The area which
became the Fan was a small, rural settlement coalescence named either for
the nearby tavern or for the skirmish which occurred between Benedict Arnold
and local Revolutionary troops.In 1817, the entire are was divided into lots
for the town of Sydney, which never materialized. The area was relatively
untouched by the Civil War, although Stonewall Jackson trained VMI cadets
in Monroe Park and several of the Buildings which later became Richmond College
were used as a hospital. Extensive building in the area did not begin until
the 1880's, when the affluence of the middle class emerged during the Progressive
Era. With the city's population rising by nearly 30%, more housing was required.
Resulting annexations by the city incorporated west to Lombardy Street in
1867 and to Boulevard in 1892. Building in the district was complete by 1920.Although
the homes were designed and built by relatively few local architects and
contractors, and extraordinary variety of styles and building treatments
contribute both to the District's distinctive quality and cohesive identity.
Italianate, Richardson Romanesque, Queen Anne, and Colonial Revival
building styles predominate, but examples of Tudor, Second Empire, Beaux Arts,
Art Deco, Spanish, Gothic, Bungalow, and the American Arts and Crafts Movement
are obvious as well. The area was a fashionable address for the socially
conscious upper middle class through World War II, although, as with most
cities, many of the homes were subdivided during the Depression.
However, in the 1950's the large stately homes, picturesque shady streets, and
proximity to downtown and the university became extremely attractive again and a
renovation boom - a revitalization of the neighborhood and restoration of the
townhomes - began and continues today.
