Gambles Hill in Richmond, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Tredegar Rolling Mills
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009
1. Tredegar Rolling Mills Marker
The Tredegar Iron Works had several rolling mills, which produced rails, bars to be made into spikes, connecting plates for rails, merchant bar iron, and plates. The Tredegar rolling mills most famous work was the plates made for the ironclad C.S.S. Virginia
. Power is transferred from a turbine or waterwheel to a set of gears, which drive a series of stands of rolls. Heated metal is elongated and shaped as it passes through each set of rolls. The rolls here, called roughing rolls, shape the metal first.
Edward Wade, pictured in the foreground with his tongs, was the son of James Wade, who ran the Tredegar mill during the Civil War. The rolling mills were highly dependent on skilled workers like the Wades.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • War, US Civil.
Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 37° 32.121′ N, 77° 26.813′ W. Marker was in Richmond, Virginia. It was in Gambles Hill. It could be reached from Tredegar Street 0.1 miles west of South 5th Street. This marker is located outside the Civil War Visitor Center at Tredegar Iron Works. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 470 Tredegar Street, Richmond VA 23219, United States of America.
We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced.
this page online
Regionally, this marker was in Central Virginia. It was also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found 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 2 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Horseshoe Shops (within shouting distance of this marker); Tredegar in the Twentieth Century / Then and Now (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.
Other markers no longer nearby. Making Machines at Tredegar (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); Belle Isle Prison (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Industrial Recycling (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Belle Isle and Old Dominion Iron and Nail Works (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Tredegar in 1951 (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Neighborhoods at Tredegar (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); The Bulldozer Press (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); President Lincoln Visits Richmond
November 8, 2009
2. Edward Wade with tongs.
His father, James Wade, ran the Tredegar mill during the Civil War.
More about this marker. On the left are two photographs of Tredegar mill workers. The caption reads, "Rolling mill workers in the nineteenth century were considered highly skilled. Often they were paid as a group, and the team, or supervisor, decided how much to pay each worker. Even during slavery, black workers were part of the skilled teams that rolled iron at Tredegar, prompting a strike by white workers in 1847, who objected to training slaves. Morton Deane was a skilled worker on the rolling mill who also served on the Richmond
November 8, 2009
3. Tredegar Mill workers
On the lower right is a photograph of the rolling mills with the caption, "The photograph (right), from the 1800s, shows the Tredegar rolling mills, which were large shed-like buildings with open sides. Despite the the mills lack of walls, the workers still found the heat from the furnaces intense in the summer."
On the center right is a photo of a flywheel from a newspaper clipping with the caption, "The flywheel helped to power a rolling mill that shaped hot pieces of iron. The wheel weighs approximately 64,000 pounds. Its great momentum, caused by its weight, helped the mill to run smoothly under the load.
The first flywheel was cast in 1846 by the Armory Iron Company, one of Tredegars various incorporated bodies, and powered the mill through the Civil War. On August 25th, 1905, the first flywheel came loose from its bearings and exploded, killing one man and wounding two others. When the replacement wheel showed signs of cracks and stress in 1950, the wheel you see here took its place until Tredegar ceased operations in 1957."
November 8, 2009
4. Morton Deane, a Richmond city councilman, worked at the rolling mill
November 8, 2009
5. Tredegar Rolling Mills c.1800s
November 8, 2009
6. Workers dismantle the rolling mill flywheel
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009
7. Tredegar Rolling Mills Marker
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009
8. Duplicate marker on the other side of the display
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009
9. Tredegar Rolling Mills exhibit
Credits. This page was last revised on January 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 11, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,684 times since then and 27 times this year. Last updated on January 19, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on November 11, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
