The men from this community who gave their lives in the service of their country in World War II
1941-1945
James E. W. Ayers Army
Herbert Carter Army
Fred C. Darlington Army
William P. Davis Navy
Delma Dotson Army
Joseph B. Dunkum Army
Walter T. Jones Navy
Frank E. Lavender Army
Carl Robinson Army
Phillip W. Robinson Army
AKA, Chimborazo Medical Museum, Chimborazo Visitors Center - Richmond National Battlefield Park
3215 East Broad Street
Built, 1909
Architect, Peter J. White
VDHR 127-0821
April 2018
Drama, thy name is Richmond.
(Rocket Werks RVA Postcards) — Postcard of the U.S. Weather Bureau Building at Richmond, Virginia — circa 1900
The Civil War Medical Museum building, sited near the intersection of East Broad and North 32nd Street, is a two-story, three-bay, Greek Revival Style masonry building with corner quoins. The building has a flat roof with parapet, wide dentiled eaves, and open rail with turned balusters at the attic level. A molded wood stringcourse delineates the attic level.
(Valentine Museum) — note the Soldiers & Sailor monument at Libby Hill Park, lower left
There are one-story, one-bay, porches with fluted Ionic columns and turned balustrades on both the first and second stories at the front and rear entrances. The building has a raised water table with alternating brick and stone foundation. Crepe myrtle and magnolia trees hide the paved surface lot and fenced utility area from public view.
(Scottsville Museum) — Peter J. White
The building was designed in 1909 by Peter J. White and originally served the United States Weather Bureau and for many years, the was used as the headquarters for the Richmond National Battlefield Park, administered by the National Park Service.
White, a native of Albemarle County, Virginia had an active practice in Richmond, from 1871-1913, as an architect and contractor under the name of P. J. White & Son. (VDHR)
(Valentine Museum)
In 1908, Richmond was a candidate city for a federal weather station sponsored by the Department of Agriculture. Not that we didn’t try to talk ourselves out of it.
An agreement was reached by the Council Committee on Grounds and Buildings last night to make over to the United States government for a weather observatory a plot of ground in Gamble's Hill Park, west of Third Street, provided certain conditions can be complied with. Weather Director E. A. Kvans introduced to the committee Mr. E. B. Calvert, of the United States Weather Bureau, of Washington, who , briefly stated the position taken by the government. An appropriation of $105,000 is now available, Mr. Calvert explained, for the erection of seven observation stations at points to be selected by the department. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
(VCU) — Rarely Seen Richmond — Chimborazo Park
But the Department of Agriculture considered the site less than ideal, arguing that
the Gamble’s Hill site was unsuitable; that the heat from the Tredegar Works would affect the delicate instruments of the observatory, as would the smoke from passing trains. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Others in Richmond agreed.
It would be the greatest aid to shipping to have the weather station in plain view from the harbor. Ship captains would read the flags on a building on Chimborazo Park at a glance. Having the bureau convenient to the wharves and in plain view of the shipping would be of the greatest help to the river traffic. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
(Find A Grave) — Congressman John Lamb
Property owners near Gamble’s Hill were also not amused.
Since this action the protest of neighboring property owners has increased, citizens of other sections of the city indicating their opposition to giving up any part of this small park for the purposes of the Weather Bureau.
A number of other cities having offered sites and used every possible influence to have the weather station located elsewhere than Richmond, the committee felt that it could but accede to the request of the officials for the use of the Gamble’s Hill site, although opposition to the committee recommendation was anticipated on the floor of the Council, and the fate of the project hung more or less in doubt.
Seeing the necessity of immediate action, President Peters took the matter up with Congressman John Lamb, who conferred with the chief of the government weather service, Mr. Willis L. Moore, who took occasion to run down to Richmond during the holidays to look over the ground for himself. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
(Awesome Stories) — High Boss Professor Willis L. Moore
Mr. Balkins and Mr. Lynch made a fight to have the whole proposition referred back to the Grounds and Buildings Committee. Mr. Lynch held that the communication of Mr. Moore should have been sent to the Council, and not to Congressman Lamb. Mr. Batkins said the division chief of the Weather Bureau and the director in this city had both approved the Gamble’s Hill site. “Now the ‘high boss’ comes down here and selects Chimborazo, a place never before mentioned.”
The proposition to commit to the Grounds and Building Committee being voted down, the Richards substitute, offering the Chimborazo site, was adopted, Mr. Don Leavy being the only negative. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
(What Was There)
Talk about sour grapes; nice to see that wiser heads prevailed.
The new station added local color to the hill, and was the reason that Government Road has the name it does. [FLRAS] It remained active at this location until 1959, when it relocated to Wakefield and the building was and transferred to the National Park Service.
(U. S. Weather Bureau Building is part of the Atlas RVA Project)
Sources
[FLRAS] Facts and Legends of Richmond Area Streets. Mustian, Thomas F. 1977.
