I must admit to having driven right through Oregon Hill many, many times, never impressed enough to give it a second glance. Whether my destination was VCU, Hollywood Cemetery, or another nearby venue, Oregon Hill to me was just an unassuming, perhaps even run-down neighborhood to get through quickly.
I was missing an important part of Richmond history and many eye-catching old homes. Fortunately, Bob Whitehurst, our guide for the Historic Richmond Tour, has helped fill me in.
Though the area’s first known European resident was William Byrd III, grandson of well-heeled Richmond founder William Byrd, the people who deserve much of the credit for this neighborhood are the working class. Byrd III eventually became strapped by gambling debts and raffled off much of his property, including his home, Belvidere. Though the prominent Harvie family subdivided the area for an early 19th century planned neighborhood called “Sidney,” an economic downturn put an end to those plans.
The houses that eventually arose were home to the working class, laborers who worked primarily in nearby Tredegar Iron Works, mill, and state prison.
Though there are indeed some unkempt houses and peeling paint, the area strongly emanates pride and a community feel. During my October tour, Halloween decorations added a bit of fun to the 19th century facades. The houses are modest and still primarily middle class and exude a sense of being solid and dependable. The architecture tells interesting tales, with some rows of matching homes interspersed with unique structures.
The primary early architecture, reflecting the era of the first homes, is Italianate. Some of the homes in this style are brick but most are wood frame, reflecting the more humble incomes of the residents. Clues to the Italianate style are the shed roof, elaborate woodwork, and alcoves. Typical of the times, the homes are very close together, often adjoining or with common walls.
In the intervening years, the city’s growth has stolen some of Oregon Hill’s turf, most notably the land used by VCU and the downtown expressway. An example of the strong, solid of the neighborhood and its residents, the Oregon Hill citizen’s organization fought development of the area close to the river. Instead of building apartments, the developers agreed to erect condominiums, which reflect the area’s architectural style.
One woman played an essential part of Oregon Hill’s history: Grace Evelyn Arents, niece and heiress of Richmond tobacco magnate Lewis Ginter, who supported the people of this community by building St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church plus school, library, teacher’s house, and clinic; a night school for working children; public baths and playgrounds; and more.
The Gothic-style St. Andrew’s church (est. 1875) is an attractive tour destination in its own right. Highlights include Virginia granite in the structure and Indiana stone for decorative touches; stained glass windows by a local company; faux marble akin to the nearby Jefferson Hotel; redwood ceilings; mosaic tile ceiling in the vestry; marble baptismal; and distinctive symbolic carvings throughout. Our church tour guide had been an Oregon Hill resident since 1925, when he was four years old, and had plenty of insight into the neighborhood’s history, especially of the working people and their families’ lives.
Other Oregon Hill spots of interest are Pine Street Baptist Church (est. 1882), Mamma Zu’s (legendary Italian restaurant), the William Byrd Community Center, the view of the James River and Belle Isle, the historic park gazebo, and many attractive original homes, of a mixture of architectural styles.
I thank Historic Richmond Tours, organized by the Valentine Richmond History Center, for providing me insight into this RVA neighborhood. For information on future walking and bus tours or the dog-friendly History Hounds tours, call 804-649-0711, ext. 301 or visit HistoricRichmondTours.com. Foreign language interpreters are available with advance notice.