National Register of Historic Places

Boulevard Historic District

Richmond (Independent City), Richmond County, Virginia
Listed
September 17, 1986
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
86002887

About this property

Arthur Ashe Boulevard (also referred to as "the Boulevard") is a historic street in the near the West End of Richmond, Virginia, providing access to Byrd Park. It serves as the border between Carytown and the Museum District to the west and the Fan district to the east. Attempts were made to rename the street after Arthur Ashe, a tennis star and social activist who was born and grew up in Richmond, but previous attempts failed until February 2019 when Richmond City Council voted in favor of changing the name to Arthur Ashe Boulevard. Near the south end is Richmond's Boulevard Bridge (commonly called the "Nickel Bridge", in reference to its historical initial toll) across the James River. Arthur Ashe Boulevard intersects with main arteries Cary Street, Main Street, Monument Avenue, Broad Street (where the Historic District ends), Leigh Street, and Interstate 64/95, and terminates at Hermitage Road. The Diamond is located on Arthur Ashe Boulevard. The intersection of Arthur Ashe Boulevard and Monument Avenue featured a statue of Stonewall Jackson. Arthur Ashe Boulevard is designated as State Route 161, a route promoted in the 1940s and 1950s as an alternate bypass route before the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike and Interstate 95 were built, connecting with U.S. Route 1 north and south of downtown Richmond. In 2019, American artist Kehinde Wiley's outdoor sculpture Rumors of War was erected adjacent to Arthur Ashe Boulevard. It is part of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts permanent art collection. It stands between the museum and the United Daughters of the Confederacy headquarters. The sculpture was created by Wiley as a response to the J.E.B. Stuart monument and the other Confederate equestrian statues on Monument Avenue, all of which have since been removed by the city.

Location

10--300 S. Boulevard and 10--800 N. Boulevard
Richmond (Independent City), Richmond County, Virginia
37.55728, -77.47403

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTMILITARYARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Boulevard Historic District

This page lists Boulevard Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Boulevard Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

United Daughters of the Confederacy Memorial Building
Industrial
0 mi
Home For Confederate Women
Civil War
0.1 mi
Robinson House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Confederate Memorial Chapel
Civil War
0.1 mi
2900 Block Grove Avenue Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Engagement at Seven Mile Ford
1863Civil War
2.2 mi
Dahlgren Raid (Richmond Raid)
1864Civil War
2.4 mi
Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid
1864Civil War
2.4 mi
Battle of Bloody Run
1656Colonial
2.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Boulevard Historic District listed on the National Register?

Boulevard Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 17, 1986.

What type of historic resource is Boulevard Historic District?

Boulevard Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Boulevard Historic District?

The period of significance for Boulevard Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Boulevard Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Boulevard Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Richmond County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Richmond County.

Explore RichmondCounty ›

More historic places in Virginia

Browse all historic places in Virginia.

View Virginiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Virginia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Virginiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Boulevard Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report