History of the Leigh Street Armory

Do you ever wonder what is up with the Leigh Street Armory, that boarded-up castle building at the corner of Leigh and St. James Streets? Did you know that it was built in 1895 and was called the First Battalion Virginia Volunteers Armory? Or, that it will soon become the future home of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia?

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

This was no ordinary armory. Indeed, out of hundreds of massive armories the cities of America would build in a veritable explosion of armory construction between 1880 and 1910, this one stands apart from all the rest: It is the only 19th-century armory built for the use of a black militia.

How ironic that Richmond, given its history, would be the only city in America to build an armory in which black militia soldiers would train, store weapons and stash munitions. Why here, of all places?

Learn more about the history of this historic building and the Jackson Ward neighborhood here and here.

All photos by Anthony Nesossis.