Help the Forest Hill Neighborhood take its place in history by entering FHN homes into the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register

We are ready to begin the research phase of our historic district application. Our initial research topics are:

• Church Histories
• Public Schools
• Good Shepherd School
• Forest Hill Park Land Company
• Forest Hill Development Corporation
• The 1905 Richmond Directory lists “Forest Hill School”–I believe this was the circa 1890 one-story, frame building on 41st Street that was converted into a church (today the Church of Christ).
• Maple Crest Plantation
• Bernard Markam
• Fielding Dunstan
• Richard Archer

If you are willing or interested in helping to discover our neighborhood’s history, please let us know what topic you’re interested in researching and we’ll help you get started!

{ 0 comments }

We’ve added some new documents to our Resources section, including scans of the original Forest Hill neighborhood development plats, a memoir from Benjamin B. Weisiger, III, author of Old Manchester & Its Environs, 1769-1910 and a scan of a rare Civil War era topographical map of Richmond and the surrounding area:

map of the City of Richmond from 1864

If you’d like to share a piece of history with us, please use our contact form. We’ll continue to add more materials as they are discovered.

{ 2 comments }

One of the most frequently asked questions we’ve received on Historic Designation regards the economic impact and benefits of preservation. Fortunately, there are a number of academic studies detailing the impact of historic designation and preservation. For those who want some quick facts, here are some data points courtesy of The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP):

• Historic preservation activities generate more than $1.4 billion of economic activity in Texas each year.
• Rehabilitation of historic properties in Georgia during a five-year period created 7,550 jobs and $201 million in earnings.
• Each dollar of Maryland’s historic preservation tax credit leverages $6.70 of economic activity within that State.
• In one year, direct and indirect expenditures by heritage tourists in Colorado reached $3.1 billion.

Virginia’s Economy and Historic Preservation: The Impact of Preservation on Jobs, Business, and Community (1995) [nominal fee for access] has a number of specific Virginia examples, including these:

• From Shockoe Slip in Richmond: “[B]etween 1980 and 1990, the assessment total made a quantum leap upward by 245 percent, from $23,135,886 to $56,761,000. Citywide the aggregate value of real estate increased by 8.9 percent.” The Importance of Historic Preservation in Downtown Richmond: Shockoe Slip Area, A Case Study.
• The per square footage value of the renovated properties is $21 a square foot greater than that of new construction.” The Importance of Historic Preservation in Downtown Richmond: Franklin Street, A Case Study.

In addition to economic benefits, there are federal and state tax credits available to property owners for private investment in preservation or restoration.

{ 0 comments }

The past two days have been a whirlwind of Historic District news. Many thanks everyone for venturing out during the soggy weather to offer your support and feedback.

Tuesday night, more than 30 people gathered at Forest Hill Presbyterian Church to hear about the benefits of seeking Historic District status from Ann Andrus, Department of Historic Resources and Lee Shewmake, President of the Woodland Heights neighborhood association. Ms. Andrus clarified the designation is an honorary, not regulatory status and provided information on the challenges and tax benefits ahead of area residents if the application is approved. Attendees also had the opportunity to review the proposed district boundaries and view some of the initial committee research materials. The star of the night was the lovely aerial photograph of the Forest Hill Neighborhood, and we hope to add a downloadable version to our resources section shortly.

At Wednesday’s Forest Hill Neighborhood Association meeting, members overwhelmingly voted to approve seeking state and Federal Historic District status for the Forest Hill Neighborhood, and, after spirited debate, agreed to contribute $5,000 over two budget years. These funds will be used to cover the expense of retaining a consultant to prepare the application and pay for the printing of the anticipated 2,100 photographs on archival grade materials. The Historic District committee will continue to seek out additional fund raising and sponsorship opportunities to help defray expenses related to achieving historic district status.

We’ve also begun to assemble additional volunteer teams for research, photography and data entry. If you’re interested in assisting with our efforts, please contact us and we’ll get you started!

{ 0 comments }

The September issue of the Forest Hill Flyer had a quick, 5 question quiz about our neighborhood history. In case you missed it, here are the questions and answers!

Questions (to see the answers, click read more)

1. Which Civil War general retreated from Richmond along Forest Hill Avenue at the end of the war?
2. Who built the gray stone house at the end of Taylor Avenue?
3. Which Supreme Court justice lived in the first block of Forest Hill Avenue, the second house on the north side of  Forest Hill Avenue, west of  Forest Hill Park?
4. For what was Boscobel Street named?
5. Who was the City Sergeant (sheriff) who built the house at 4314 Forest Hill Avenue?

[click to read more…]

{ 0 comments }

Join us on Tuesday, November 10th at 7:00 pm for a panel discussion and learn more about what it means for the Forest Hill Neighborhood to apply for historic designation status. Our guests will be Ann Andrus from the Department of Historic Resources and Lee Shewmake, President of the Woodland Heights Association, which just acquired historic designation.

{ 1 comment }