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

Industrial Recycling

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009

1. Industrial Recycling Marker

Inscription. Iron companies in the late 1800s began melting down scrap metal from old machines and parts to make new products, just as we recycle materials like aluminum cans today. The “car wheel crusher” that stood here broke up old railroad car wheels so that the pieces could be melted and reshaped. A large weight was dropped on the wheels to break them.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars.

Location. 37° 32.135′ N, 77° 26.829′ W. Marker is in Richmond, Virginia. It is in Gambles Hill. Marker can 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 is at or near this postal address: 470 Tredegar Street, Richmond VA 23219, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Making Machines at Tredegar (within shouting distance of this marker); Neighborhoods at Tredegar (within shouting distance of this marker); Tredegar Rolling Mills (within shouting distance of this marker); Belle Isle Prison (within shouting distance of this marker); Belle Isle and Old Dominion Iron and Nail Works

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(within shouting distance of this marker); Tredegar in 1951 (within shouting distance of this marker); The Bulldozer Press (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Horseshoe Shops (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.

More about this marker. On the left is a photograph with the caption, "Many railroad car wheels were found during site restoration."

On the right is a photograph of a rail line dump site with the caption, "Photographs of the Tredegar Iron Works show large scrap piles throughout the grounds. This photograph looking east shows a pile just below your location."

Railroad car wheels found during site restoration. image. Click for full size.

November 8, 2009

2. Railroad car wheels found during site restoration.

Scrap pile for recycling image. Click for full size.

November 8, 2009

3. Scrap pile for recycling

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009

4. Industrial Recycling Marker

Looking east toward the scrap pile site image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, November 8, 2009

5. Looking east toward the scrap pile site

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 11, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 726 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 11, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.