Article from The Richmond Times Dispatch 1946
The Seven Hills of Richmond seem to have always been a controversial topic in RVA. Today, many people consider the Seven Hills to be a myth.
The truth is, the official Seven Hills were declared in a 1937 ordinance by the City of Richmond but the ordinance was never passed.
Since then, the confusion has only grown larger. In 1947 The Richmond Times Dispatch published an article that attempted to clear the air about the Seven Hills. The article said that there were various lists of Richmond’s original hills and the hills that were found in 1937 were not accepted by the City Council.
Although the Seven Hills were never made official, those neighborhoods have shaped the city’s history and are a part of what make RVA unique.
Church Hill is Richmond’s first neighborhood and home to most of RVA’s original 32 blocks. The Church Hill area is filled with Richmond’s oldest history from the red brick sidewalks and gas street lamps to the classical architectural styles.
St.John’s Church 1865– Library of Congress
The center of the historic district is St. John’s Church, built in 1741, it’s where Church Hill gets its name.
St. John’s is the only Colonial structure in the area that remains intact.
During the 18th century Church Hill was the stomping ground for America’s early revolutionaries, like Patrick Henry. Who’s most well known for his “Give me Liberty or Give me Death” speech at St. John’s Church in 1775.
A photo of Richmond from Church Hill in the 1850s —Valentine Museum
*1742— Church Hill population reaches 250.
The history of Church Hill radiates from the streets since most of the area’s real estate was built before the Civil War.
The classic architecture is what makes Church Hill one of Richmond’s most unique neighborhoods.
Architectural styles on display throughout the neighborhood include: Greek Revival, Italianate, Federal, and Queen Anne. By the 19th century Church Hill was booming and the population in Richmond had reached 5,730.
People began moving to the area for job opportunities in local tobacco factories like the Pohlig Box Factory located on 25th street just blocks away from St. John’s Church. Tobacco factories and industrial buildings provided Church Hillians with jobs and boosted the local population…