Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Use microfilm copies, Richmond (Va.) Reels 099-111 for Common and City Council Journals, 1782-1883.

Preferred Citation

Richmond (Va.) City Administration Records, 1804-1979, [cite volume and year]. Local government records collection, Richmond (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a shipment of court papers from the city of Richmond under accession number 51527.

Historical Information

City of Richmond, located between Henrico and Chesterfield Counties, was named by William Byrd (1674-1744), who envisioned the development of a city at the falls of the James River and with the help of William Mayo laid out the town in 1737. The name probably came from the English borough of Richmond upon Thames, which Byrd visited on several occasions. Richmond was established in 1742 and in 1779 was designated the capital of Virginia effective 30 April 1780. It was incorporated as a town, although "stiled the city of Richmond," in 1782 and was incorporated as a city in 1842. It served as the capital of the Confederacy from mid-1861 to April 1865. Richmond was enlarged by the annexation of Manchester (or South Richmond) in 1910, and by the addition of Barton Heights, Fairmount, and Highland Park in 1914. Further annexations from Chesterfield County occurred in 1942 and 1970.

Scope and Content

Richmond (Va.) City Administration Records, 1804-1979, consists of the following: City of Common Council Minutes, 1866 October 8-1979 September 17; Index to Common Council Journal, 1887 April 4-1918 August 28; Board of Alderman Journals and Index, 1874 July 1-1948 August 30, 1887 February 14-1918 August 28; Joint Session Common Council and Board of Alderman and Index, 1904 February 11-1948 August 30 and undated; Ordinances and Resolutions of Richmond, VA, 1804 March 19-1977 March 28; Franchises Granted by the City Council of Richmond, Va, Contained in the Code of 1885 and as Ordained since 1885 to 1899 December 31, Printed 1900.

Arrangement

Chronological by record type.

Related Material

Additional Richmond (Va.) City Administration Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia web site. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Richmond (Va.) Circuit Court

Subjects:

• African Americans--History
• Business enterprises--Virginia--Richmond.

Geographical Names:

• Richmond (Va.)--History

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records--Virginia--Madison County.
• Minutes--Virginia--Richmond.
• Ordinances--Virginia--Richmond.
• Resolutions--Virginia--Richmond.

Adjunct Descriptive Data