Wickham-Valentine House
John Marshall House
On the northwest corner of Ninth and Marshall is John Marshall House. This house, severely simple on the exterior, boasts a classic dignity inside which proves that John Marshall, as well as his politically different cousin, Thomas Jefferson, could design homes. The eminent jurist himself designed this home. The house is now the property of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, the first of such societies in America. It is furnished with some of Marshall’s original furniture. You may see here the robe which Marshall wore as Chief Justice of the United States. The large structure to the rear of the house is John Marshall High School, one of Richmond’s two public high schools. ¶ Continue on Marshall to Tenth, turn right on Tenth. Continue on Tenth to Broad.
John Marshall House
City Hall
The large gray stone structure on the southeast corner of Broad Street is the City Hall. Dedicated in 1894, it was built on the site of the old City Hall, erected in 1816 and condemned in 1874. This building contains the offices of the Mayor, the City Manager and various municipal departments. ¶ Cross Broad and continue on Tenth to Capitol Street. Turn right on Capitol one block to Ninth. Turn left on Ninth to entrance of Capitol Square.
Capitol Square
Commanding the driveway stands the equestrian statue of Washington, executed by Thomas Crawford and cast in Munich at a cost of $100,000. Chief Justice John Marshall headed the committee to raise the subscriptions, beginning the work in 1817 when the city boasted less than 6,000 white inhabitants. The monument was unveiled in 1858. Around the central figure of Washington are statues of some of Virginia’s famous sons, builders of the nation as well as of their state: Patrick Henry, George Mason, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Nelson, John Marshall, and Andrew Lewis. It was at the base of this statue that the second inauguration of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederate States of America took place, February 22, 1862.
