Toward the beginning of the 18th century, the site of present-day Richmond was known among the Virginia colonists for its strategic location along the James River. Settlement had remained sparse though, consisting of only a few dozen Euro-American families. But the area's fate changed dramatically after the Warehouse Act passed by the Virginia House of Burgess in the early 1730s. The legislation specifically called for the inspection of tobacco cultivation, then Virginia’s most lucrative industry. Prominent planter William Byrd II thus began to construct one of the depots close to his estate, leasing a sizeable tract of land for the creation of an accompanying town. Work on Byrd’s new community began in earnest in 1737, with civil engineer William Mayo laying out the original street grid. Byrd subsequently called his new town “Richmond” in honor of Richmond, England, as they both enjoyed similar landscapes. Richmond remained small despite its significant role in Virginia’s colonial economy, hovering around a couple hundred residents on the eve of the American Revolution. The community was at the forefront of the movement once it started across the Thirteen Colonies in the 1770s.   

Among the most prominent events to occur within the town was Patrick Henry’s famous “Give me liberty, or give me death” speech at St. John’s Church, which historians often cite as one of the American Revolution’s most memorable moments. Virginia politicians sympathetic to the Patriot cause gradually met in Richmond afterward, leading to its designation as the new state capital in 1780. But its rich affiliation with the revolutionaries made it a target for the British military. Notorious American turncoat Benedict Arnold even led a raid on Richmond, forcing the state government—including then-governor Thomas Jefferson—to temporarily flee deeper into the Virginian interior. Richmond nonetheless recovered from the attack, going on to emerge as one of Virginia’s leading municipalities in the wake of the American Revolution. In fact, Richmond started to industrialize in the early 19th century, thanks to the debut of the celebrated James River and Kanawa Canal. Now evolving into a full-fledged city, Richmond attracted many industrialists due to its enhanced transportation and hydropower capabilities. Perhaps the largest business to appear at the time was the sprawling Tredegar Iron Works, which produced many metallic goods for decades.   

This economic activity only increased when the railroads arrived during the 1850s, namely the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad. However, this prolonged period of prosperity featured a darker side, as it was supplemented by African American slavery. The institution became a bedrock to the city’s socioeconomic identity that it eventually drove the populace to support the Southern Confederacy once the American Civil War erupted in 1861. Richmond emerged as the national capital for the Confederacy, with the historic Virginia State Capitol functioning as its main legislative building. The city’s importance within the Confederacy made its capture a vital component to the Union’s war strategy as well, causing many battles to be fought all around its borders in both 1862 and 1864. But the worst devastation occurred near the end of the war when retreating Confederate soldiers set the metropolis ablaze to prevent anything significant from falling under Union control. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln then visited the desolated city just a few days later, iconically entering the vacated Confederate capital alongside a troop of Black cavalry soldiers.   

Richmond eventually reemerged as one of the most prosperous communities in the American South by the end of the 19th century. This new era of economic success continued well into the following century, which saw the city expand exponentially via a variety of infrastructural and commercial projects. Richmond still struggled with the legacies left behind by the American Civil War though, specifically the fate of its African American residents who continued to live in racial segregation. The city became a major battleground in the fight for modern civil rights as a result, with protests taking place all over the city. Among the greatest to occur were the actions taken by the “Richmond 34,” who famously staged the sit-in of a segregated lunch counter inside the Thalhimers department store. Richmond has grown to be one of the most culturally diverse communities throughout the entire country, serving as home to fascinating museums, art galleries, universities, and even Fortune 500 companies. The city is particularly noted for its wealth of historic sites that relate intimately to the American Revolution, American Civil War, and Civil Rights Movement. Cultural heritage travelers are certain to find Richmond’s past to be worth learning about. 

The Hilton Richmond Downtown displays some of the finest preserved Art Deco architecture in Richmond. Art Deco Style is still one of the most famous architectural styles in the world, having emerged from an intellectual desire to break with past precedents. Professionals within the field aspired to forge their own design principles based on modern concepts. More importantly, they hoped that their ideas would better reflect the technological advances of the modern age. Historians often consider Art Deco to be a part of the much wider proliferation of cultural “Modernism” that first appeared at the dawn of the 20th century. Art Deco as a style first became popular in 1922, when Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen submitted the first blueprints to feature the form for contest to develop the headquarters of the Chicago Tribune. While his vision did not win over the judges, they were widely publicized. Architects in both North America and Europe soon raced to copy his form in their own unique ways, giving birth to the Art Deco movement. The international embrace of Art Deco had risen so quickly that it was even the central theme of the renowned Exposition des Art Decoratifs in Paris a few years later. Professionals the world over fell in love with Art Deco’s sleek, linear appearance, defined by a series of sharp setbacks. They adored its geometric decorations that featured such motifs as chevrons and zigzags. But despite the deep admiration people felt toward Art Deco, interest in the style gradually dissipated throughout the mid-20th century. Many examples of Art Deco architecture survive today though, with some of the best located in such places as New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.