Dedicated to the lasting memory of Larry E. Bryant, a faithful and dedicated employee of the City of Richmond, Department of Public Works, who died from injuries received in a runaway boxcar accident while performing his duties in operation of the Richmond Floodwall Protection system on July 28, 1994. Also injured were City employees Ronald Coleman, Willie Edwards, John Hay and Robert Streater.
Virginia Capitol Trail, near Seventeenth & Dock Streets
301 North Barton Avenue (Residence), AKA 2401 Barton Avenue
West of Brook Avenue & Admiral Street (Nursery)
West of Reservoir Street, AKA South Harrison Street (Farm)
[CHRV] — looking towards J. H. Harvey & Co.’s greenhouses, circa 1893 — the photograph identifies this as Barton Heights, but based on available map data, it’s hard to say precisely where
A tangled tale of men who grew flowers.
J. H. Harvey, florist, of 5 West Broad street, has his greenhouses at Barton Heights, a suburb of the city. They cover three or four acres of ground there. He has 60,000 square feet under glass. The greenhouses are heated with hot water. There is a bored well for the water supply of the place, two steam pumps and a wind-mill, hydrants and water-plugs throughout, and the equipment of the place is unquestionably as fine as anything of the kind in the South, and certainly the most extensive here.
(Ancestry.com) — advertisement for J. H. Harvey & Co. — Richmond, Virginia, City Directory, 1891
The specialty of this establishment is the trade in cut flowers and ornamental plants. These are shipped by it to all parts of the State. The gardens were established in 1870, and three generations of the Harvey family were interested in them. They were founded by the grandfather of the present proprietor. [CHRV]
A little confusing that, since J. H. Harvey’s grandfather was James Harvey, and he died in 1857 (Find A Grave). Perhaps he was responsible for the family’s interest in the flower business, but what became known as Magnolia Nursery was the province of James’s son, Levenous James Harvey.
(Newspapers.com) — advertisement for Magnolia Nursery by L. J. Harvey — Richmond Dispatch — Saturday, November 15, 1873
He had been in the same line in New Jersey before he came to this city. Mr. J. H. Harvey, the present proprietor, is a young man, but one of enterprise and sterling business character. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and as such is a participant in all the projects set on foot by it to further the interests of the city.
His down-town office and sales-rooms, on Broad street, are in the heart of the city and on the principal business street, easily accessible from all quarters of Richmond. [CHRV]
February 2021 — looking towards 5 West Broad Street, former location of J. H. Harvey & Co.
Sadly, the original 5 West Broad Street store no longer exists, having been replaced in 1924 with the present building, architected by Hunt and Amrhein. [AOR] It was also the Harvey family’s 2nd store on Broad Street, after moving a few doors east from 11 West Broad Street when the company was run by J. H.’s brother, Jacob Jones Harvey.
(Library of Congress) — Beers Illustrated Atlas of the Cities of Richmond & Manchester, 1877 — Plate E — showing J. J. Harvey & Bro. Magnolia Nursery
By 1877 Magnolia Nursery was a well-developed enterprise, consuming a considerable piece of land in North Side along Brook Avenue. This of course was back inna day before Lewis Ginter gobbled up the dirt that would eventually become Bellevue, Sherwood and Ginter Parks, and before Brook Avenue would be demoted to the rank of Road. Chamberlayne Avenue would be the new front porch to the north, at least until 95 was built.
J. J Harvey had at this point taken over the family business from L. J. Harvey, who seems to have been stricken with wanderlust in his autumn years. He died a considerable distance from Richmond in 1880 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. (Find A Grave)
February 2021 — looking west of Brook Road towards the former Magnolia Nursery
Today, the former greenhouse grounds is Hovey Field, home to the Virginia Union University Panthers.
The funny thing is that A City on the James describes J. H. Harvey & Co. as having greenhouses in Barton Heights, which is not quite where Magnolia Nursery was located.
[MTBH] — Map of the Town of Barton Heights in Henrico County, Va. — James T. Redd and Son, 1896 — showing “Garden Tract” to the northwest — (full-size image)
James H. Barton was a real estate speculator, who in 1890 found success crossing a small residential community with a new streetcar line that connected the area north of Richmond with the city. The allure of suburban living found an audience, among them the J. H. and J. J. Harvey families, and it became the Town of Barton Heights in 1896.
The 1894 Barton Heights Directory lists the Harvey’s were living at 301 North Barton Avenue. It would have been their second at that location. [BHD]
[BHPSR] — Map of Barton Heights and Brookland Park — Showing the System of Numbering — 1894 — showing 301 North Barton Avenue at the northwest intersection of Barton & Kersting — (full-size image)
Just two years prior, disaster had struck.
The handsome residence at Barton Heights of Mr. J. H. Harvey, the florist, was totally destroyed by fire last night.
Mr. Harvey was at his brother-in-law’s, across the street, engaged in a game of dominos, and happening to glance at one of the windows he discovered flames bursting from the front of his house. When he reached it the hall was a roaring furnace, and it was with difficulty he rescued his children, one of whom was asleep, from the building. There was a large tank of water on the premises, but this proved practically of no use.
When news of the fire reached Chief Puller he sent over Truck No. 3, and would have sent a steamer also, but could not learn whether there was an available water supply. The truck men did splendid service, and it is due to them that the flames did not communicate to Mr. Harvey’s stables and green-houses. [RD11061892]
(Library of Congress) — Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Richmond (1908) — Index Plate — showing Barton Heights at right & the location of Magnolia Nursery at left
Apparently the Harvey’s need for greenhouse space was such that they were needed on-hand at their home. However, this was smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood, so it’s hard to imagine it as substantial as the operation off Brook Avenue, itself far removed from Barton Heights. Google Maps calls the distance between the house and main nursery at 1.3 miles—not exactly in the neighborhood.
March 2021 — looking towards the former 301 North Barton Avenue
Like any good success story, Barton Heights ignited the acquisitive fires of its larger neighbor to the south, and it was annexed by the City of RVA in 1914. (”Manchester today! Tomorrow... Barton Heights!)
Changes followed. The former Kersting Street was renamed to Graham, and the houses were renumbered to fit the city’s scheme. Today, the former 301 North Barton Avenue is now 2401 Barton Avenue, and the residence that used to sit on the corner is gone.
(Stadium Journey) — undated photo of Hovey Field, Virginia Union University — formerly Magnolia Nursery
As for Magnolia Nursery, by 1896 J. H. Harvey & Co. company was winding down. The Richmond Dispatch reported its dissolution by mutual consent, and later a Deed of Assignment for all of the Harvey properties. [RD04091896] [RD04181896] The former nursery was eventually acquired by Virginia Union University in 1907 for their athletic grounds.
[CHRV] — looking southwest towards J. H. Harvey’s Reservoir Branch Barton Heights, circa 1893
The location of Harvey’s other principal property, Reservoir Branch, is more difficult to pin down. It was it was identified as being “west of the reservoir beyond Richmond's suburbs”, which places it in the general vicinity where two cemeteries exist today. [HCO]
(Library of Congress) — Beers Illustrated Atlas of the Cities of Richmond & Manchester, 1877 — Plate O — showing the south terminus of Reservoir Street and the Marshall Reservoir at lower right
The reservoir in question was Marshall Reservoir, constructed in the early 1800′s, and which was located just southwest of Hollywood Cemetery. It stood near the intersection of two streets, Ashland and Reservoir, since renamed Colorado and Harrison respectively.
February 2021 — looking towards the entrances to Riverview & Mt. Calvary Cemeteries
The 1877 Beers map shows the area west of Reservoir to be undeveloped, with no sign of any property assigned to J. H. Harvey. Twelve years later, the 1889 Baist map shows the addition of Riverview (1887) and Mt. Calvary (1885) Cemeteries, along with a burgeoning neighborhood to the west, yet still no trace of Harvey’s farm.
February 2021 — looking towards former location of Marshall Reservoir — the intersection of Harrison & Colorado shown at left where the white truck is parked
On face, it seems reasonable to think that the farm existed on or near the present-day cemeteries, since it was named for a nearby landmark capable of providing the necessary water for a nurseryman, and accessible by a city road of the same name.
Unfortunately, while available maps depict the Harvie name, the Harvey name is absent. Add to that the fact that those cemeteries predate the publication of A City on the James, which depicted the photograph of said farm, makes it hard to place a pin down.
(J. H. Harvey & Co. is part of the Atlas RVA! Project)
Correction
The first version of this post speculated that J. H. Harvey’s competitor W. A. Hammond, who had his own greenhouse operation east of Brook Avenue at Sherwood, may have had a connection to the Harvey properties. This misguided notion was corrected by the discovery of the Barton Heights Directory and Barton Heights pamphlet. It seems more probable that North Side had great land for growing flowers, just ask Lewis Ginter.
Print Sources
[AOR] Architecture in Downtown Richmond. Robert Winthrop. 1982.
Maggie Walker, and African American entrepreneur and civil rights activist, promoted economic empowerment for the Black community. In 1899 she was elected head of the Independent Order of Saint Luke, a mutual aid society and insurance company facing a dwindling membership. Under her leadership, the organization grew to more than 100,000 members. Walker founded the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in 1903, becoming the first Black woman in the U. S. to establish and serve as president of a bank. She helped organize a major boycott of Richmond's segregate streetcars in 19045 and served on the national boards of the NAACP and the National Association of Colored Women.
