Gambles Hill in Richmond, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Albemarle Paper

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009

1. Albemarle Paper Marker

Inscription.
In 1916, the Dixie Paper Company opened a paper mill in the building of the closed Brown’s Island electric plant. By 1919, the mill was taken over by Albemarle Paper Company, which had been operating a paper mill just upriver at Hollywood since 1887. The Brown’s Island mill made kraft paper and operated until 1967. The mill buildings filled the island, with the last pulled down in 1978.

In 1957, Albemarle Paper purchased the Tredegar Iron Works property. By then it had acquired most of Gamble’s Hill, and built its headquarters there, occupying them in 1962. In 1962, the company also bought the Ethyl Corporation of Delaware, a firm much larger than itself, and Albemarle Paper adopted the name Ethyl Corporation. In 1969, Ethyl sold the Hollywood paper plant to the James River Corporation, which is headquartered there.

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Two Pulleys and a Gear
Preserved here from the paper mill’s machinery are a breaker beater driven pulley (the large one), a floor beater driven pulley, and a cast core mortise gear.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1916.

Location. 37° 32.033′ N, 77° 26.542′ W. Marker is in Richmond, Virginia. It is in

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Gambles Hill. It can be reached from the intersection of South 7th Street and Canal Walk, on the left when traveling south. This marker is on the Richmond Riverfront Canal Walk on Brown's Island. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 501 Tredegar St, Richmond VA 23219, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Electricity for Streetcars (here, next to this marker); John Jasper (within shouting distance of this marker); Confederate Laboratory (within shouting distance of this marker); Manchester & Free Bridges (within shouting distance of this marker); Brown’s Island (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); "The Headman" (about 300 feet away); R&P Railroad Piers (about 300 feet away); a different marker also named Brown’s Island (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.

More about this marker. On the upper left is a photograph of "Brown’s Island Mill Early 1950’s" (Photo by Dementi, Courtesy of Dementi-Foster Studio)

On the lower left is a map of "Brown’s Island, circa 1940" (Map by R.E. Johnson, Courtesy Ethyl Corporation)

Also see . . . Richmond Riverfront Canal Walk. Venture Richmond (Submitted on November 5, 2009.)

Machinery display image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 7, 2024

2. Machinery display

Two Pulleys and a Gear image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009

3. Two Pulleys and a Gear

Preserved here from the paper mill’s machinery are a breaker beater driven pulley (the large one), a floor beater driven pulley, and a cast core mortise gear.

This is a photo of the marker display in its prior environs.

Brown's Island Paper Mill Buildings image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009

4. Brown's Island Paper Mill Buildings

A — Pulpdock — serving #2 Breaker Beater (shed covered)
B — Pulpdock (shed covered) — serving Pulp Storage shed #1 Breaker Beater and later Hydropulper serving both paper machines
C — Pulp Storage Shed
D — Beater Room Extension
E — #1 Machine Jordan Room
F — #1 Thickener Building
G — Paper Machine Room (2 Fourdrinier Machines)
H — #1 Finishing Building
I — #2 Finishing Building
J — Finishing Stock Storage
K — Ramp (Lift Truck,) Mach. rm. floor level to basement shipping
L — Covered
M — Steam Boilers
N — Steam Turbine Rm.
O — Switch Room
P — Machine Shop
Q — Storehouse
R — Electric Shop
S — Welding Shop

Credits. This page was last revised on September 8, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 5, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,461 times since then and 85 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 5, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 2. submitted on September 8, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4. submitted on November 5, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.