HOSTED BY THE ELIZABETH RIVER, FRANKLIN & THE NANSEMOND RIVER GARDEN CLUBS Richmond – Church Hill 145 Photo courtesy of Mick Anders Richmond- Church Hill WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020, 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. The heart of Richmond’s first Old & Historic District, St. John’s Church (1741) was the first church built in the city, and is notable as the site of Patrick Henry’s famous “Give Me Liberty TO COME or Give Me Death” speech. What came to be known as Church Hill is the oldest intact neighborhood, and contains the most antebellum structures in Richmond. Residences that range from early 19th century Federal style to mid-century Greek Revival and late 19th century styles, combined with granite pavers, brick sidewalks, gaslights, and a mature tree canopy, make Church Hill one of the best examples of preserved 19th century cityscape in the United States. Public open spaces along the river bluffs provide expansive views of the James River and city center, creating a unique parklike setting for this historic neighborhood. TOUR CO-CHAIRS and Friday – featuring 15 private properties • Cheryl Miller • Online Only: vagardenweek.org • Trudy Porter [email protected] LUNCH AT TOUR HEADQUARTERS GROUP OR BUS TOUR CHAIR • $15 box lunches by Kitchenette • Karin Walker • 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. [email protected] • Available on a first come basis • Seating inside Parish Hall TOUR HEADQUARTERS COMPLIMENTARY REFRESHMENTS • St. John’s Episcopal Church, Parish Hall • Served across from 2714 Franklin St. 2401 E. Broad St., 23223. FACILITIES TICKETS • At Tour Headquarters & Libbie Hill Park • $55 pp on tour day at Tour Headquarters Discount Advance Tickets: $45 pp PARKING • Online: vagardenweek.org • Local streets near the tour route, • Locally until 5 p.m. on April 21: Beckon particularly north of Broad St. and along Home, Ellwood Thompson’s, Fraiche, Grace and Franklin Streets east of 25th Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Greenhouse and 26th Streets II, Libbie Market, The Shops at 5807, • Immediately adjacent to St. John’s Church Sneed’s Nursery & Garden Center, Strange’s will be very limited Florist Greenhouse & Garden Center Short Pump, Strawberry Fields and Tweed. DIRECTIONS: TOUR HEADQUARTERS Three-day Combo Ticket: $125 pp • From the North: Take I-95 S towards • Allows access to all three days of Richmond, then exit 74B onto East Broad Richmond touring – Wednesday, Thursday St. Travel 0.9 mi. Headquarters on the right. HOSTED BY THE COUNCIL OF HISTORIC RICHMOND AND THE FOUR GCV CLUBS IN RICHMOND Richmond – Church Hill 147 • From the South: Take I-95 N towards WALKING TOUR Richmond, then exit 74C onto E. Broad St. Comfortable footwear is encouraged. Travel 0.6 mi. Headquarters on the right. This walking tour of private homes with • From the East: Take I-64 W to exit 193A small, courtyard gardens spans seven onto VA-33 W/Nine Mile Rd. in Varina. city blocks. Visitors will be walking on Follow VA-33W/Nine Mile Rd. to N 25th St. uneven cobblestones and sidewalks. Turn right onto E. Broad St. Headquarters on the left. IMPORTANT • From the West: Take I-64 E towards Richmond. In keeping with the GCV’s efforts to Take exit 74B from I-95 S onto E. Broad St. reduce plastic waste, please bring your Travel 0.9 mi. Headquarters on the right. own reusable drink container. NEW TO HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK! SPECIAL ACTIVITY First time a property has been featured • Tours of St. John's Church: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every 30 min. Admission fee. Last tour at 3:30 p.m. TICKET INCLUDES ADMISSION TO THE FOLLOWING 5 PRIVATE HOMES AND THEIR COURTYARD GARDENS, AS WELL AS ST. JOHN’S MEWS, A RESTORATION PROJECT OF THE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA AND HISTORIC RICHMOND: 125 North 25th Street The Shelton-Leftwich House 2703-2705 East Grace Street This frame double house is a rare surviv- ing example of worker housing built to Built in 1846 by Elmira Shelton with a Photo courtesy of Cheryl Miller support Church Hill's 19th century river- wing added in 1852, The Shelton-Leftwich front industry. The c.1846 gable section House is a rare example of a frame Greek St. John's Mews offered one room up and one room down Revival home in an area where most of the Your tour ticket helps support this site and other Garden Club of Virginia projects. on either side of a central chimney; every side hall, Greek Revival homes are brick. room had a fireplace and a staircase. In Elmira Shelton was Edgar Allan Poe’s 2016 the owners began an ambitious proj- childhood sweetheart and was engaged to ect with the goal of restoring the original him shortly before his death in 1849. The gable structure, reconstructing a deterio- house, along with three others on the same The Hardgrove House The peonies in the rear courtyard came rated older addition, and extending the liv- block, were all purchased by a Poe enthusi- 2300 East Grace Street from the Hanover County garden of the ing space with a contemporary addition. ast in the 1970s, based upon his belief that owner’s great-grandmother. This elegant Greek Revival townhouse, Beth and Bill Hutchins, owners. The original house was returned to wood Poe derived inspiration for his poetry in complete with its original garden wall and clapboard siding, matching examples the home’s “enchanted gardens.” Distinc- outbuildings, was built for Thomas and The Hilary Baker House found in what was the original exterior tive exterior features include the sheaf of Mary Hardgrove in 1849. Ultimately leav- 2302 East Grace Street wall. The reconstructed section is framed wheat balustrade running across the full ing the family and in disrepair, the house with pine and oak timbers cut from a fam- width front porch, and an unusual paneled was purchased by Historic Richmond Built by Hilary Baker (a lawyer and son of a ily farm and finished with board paneling wood porch ceiling original to the house. Foundation in 1958 and was restored in Philadelphia mayor) in 1814, this Federal discovered under layers of drywall. The Interior mantels and moldings are original. 1961 as part of the Pilot Block project. It period house features mellowed Flem- addition sits atop a former patio and is a The old kitchen fireplace, discovered once served as the headquarters of the ish-bond brickwork, rusticated plaster flat two-story steel-framed glass box made of during later renovations, is located in what Association for the Preservation of Vir- arches over the windows and a distinctive Sapele wood window frames built on site is now a home office in the English base- ginia Antiquities. The present owner first mouse-tooth brick cornice. Hilary’s sister, by the architect/homeowner. The house ment of the original 1846 dwelling. The saw the house on the day he married his Eliza, was married to John Van Lew in the presents two distinct interior characteris- double lot is notable because of its size, wife. After four years of agonizing over house; their daughter, Elizabeth Van Lew, is tics defined by the use of both historical making the backyard spacious for the “the House,” they were able to purchase it famous for being a Union sympathizer and and contemporary materials, such as pol- neighborhood. Boxwood, azaleas, roses when they returned to Richmond from spy. The house underwent various architec- ished concrete and historic pine and perennials make a welcoming entrance New York. Many original details remain, tural changes in the early 1900s, including a flooring. Striking splatter/graffiti paint behind the white picket fence in front. Pre- including the marble fireplaces. Large pe- two-story addition on the east elevation and draperies run 10’ tall by 20’ across an ex- vious owners added a galley kitchen over riod mirrors and antique gasoliers high- Victorian gables, porches and windows. panse of glass on the first floor. In the gar- the foundation of the 1852 addition. In light the tall ceilings and gracious scale of Richmond preservationist Mary Wingfield den an active spring flows from the granite 2018, the current owners expanded the its rooms. Located in the courtyard garden Scott took on the house as part of the Pilot wall into a basin, and is then piped under square footage of the former galley kitch- behind the house, a two story dependency Block project in the 1950s and removed the house for overflow. Oak leaf and lace en to include a nine-foot island, walk-in contains the original kitchen with its an- much of the Victorian detail. The current cap hydrangeas in the city garden were pantry and large windows to the backyard. tique oven still in place. The small brick owners began an extensive restoration in raised from slips, and the David Austin Portions of the original exterior wall are building toward the rear of the lot is said late 2012 to return the house to its original rose, ‘Cornelia,’ drapes the rear brick wall. incorporated into the design of the new to predate the main house and is rumored form where possible. One discovery was Neely and Todd Dykshorn, owners. kitchen. Reclaimed heart pine floors and to have been used as a tobacco laboratory. the original kitchen fireplace in the English quartzite counters blend old with new, cre- Period urns, fencing and decorative ele- basement (intact with its iron crane), which ating an inviting gathering space for family ments, collected by the owners, appear is now a feature in the modernized kitchen and friends. Billie and Stewart Leeth, owners. throughout the front and rear courtyards. space. Vibrant ochre paint in the dining HOSTED BY THE COUNCIL OF HISTORIC RICHMOND AND THE FOUR GCV CLUBS IN RICHMOND Richmond – Church Hill 149 room, original to the home, is the same col- tour homes at 2300 and 2302 East Grace through 135 acres of valley, hills, historic roses African-American woman in the United States or Thomas Jefferson used at Monticello.