Boulevard (Richmond, Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Boulevard is a historic street
in the near West End
of Richmond, Virginia
, providing access to Byrd Park
. It serves as the border between the Carytown/Museum District to the west and the Fan district
to the east. Attempts have been made to rename the street after Arthur Ashe
, a tennis star and social activist who was born and grew up in Richmond, but no renaming attempts have succeeded thus far. Near the south end is Richmond's Boulevard Bridge
(commonly called the "Nickel Bridge," in reference to its toll, which has increased to 35 cents) across the James River
. The Boulevard intersects with main arteries Main Street, Monument Avenue, Broad Street, and Hermitage Road
. The Diamond is located on the Boulevard. The intersection of the Boulevard and Monument Avenue features a statue of Stonewall Jackson
.
The Boulevard is designated as State Route 161, a route promoted in the 1940s and 1950s as an alternate bypass route before the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
and Interstate 95 were built, connecting with U.S. Route 1 north and south of downtown Richmond.
Street
A street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
in the near West End
The West End (Richmond, Virginia)
The West End is a part of Richmond, Virginia. The true West End covers only the western part of the city of Richmond though some consider western Henrico County part of the West End as well. As there is no one municipal organization that represents this specific region, the boundaries are loosely...
of Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, providing access to Byrd Park
Byrd Park
Byrd Park is a public park located in Richmond, Virginia, USA north of the James River and adjacent to Maymont. The park includes a mile-long trail with exercise stops, monuments, an amphitheatre, and three small lakes: Shields , Swan, and Boat Lake. Boat Lake has a lighted fountain at its center...
. It serves as the border between the Carytown/Museum District to the west and the Fan district
Fan district
The Fan is a district of Richmond, Virginia, so named because of the "fan" shape of the array of streets that extend west from Belvidere Street, on the eastern edge of Monroe Park, westward to the Boulevard....
to the east. Attempts have been made to rename the street after Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States...
, a tennis star and social activist who was born and grew up in Richmond, but no renaming attempts have succeeded thus far. Near the south end is Richmond's Boulevard Bridge
Boulevard Bridge
-External links:*...
(commonly called the "Nickel Bridge," in reference to its toll, which has increased to 35 cents) across the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
. The Boulevard intersects with main arteries Main Street, Monument Avenue, Broad Street, and Hermitage Road
Hermitage Road Historic District
Hermitage Road Historic District is a Northside neighborhood in the independent city of Richmond, Virginia. The district is a Richmond Old and Historic District, as well as being listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.The historic district consists...
. The Diamond is located on the Boulevard. The intersection of the Boulevard and Monument Avenue features a statue of Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
.
The Boulevard is designated as State Route 161, a route promoted in the 1940s and 1950s as an alternate bypass route before the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
The Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike was a toll road located in the Richmond-Petersburg region of central Virginia, USA.After World War II, major traffic congestion occurred in the area around Richmond and Petersburg along U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 301...
and Interstate 95 were built, connecting with U.S. Route 1 north and south of downtown Richmond.