Every so often, we like to raid the Library of Congress to find some hidden gem photos from Richmond. It’s pretty interesting seeing photographic evidence a lot of the stuff that one reads about happening in the City; or buildings that are no longer there.
One of the coolest ones are these three photos of US President Theodore Roosevelt on his 1905 Southern Tour. In the early 20th Century, Civil War wounds still cut deep in the form of Southern bitterness, the South getting left behind economically, and segregation. Theodore Roosevelt had to be very careful with how he acknowledged the Southerners. Roosevelt had an extreme sense of social justice and he was very anti-segregation. This is the same guy who made history by inviting Booker T. Washington for dinner in the White House. I’m sure there were a few…uh..awkward moments.
One thing Roosevelt did do, was pay homage to Confederate veterans. The militaristic and war-romanticizing Roosevelt felt a deep admiration for the soldiers who were willing to do their duty for their country.
Walking out of Main Street Train Station on 15th & Main St.
Roosevelt praising the courage of the South in war and in peace.
Throngs of admirers and children lining up to see the President.
This is Murphy’s Hotel. It was once one of the fanciest, grandest hotels in Richmond, but was demolished in 2007. More interesting than the outside is an incident that happened on the inside on the diner. It is best to quote Virginious Dabney from his bookk “Richmond: Story of a City” for this story:
“(African-American) morale in Richmond, which has been falling as a result of the treatment of the city’s black soldiers was lifted temporarily by an event that occurred at Murphey’s Hotel in 1899. John L. Sullivan, ex-heavyweight boxing champion of the world, became angry with William Miller, the (African-American) waiter who was serving him breakfast. Alcohol-soaked ‘John L.,’ probably breathing bourbon, despite the early hour, shouted at Miller that he had ‘killed two (insert racial epithet) the night before and that Miller would be the third.’ Whereupon Miller hurled a pot of coffee into Sullivan’s face, knocking him ‘cold.’ Miller “took a vacation” immediately at the urging of the hotel management. He returned some days later to find himself a hero. Contributions totaling more than $3,000 poured in from admirers, and William L. (Buck) Royall, prominent attorney and chief editorial writer of the times, presented him with a silver coffee pot inscribed ‘To the World’s Champion Coffee Pot Fighter.'”
Miller took his money and opened a hotel for African-American patrons that operated for many years.
Just a nice shot of the Jefferson Hotel from 1905 after it was rebuilt from the fire that tour it down. Lurking somewhere in those fountains are alligators!
Henrico County Jail which use to be on the corner of 22nd & Main.
The earliest photo from the City of Richmond that we have found- The George Washington Equestrian Monument from 1853. If you notice, the statues of the other Virginians that now surround it are not even up yet.
A picture of a poor African-American neighborhood from 1905.
Newspaper boys or “newsies” (about 6 years old) from a time when Child Labor laws weren’t quite so up to snuff.