1840s/1850s (10h 6min, jan 1, 1848 y – 14h 54min, may 5, 1860 y)
Description:
The earliest “public library” in Richmond that was also supported by the city was located near the corner of 11th and Marshall Streets. At the building called the Athenæum, a two-room library was created in the late 1840s. The rooms were divided into two areas, known as the “City Library,” and the “Historical Library.” World-renowned contemporary authors, such as William Makepeace Thackeray (author of the classic novel Vanity Fair) frequently lectured there before it eventually closed; the Virginia Historical Society met there, and the library featured the work of local sculptors as exhibits.
Added to timeline:
RPL Timeline
Date:
Images:
![]()
