.JL(L: \\-5-La@ 1zG - S'F p\(ZpQ: J4-lb-bf GI NATIONAL HISTORIC LAND^^ HQl: I1 - 1'- Form 10-300 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THC INTERIOR STATE: (DOC. 19681 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Virginia
COUNT": i NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES . . Richmond (in cit.). INVENTORY NOMINATION FORM - , .. . FOR NPS USE ONLY , . , , ENTRY NUMBER DaTE C, - (Type all entries - cornplcfe applicable sections) 69-04-4:Xa 14/16/61 . ..,.. . J NAME -- COMMON:
,. ~ ..,> .. Egyptian Building .- ANO'O!3 H8STORIC: Egyptian Building .., (2. LOCSATION I STREET *NO NUMBER: SW corner of E. Marshall Street and College Street ClTI OR TOWN: Richmond STATE Virginia b. CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY ACCESSIBLE V) OWNFRSHIP STATUS z (Cheek One) TO THE PUBLIC i: o:.trict u avilding a Public Public Acquisition: 0cs~pi.d Yes: 'O isit* IJ Strucsre 0 Pri*mts In Process Unoccupied n Restricted - Both Baing Conxidcred Pre.errotion work Unres1rist.d Obi.<, n I- i in progress IJ N,: I I I , U
A [~] Covrrnment Park Trensportetion n Comments U Private Kcsidence Other (Spocif~J I- Edusotion.1 B Military n Reli~ious 0 I ~ntsrtainmanb n Museum a Scientific VI -- -- 0 - , . - 1 OWNERS NIMC: /Virginia Commonwealth University (Medical College of Virginia) w STREET AND NUMBER. W VI CITY OR TOWN. STATE. Richmond Virginia 5. LOCATION-- OF -LEGAL- - DESCRIPTION-- - - D COURTHOUSE RECLSTRY OF DEEDS ETC r Richmond Citv Hall
I I ClTI 01 TOWN: STATE n YirPinia .cRsIOc OE NI,MINATEo PnOvFRTv: 374 acre E%EMPrE-- . - --- IN EXISTING SURVEYS --~. .. . Historic American Buildings Survey Inventory ------. OITE OF SVRVEI: lvg ~.d*rol 1% 5t.1. El County [I1 Local C] . Iz OEPOSITORY FOR IURYEI RECORD$: : < % Library of Congress 22 - STREET AN0 NUMDER: : 'z < washingt ton - I/ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE , Viroini9. --D-..-.. 1 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES COUNTY INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM Richmond (in cit. ) FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRYNUMBER DATE (Continuation Sheet) 69-04-4g-oohj (Numbet all entrlo.) . . I' ,' ,,i,>, .-,.., ,- ' :. ' 4. ,:! ., .. I--/ cri? 2 i,,;.; .:, 6 -., , - 6. Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Report #127-87: , .. 1968 ,, i(.?TjO;.!.r,~ i . Virginia Historic Landmarks Conmission i The Egyptian Building is basically a temple-form structure with nearly identical facades at either end. These facades are each composed of a portico containing two palm capital columns in antis, with elongated pylons framing the porticoes at the corners of the building. The pylon motif is repeated as enframements for the windows on the sides of the building. Crowning the entire structure is a massive torus cornice and a very shallow I hipped roof. 1 It is fortunate that such a significant building as the Egyptian Building has survived with few exterior alterations. Its carefully and precisely executed detail is a most scholarly interpretation of ancient forms. In 1939 the exterior of the building was renovated through the generosity of Bernard Baruch in memory of his father who graduated from Medical College of Virginia in 1862, and served as a Confederate surgeon during the Civil War. Unfortunately none of the original interiors survive; however, the present auditorium, installed during the 1939 renovation, contains interesting Egyptian-style decoration. 8. SIGNIFICANCE-. ... -- PE~IOD(check Orze or More us AppreprlnrcJ Prs-Columbion [I 16th Century 18th Century [x 'Bth Century 0 15th Century 0 17th Century 191h Century SPECIFIC DATEIS) (I1 Applicabl~endKr8.w") 1845 Aarrr OF S~ONIF!FINCE (Check Ono or MOW =a=APP~OPI~~IO) : *bdr ipindl ': -: . . . ~d~~b;l;o~'. 'a , ~elitieal :.I, ;:urbanptonhihp , n :, .Prehistoric Engineering 0 Raligion/Phiz ' . : Other .fSpsclfy) , . m. : ~iitoiic,. Industry I . : .n :. :, I I ,,Architecture . . Agriculture invention . Science ~ [j , . .'I Art Londscap. Sculpture 11 0 ;: ,. -. cornmcrco n Architecture a s~~~~I/H~~~L~ . . Comrnunicotions 0 Litarotur. itorion 0,' ., Ccnrsrvotion 0 ~i~itar~ ~heotcl :, ' Q , , . , .,' Music 13 Tran~~ottall~0 STATEMENT OF OIGNIFICINCE (Includa Pera~a#~s,Date*, Bvenls. SIC.) In 1838 Hampden-Sydney College established a medical department in Richmond which occupied the old Union Hotel at 19th and Main Streets. Several years lator this medical departmeat was chartered by the state as the Medical College of Vir,ginia. The Egyptian Building, designed by the noted Greek Revival architect, Thomas Stewart, was the first building put up especially for the new college. Completed in 1845, this exotic edifice was a radical departure from the current architectural traditions of the city. Not only has the Egjrptian Building becolrle a symbol of adistinguishc I school, it survives as the oldest medical college building in the South. Architecturally, the Egyptian Building ranks as the finest Egyptian Revival building in the nation. '. FO~10-r)o. UNITED STATES OEPART~ENTOF THE INTERIOR - . (July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM Richmond FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NVMeER DATE Egyptian Building (Continuation Sheet) I (Nrnb.. .I1 ."l,l..) I I I 8. statement of significance I H!S-rOZlC LANDMARK In the first decade of the 19th century, Napoleon Bonaparte's Egyptian Campaign (1798-1801) created a widespread, albeit brief, vogue for things Egyptian. This fashion was reflected in furniture, jewelery, and clothes more so than in the more expensive and permanent medium of architecture. In Europe and in the United States the architecture of the ancient Egyptians did not inspire the same emotions of cultural kinship as did that of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The Egyptian style was thought of an exotic. The Egyptian buildings best known to the public were resting places or monuments to the dead. Therefore, the style seemed also to suggest rather lugubrious functions In the United States the Egyptian Revival style enjoyed a limited popularity in the middle decades of the 19th century. It was often used with a certain sterness of purpose such as cemetery gateways, prisons, and obelisks to honor the dead. The two most outstanding Egyptian Revival buildings in the United States are the First Presbyterian Church in Nashville Tennessee, and the Egyptian Building in Richmond. Built in 1845 by the architect Thomas Stewart for the Medical College of Virginia, the Egyptian Building is uncompromisingl] Egyptian in overall form as well as in detail. Built on a steep grassed rise above the city street, the building is surrounded on two sides by a superb cast iron fence in the same style. The gate posts are small stone obelisks and the fence posts are stylized cast iron murmny figures with rather unexpectc bare feet. Despite the remodeling of the interior in 1929, the Egyptian Building remains the best example of the Egyptian Revival style remaining in the United States. v The University Press of Virginia, 1968. Commonr~ealth, February, 1964. Scott, Mary Wingfield, Old Richmond Neithborhoods, Richmond; Whittet and Shepperson, 1950. "The First 125 years", Bulletin of the Medical College of Virginia. ,.:. 37 32 25 As the designated State Liaison Officer tor the Ns- In the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria end procehres set forth by the National Park Service. l%e recommended level of significance of this nomination is: National Q State Local . Nume Dr. Edward P. Alexander Title Chairran. Vir~liniaHistcric Landmarks Commission