The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-07
Bv Charles M. Wallace, Sr.

During the first half of the nineteenth
century the busiest section OF the city OF
Richmond lay below Twelfth Street and
along Main; all the fashionable shopping,
with here and there a solitary exception,
was done as far down town as the re-
spectabc houses OF the Levys, Abraham,
ana his sons. Jacob & Issaac. The great
firm of Lancaster &. DENLY did business
in 81 warehouse situated formerly rev
steps above the Old Market. Still farther
down were seen the sigsls OF other firms
we'll known to ,ir elderly citizens II was
a custom in the day of which write.
for US merchants to keep house over the
store, or very near TO 1t. The old
fashioned mansion in whith John A. Lam
caster dwelt, thanks to that fashion
which in moving uptown has left 1t ,in-
Impaired to this generation. looks out
as unprctendngly as ever on the neigh
borliood of Nineteenth Street. 1T stands
lust IN the rear or the Hoge- Memorial
Church. Nearby Is the once happy
abiding place of John II. Shoba, the ola
city gauger, gentleman whose angelic
ccrntenance suggested always wiien !
looked upon It no very distant ktnshlp
With that OF my Uncle Toby Some
time, hereafter. / hope to give at length
some account OF the old folks, and the
creek.
These that I'm hitting off to-day
Are sketches unprctending.
Toward better things without delay,
with my steps think OF bending
Naturally enough the old tayerns were
10 be sought By the stranger In the thick
OF the towns trade. The Union on one
side Of the creek and the Bell on the
other. were patron.zed in the main by
the country folk OF Tidewatcr, whilst
the Columbian provided for those who
dwelt south and west OF the city. inc
Eagle. which Occupied nearly the
half OF n square between Twelfth Street
and Thirteenth. was regarded in my day
AZ the best uptown hostcl.y IN the CITY.
The Marquis de Lafayette was enter
tanned therein by the citizens upon his
arrival in 1874 The rare pamphlet of.
Leroy Anderson gives Incidents nstend-
ing his visit not reported In the Whig
and Enquirer OF that day.
The old adverse which bore on It's face
a Significance to the urban guidance can
not be too often repeated:
dincd at the Union,
/ supped at the Bell
And spent all my money,
Al the Eagle Hotel.
Sunday and Slave Markets.
A feature OF tho bygone times which
has long since disappeared was the sun
', : -t-,r,e' Nh green yroeer stores had
been established There Was but tho
Stas..s1, oyer the. eek. to- which
many u gentle dame arid many u soodly
gentleman repaired for the day refresh-
Inents Judge Marshall. IL is said. set the.
fashion, still observed by somo OF our
elderly citizens, OF going to market sof
mornings aud bearing home his own
basket The walk down or up Main
Street az the case might be, was slladeG
by trees, which fringed the payelnerts--
Il delightful promenade of the carly gum
mer mornings.
During the Christmas holidays groups
of sleck-lookng. well-clad servants might
he mostly seen near the Bell Tavern,
which had long been the headquarters
OF the slave market. New homes and
new masters were anxiously sought BY
these happy creatures. Most of the Offices
of those who hired or sold them outright
were under the second story of the tav-
crn. Slaves to he sold We're placed on
platform or stout table near the curbins
and cried by the auctioneer as compln-
comfy as other Illuminate goods.
Not only was the Bell the headquarters
OF the slave market, but that Qt seemed
s 10 mel of the patrons of the races. The
toWli--i- g., Tue sPoTttnS BeHNiJ, WHO
may for the noncc be so designated--were
all in a tlutter of delight when the season
opened and tile entries were billed. Hack
ney coaches, as they were then Called
and other vehicles awaited patiently the
seating of passengers to Fairfield. or
Tree Hill, or Broad Rock. These courses
We're ali within easy reach of the city.
Broad Rock, SO na.ned from an outcrop
of the granite, lay three miles. more or
less. below Manchester. Tree Hill the
same distance below Richmond dhc place
was once the home OF William II. Roane
United States senator from Virglnia), and
Fairfield, long the property of the veteran
racert James Taliey, and Subsequently
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