History
The Fan District can best be described as an early 20th Century urban neighborhood located on the Western edge of Downtown Richmond. While The Fan District’s roots date back to the early 1800’s, it was largely developed after the Civil War and into the early 20th Century. The District takes its name from the pattern formed its streets as they ‘Fan Out’ while moving west towards what is now The Museum District, Carytown and the West End. The Fan is generally considered to be divided into two sections (Upper and Lower Fan) with Lombardy Street acting as the dividing line.
Boundaries
The boundaries for the Fan District are Harrison Street/VCU to the east, Broad Street to the north, The Boulevard to the West and the Downtown Expressway to the south. The Fan is bordered by Oregon Hill, VCU, Carver, Byrd Park/Carrillon, Randolph and the Museum District/Carytown.
Architecture
Architecturally, the Fan District is diverse with multiple styles prevalent alongs its avenues. While a complete list can be found here (LARGE FILE) , the most common styles are Italianate, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival. The Fan District is on the National Register of Historic Places making it protected at many levels as well as eligible for many programs to aid in renovation and repair.
Associations + Representation
The neighborhood is represented by the Fan District Association with several other smaller groups (West Avenue, Uptown, Monument Avenue and West Grace) that sometimes operate independently of the FDA. It is located within the 2nd District of the City of Richmond and represented on City Council by the 2nd District Representative.
