This small neighborhood, established in the 1920s, has been known as "The Devil's Triangle" since the 1980s. The name came from the rough and rowdy bars located on the 600 and 700 blocks of N. Sheppard Street. Those bars are gone now - replaced by other establishments. The neighborhood is still active. New businesses keep opening up and other long time ones have continued. This site will try to document the history of this small but vibrant Richmond neighborhood.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sheppard Street Pharmacy, 604 N. Sheppard St., Paper Fan, 1930s
This fan is a great item donated by Richard to me in the last week. I need to check the Richmond directories to see how long the Sheppard Street Pharmacy lasted. The 1939 directory does not have them listed. The one item I have that does have a date - the monthly statement for "Pam Moss" - is dated Nov. 1, 1938 for her October purchases.
Sheppard Street Pharmacy, 604 N. Sheppard St., Richmond, Va, Matchbook cover, 1930s
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
River City Rover - Dog Walking and Pet Sitting in Richmond
Got a Pet?
Check out these local folks:
We are fully insured and bonded as well as certified in pet first aid. References available.
Visit our web site to learn all about us: www.rivercityrover.com
Or email us at welovepets@rivercityrover.com
Sunday, August 10, 2008
New Blog - The Devil's Triangle (west of the Blvd., N. Sheppard and Park Ave. and there-abouts)
This is a repost - Just to do a little advertising on - Richmond Blogs.
New Blog - The Devil's Triangle, Richmond, Va
A nice distorted view of N. Sheppard and Park Ave. - in the heart of the Devil's Triangle, Richmond, VA - image from Google Maps' Street View function.
Welcome - And share your memories of The Devil's Triangle and please share this URL with people you think might be interested.
Check out the rest of the Blog!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Have you seen a Boston Terrier around the neighborhood?
I got an email from Lynn whose Boston Terrier, Petey, was taken her backyard at 5 N. Crenshaw (near Carytown) on July 2nd. Lynn writes: "We've recently had a few calls from people who say a homeless couple has been seen around the Devil's Triangle area with a Boston Terrier. The girl even told one person the dog was named Petey. I'm told they look like some of the traveling punk kids you see around. We've put fliers in your area, but if you post notices on your blog, it would be great if I could post one there too. We're all heartbroken over this. If you happen to see them yourself, please give me a call. My phone number is 358-2953."
That was from Lynn - please help her out.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
"Welcome to Kensington Ave." Is a Web Site Focusing on Kensington Ave.
Check out this web site devoted to eight blocks (and the surrounding neighborhood) of Kensington Ave. in Richmond, VA.
Welcome to Kensington Ave.
Two old postcard views of what is now Kensington Court Apartments (formally the Johnston-Willis Hospital)
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Cafe Diem, 600 N. Sheppard St. - Great Entertainmnet, Music and Spirits.
Cafe Diem is located on the corner of N. Sheppard and Patterson. This is just a brief entry on this bar and restaurant - which also has live music almost every night. We will write something longer in the future - including a history of the various establishments that have been at this site.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
Caliente! - The Hottest Place in Town
Caliente! Restaurant is
located at the corner of
N. Sheppard St. and Park Ave.
Check them out.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
New Blog - The Devil's Triangle, Richmond, Va
A nice distorted view of N. Sheppard and Park Ave. - in the heart of the Devil's Triangle, Richmond, VA - image from Google Maps' Street View function.
Welcome - And share your memories of The Devil's Triangle and please share this URL with people you think might be interested.
This is the fourth blog entry - check out the site for other entries. Thanks.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Corner of Monument Ave. and Sheppard St., 1928
In 2008 (80 years after this photo by Cook was taken) you can still see remnants of the streetcar rail in the road on Sheppard Street. When the streetcars in Richmond were replaced by the bus line after World War II, the city left much of the streetcar rail where it was -- they simply paved over it.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The Devil's Triangle - the Boundaries.
Kensington Court Apartments
The postcard image above is from ca. 1930 and shows Johnston-Willis Hospital, 2900 Kensington Ave. Today this building is the Kensington Court Apartments.
The building was designed by Richmond architect Marcellus E. Wright, Sr. (1881-1962). Construction began in 1922 and was completed in 1923 for what was orginally a five-story, brick, granite, terra cotta, and stucco hospital building. The building in the back was built in 1928 as the Nurses Home for Johnston Willis Hospital - also designed by Marcellus E. Wright, Sr. More details on its various additions in a future post.
In 1980 the hospital moved to Chesterfield County and the building was converted to apartments and was orginally called the Kensington Garden Retirement Home. In 2000 It was renovated to become an "up-scale" apartment building - the Kensington Court Apartments. It is the largest building in the Devil's Triangle (let alone in the West of the Blvd. Historic District).
The back of this postcard reads:
"The Johnston-Willis Hospital was organized in 1909 and was located on the corner of Franklin and Sixth Streets. In 1923, the hospital moved into its present modern buildings on the corner of Kensington and Colonial Avenues, in the heart of Richmond's residential section. Here spacious grounds and an outlook over the gardens of the Battle Abbey [now the Virginia Historical Society] make the location ideal."