This blog originally set out to chronicle the findings made while researching the history of 811-819 South Cathedral Place in Richmond, Virginia, for a historic preservation and architectural history course at Virginia Commonwealth University. Since completing that research, I anticipate future coursework in this field, and additional research topics as well. I am broadening this [...]
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The Paper
Please see below for the title page, table of contents and main body of the paper.
Works referenced during research
Straightforward... here is the bibliography for the project.
A chronology of events
Now that I'm completely finished with the report, I can relax a little and share the findings here on the blog. There are a lot of parts and pieces to the research, so I'll be adding them as posts over the coming weeks. I also hope to create a version of the full presentation to [...]
Wrapping up the project
I am in the final stages of wrapping up all of the research I have conducted over the past five months and compiling it into a digestible paper and presentation. This is so rewarding to sew everything together. I feel a little bit stressed about getting it all done before Thanksgiving, but it's doable as [...]
A twin town house recovered
After recovering old photos in VCU's Special Collections and piecing back together the original 800 block of Park Avenue, I was able to determine that two houses that stood at 810 and 812 Park Avenue were parcels that were originally John C. Shafer’s that were sold to Gilbert J. Hunt: February 1, 1888 Deed Book [...]
Gilbert J. Hunt makes headlines, 1901
Although we know that Gilbert J. Hunt was responsible for many handsome residences in the lower Fan area and that it is looking more and more like he was the man responsible for the 811-819 Floyd Avenue row, he was also building in other parts of town. An article on April 28, 1901 in Richmond's [...]
Land transactions between Shafer and Hunt
Got back from the circuit court records room a little while ago, and although I did not find the rosetta stone I was hoping for, I did learn that there was a history of substantial business transactions between John C. Shafer and Gilbert J. Hunt in the conveyance of undeveloped land tracts. After a successful [...]
Neighboring Shafer property ends up in Supreme Court
In 1914, a parcel of land - really a 20' alleyway - a block away from our row was once subject of an appeals case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Apparently, the parcel bound by Park Avenue, Franklin, Shafer and Harrison Streets that was once John C. Shafer's, held an alley connecting Shafer and Harrison Streets, [...]
Findings on George W. Stevens, resident of 819
Some small developments and findings on George W. Stevens, so far first owner-occupier of one of the row houses. His obituary printed in the New York Times notes his sudden death while dictating a letter at the age of 69. He had four children, the first his only girl, Helen Stevens who married Episcopal minister [...]
