Downtown
Must-See RVA! — Tredegar Iron Works
A look into the history of Richmond places that are still part of our landscape.
470 Tredegar Street
Built, 1837
VDHR 127-0186
The Confederacy’s indispensable industry.
(Citizen Times) — Tench Coxe, American political economist & a delegate for Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress in 1788–1789
Virginia was a major producer of coal and pig iron during the eighteenth century. Such industries, essentially extractive and technologically primitive, were compatible with a rural and agricultural social order. Existing foundry production was limited to the proverbial swords and plowshares, But an industrial future was predicted, by men like Tench Coxe in 1794, for the seaport at the falls off James River.
April 2019
Richmond had abundant water power and was adjacent to the major-working-coal fields of America. Access to the sea would be complemented by the James River and Kanawha Canal, which reached .to the iron furnaces of the Valley by 1851. By the early nineteenth century, the city was thriving on the basis of flour mills and tobacco factories, commission-merchant houses and banks, and the coal trade.
April 2019
Two indices of her ante-bellum prosperity were population growth and the many stately residences constructed during that period, Richmond now had the business acumen and capital, as well as the raw materials necessary to sustain a modern-iron industry. The puddling and rolling mills which rose in the city during the 1830’s were a response to the market created by the new railroad industry, as well as the tooling and re-tooling needs of established factories and mills. The Tredegar Iron Works–named for the famous works at Tredegar, Wales–were chartered in 1837.
(Pinterest) — Joseph Reid Anderson
The Tredegar’s rise to preeminence began in 1841, when Joseph Reid Anderson first became associated with the, then nearly bankrupt, company. During a period of severe depression in the American iron industry, Anderson brought Tredegar a measure of prosperity–something which his predecessor as commission-sales agent had been unable to accomplish under more favorable economic conditions. Having no viable alternative, the directors permitted him to assume operation of the Works, first as lessee then as owner, in November 1843.
(Division of Geology and Mineral Resources) — envelope advertising Tredegar iron products
Anderson paid his final installment for the Tredegar in January 1854. The Tredegar Iron Company was then dissolved debt free and with capital – remaining for division among the shareholders. J. R. Anderson and Co., the successor firm, was one of the largest and best-equipped ironworks in America. The Company had the capacity to produce, in quantity, nearly any conceivable type of finish iron – for peace or wartime use.
(The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation) — view of the Tredegar Iron Works, with footbridge to Neilson’s Island — Alexander Gardner, April 1865
Charles B. Dew epitomizes the tragic flaws of Confederate heavy industry: “Beginning as early as 1862, increasingly acute shortages of raw materials and skilled labor cut Tredegar output sharply.” Anderson had no native pool of skilled labor to draw upon when foreign and Northern workers withdrew their services. Severe shortages or raw materials – inevitable once the blockade was effective, given the poorly developed domestic sources of supply and transportation – kept Tredegar production at, or below, one-third of capacity for most of the War, At that, Anderson & Co. outproduced every northern ordnance foundry except one. (Virginia Department of Historic Resources)
(Library of Congress) — Tredegar between 1861 and 1865
Tredegar proved invaluable to the Confederacy. Despite shortages in labor and raw materials, nearly 1100 cannon were produced in its foundries, while the rolling mills turned out iron plating for Confederate naval gunboats. Although numerous efforts were made to capture Richmond, and many battles fought on the city’s doorstep, it never fell to Union hands, and Tredegar never ceased operation until April 2, 1865.
That evening, the Confederate government and army abandoned the city.
Evacuation fires swept through the business district, rapidly approaching Tredegar, but Anderson’s workers stayed at their posts and made sure that the facility did not fall to rampaging looters or the flames that were consuming the city. Anderson’s efforts to save Tredegar succeeded and in the months and years following the city’s collapse, the Iron Works played an instrumental role in rebuilding the defeated South. (National Parks Service)
(Library of Congress) — Tredegar post Evacuation Fire — Alexander Gardner, April 1865 — note the burned-out buildings at right
The Company survived the War, but the Works desperately needed to be reconditioned if they were to be of material assistance in the physical reconstruction of the South. Anderson raised desperately needed fluid capital by the sale of coal mines, and ultimately through dissolution of the partnership in favor of a joint-stock venture.
April 2019
The Tredegar Company incorporated in 1867, successfully attracted Northern capital, while Anderson and his old partners retained control of the firm. The company had more than regained its prewar capacity when, during the Panic of 1873, several of its leading rail customers went bankrupt, The railroads which had made the old company now broke the new.
April 2019
Iron gave way to steel, but the Tredegar, lacking funds, was unable to make the transition. Richmond gave way to Birmingham; Southern industry to Northern capital; the largest industrial plant of the South became a small local concern. The Tredegar remained in operation until fire gutted the old plant in 1952. The firm, still controlled by the descendants of Joseph Anderson, removed to Chesterfield County at that time.
April 2019
In ruins, the old Tredegar represents not only a nineteenth-century industrial complex but also a contemporary expression of the Picturesque spirit of that century which thrived on romantic ruins as well as standing structures. The walls which once supported the broad roof spans are now free-standing arcades and their Romanesque manner conjures up the images a far earlier age. The old Tredegar Works have a tremendous potential as a part of Richmond’s redeveloped riverfront. (Virginia Department of Historic Resources)
April 2019
Bold prophetic words for 1971. Who would have then wagered that the site would rise to become the American Civil War Museum, a western anchor to the larger Brown’s Island complex?
For those whose familiarity with the Late Unpleasantness could use some polish, you could do much worse than a visit here. There are actually two separate museums on the campus, one for the Tredegar factory, and one for the National Park Service. There’s a modest fee for Tredegar, but the NPS is free, so why not check ‘em out?
(Tredegar Iron Works is part of the Atlas RVA! Project)
Must-See RVA! is a regular series
appearing on rocket werks – check it out!
Community
Richmond Folk Festival Announces First Set of Performers
You’ll notice a well-known local band in the list performing at the best festival in the state of Virginia.
The Richmond Folk Festival returns October 13-15, 2023, and celebrates its 19th anniversary, having become one of Virginia’s largest events. The beloved festival draws fans each year to downtown Richmond’s riverfront to celebrate the roots, richness, and variety of American culture through music, dance, traditional crafts, storytelling, and food.
The free event hosts 200,000 people over a three-day weekend. Featuring six stages and showcasing music and dance from more than 30 performing groups from around the nation and the world, the Richmond Folk Festival today announces the first eight artists of what will once again make up a culturally diverse and artistically excellent program.
“We are looking forward to showcasing downtown Richmond’s ever-changing riverfront once again for a beautiful weekend of music, dance, food, and crafts with the James River and our city skyline as the perfect backdrop,” said Stephen Lecky, director of events at Venture Richmond. “This is the 19th year of the festival, and we couldn’t be more proud of its legacy in Richmond and across Virginia.”
The Richmond Folk Festival is presented by Venture Richmond Events in partnership with the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA), Virginia Humanities, Center for Cultural Vibrancy, Children’s Museum, and the City of Richmond.
Artists to be featured at the 2023 Richmond Folk Festival include:
- Baba Commandant & the Mandingo Band (Mandinka)
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso- Bio Ritmo (salsa)
Richmond, Virginia- Chuck Mead (rockabilly and honky-tonk)
Nashville, Tennessee- Genticorum (Québécois)
Montreal, Québec- Hālau ‘O Lilinoe (traditional Hawai’ian hula)
Carson, California- Kala Ramnath (Hindustani violin)
San Francisco, California- Melody Angel (Chicago blues)
Chicago, Illinois- Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (bluegrass)
Charlestown, Indiana
Community
Activation Capital Announces Plans for Development of Innovation Center – A New Life Sciences Center at Bio+Tech Park
Activation Capital, an innovation ecosystem development organization, announced plans to develop the 102,000-square foot Innovation Center in the Bio+Tech Park in Richmond, Virginia.
The 34-acre Bio+Tech Park is a commercial life sciences hub in downtown Richmond adjacent to the VCU Medical Center at Virginia Commonwealth University and is home to over 70 companies, research institutes, and state/federal laboratories. Activation Capital recently announced Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin awarded Activation Capital a $15 million portion of a total $66.7 million in grant funding for life sciences projects in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Amy J. Broderick and Kate Hosko of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer, along with David Thomann of Cushman & Wakefield’s Life Science Group in Boston, MA, have been awarded the exclusive leasing representation for the Innovation Center. Planned for delivery in late 2025, the center will feature approximately 35,000+ square feet of trophy class lab and creative office space for a lead tenant. Approximately 45,000 sf will be dedicated to an incubator operated by Activation Capital and will include shared labs, private offices, and community gathering spaces. The new building will be located at the corner of 8th Street and Jackson Street.
“As part of our strategic plan to create a thriving ecosystem, Activation Capital will build an Innovation Center that anchors downtown Richmond’s innovation hub and serves as a magnet for innovators to build and grow deep tech companies. Once complete, the Innovation Center will catalyze downtown redevelopment around wealth-creating jobs, boost entrepreneurial growth, strengthen the region’s end-to-end pharmaceutical manufacturing cluster, and act as a platform for upskilling community members with STEM programming,” said Chandra Briggman, President and CEO of Activation Capital
“In addition to their strong commercial real estate brokerage experience and national life science expertise, Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer was selected due to their alignment with Activation Capital’s values of agility, collaboration, entrepreneurial thinking, future-focus, impact, and inclusion,” said Kipton Currier, Vice President of Operations at Activation Capital. “The teams selected for the Innovation Center understand our commitment to the community, our excellence in execution focus, and our dedication to creating a nationally renowned life science innovation center for the benefit of future generations.”
Downtown
VCU Massey Cancer Center achieves comprehensive status from the National Cancer Institute
Massey’s receipt of the highest level of recognition from the NCI places it among an elite group of cancer centers influencing a new standard of care through research, education and community engagement.
VCU Massey Cancer Center has been designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the nation’s principal authority on cancer research and training. Massey’s receipt of the highest level of recognition from the NCI places it among an elite group of cancer centers influencing a new standard of care through research, education and community engagement.
Massey’s director, Robert A. Winn, M.D., is the first African American to lead a cancer center to comprehensive status. Under Winn’s leadership, Massey has effectively championed a community-centered approach, recognizing community members as equal experts and strategic partners in its research efforts.
“We are so proud to reach this milestone, and to be leading the charge not just in research but in building trust and breaking down barriers between medical institutions and communities,” said Winn, who also holds the Lipman Chair in Oncology at Massey. “We are truly the first of a new generation of community-focused cancer centers, where world-class science and research is informed by the people we serve, and accessible for all.”
Since beginning his tenure as director of Massey in December 2019, Winn has focused on taking Massey’s mission into the 66 contiguous localities in central, eastern and southern Virginia comprising Massey’s catchment area. With the community’s involvement, Massey has successfully increased clinical trial enrollment, expanded its transdisciplinary research collaboration and strengthened its cancer research training activities.
The NCI commended Massey for its significant strengths in the full spectrum of cancer research, robust pathway for cancer research training and education and plans to further enhance the diversity of its trainees and faculty.
The renewal of its Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) provides Massey with funding for its cancer research programs over five years and makes the cancer center eligible for additional information-sharing and resources reserved for the top institutions that demonstrate superior research capabilities.
The road to comprehensive status
Massey was one of the earliest cancer centers designated by the NCI in 1975, just four years after the NCI Cancer Centers Program was created as part of the National Cancer Act of 1971. The comprehensive designation is earned through a peer-review process demonstrating excellence in laboratory research, population science and clinical research.
NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers must conduct transdisciplinary research that bridges those three scientific areas, show that they are effective in addressing cancer concerns in their catchment area through effective community outreach and engagement, and that they integrate cancer training and education of biomedical scientists and community health care professionals.
“This important national designation reflects our mission and our commitment to the highest levels of treatment, research, prevention and control as we focus on improving and saving even more people’s lives,” said VCU and VCU Health President Michael Rao, Ph.D. “VCU and Richmond were among the first in the country to establish an NCI-designated Cancer Center, and I have pursued this comprehensive status for Massey soon after I came to VCU. During that time, we have taken our efforts to extraordinary levels to benefit all patients in need and the many communities we serve throughout our diverse Commonwealth. This comprehensive designation demonstrates that we put the needs of patients and our communities first. I am particularly grateful to my dear colleague, Rob Winn, for his extraordinary work in the last few years that catalyzed our ability to achieve this pinnacle level with the National Cancer Institute.”
Reducing the cancer burden in Virginia
With Massey’s new comprehensive status, those living in its catchment area are promised even greater access to life-saving cancer screenings and clinical trials offering leading-edge treatments, more resources for critical education about cancer risk and prevention, and care informed by the top scientific minds brought to Massey through recruitment as well as its training of the next generation of physician-scientists.
“This is an incredibly exciting moment for Massey and VCU Health, and for the patients and families who come through our doors,” said Paula Fracasso, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, deputy director of Massey and senior vice president of the cancer service line at VCU Health. “With the increased funding from our CCSG, we will have additional research dollars to extend our reach into the forefront of science and translational work, that will provide better ways to predict, prevent, diagnose and treat our patients with cancer.”
“We celebrate Massey’s achievement as a huge win for our entire institution, and one that will help us continue to raise the bar for excellence at VCU Health,” said Marlon Levy, M.D., FACS, interim senior vice president of VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health. “The dedication to innovative research and education and to advancing health equity is a clear reflection of our health system’s core values.”
Richmond Folk Festival Announces First Set of Performers
Activation Capital Announces Plans for Development of Innovation Center – A New Life Sciences Center at Bio+Tech Park
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