The city of Richmond began issuing formal building permits in 1908, requiring the applicant to submit a set of architectural drawings and specifications with the permit applications for both new structures and alterations to existing structures. These records help illustrate Richmond's westward development and the boom in commercial construction in the downtown area. The collection contains information on residential structures, churches, office buildings, theaters, and warehouses. State and municipal projects are also documented. The finding aid is also available in the Map Research Room.
Some drawings have notations that record modifications to the structures.
Fire stations are among the best documented projects in this collection. A guide is available in the Map Research Room. The School Building Service used a variety of standardized plans that were altered to the specifications of a particular school district. They therefore represent both the uniformity of school planning and, in this period, the diversity of customized designs for individual localities. Arranged alphabetically by county or municipality, the collection consists largely of rural school buildings, but some urban and suburban buildings are represented.