Broad Street. Even the name has a no-nonsense ring to it, doesn’t it? Richmond’s bustling backbone runs straight through the city-fifteen miles of history, commerce, and more than a few stories that could raise an eyebrow or two. Right now, if you listen closely, you’ll catch a soundtrack of city buses swooshing by, folks hustling between shops, and maybe a hotdog vendor trying to shout over the midday traffic.
This strip started off humbly enough around 1744. It wasn’t even called Broad back then-just “H Street.” The name wasn’t upgraded until 1845, at a moment when city fathers apparently realized “H” didn’t quite capture the grandeur they’d envisioned... or maybe someone just ran out of other letters. At first, locals saw this area as “upper country”-think of it as the wild north, perched a little higher than the riverbank village below.
By the late 1800s, Broad Street hit its stride-picture trains clattering down the center of the road, whistles echoing off brick buildings. Trains, department stores, theater marquees: this place was electric. Sixth and Broad? That was the Crossroads of Shopping, attracting everyone from sharp-dressed downtowners to window-shoppers just out for a stroll. Shop names like Miller & Rhoads or Thalhimers were as common in Richmond back then as, say, grabbing a coffee today-except a suit from Miller & Rhoads in 1920 might set you back five dollars, or about eighty-five bucks in today’s money. Not exactly peanuts, but arguably worth it for a sharp outfit.
Beyond retail, Broad Street hosted some heavy-hitting institutions: city hall, the library, even the state’s oldest operating theater, the Empire. And, as the city stretched west, Broad just kept going-pulling new shops, malls, whole neighborhoods along for the ride. Out past the edge of the city, Broad morphs into a highway that’ll take you all the way to Ohio, if you’re feeling adventurous.
Today, you’ll spot everything from old-school storefronts to sleek bus stops for the rapid transit Pulse line. Don’t be fooled by its straight path-there’s nothing straightforward about Broad Street’s story. Richmond’s always had a knack for making something fresh out of the familiar.
Whenever you’re ready, head southwest for about three minutes and we’ll check out the Jefferson Hotel. Now, that’s a spot with some stories.
