprint of the row, and identifies the project as John C. Shafer’s. This is a fantastic find, and is a wonderful illustration to relative location of Monroe Park to the east, the triangular Cathedral block and Franklin Street to the north and Main Street to the south. You can also see what else has changed in the area in those 13 years.
Very exciting!
renaissancerva.co 