Virginia Historical Society Department of Manuscripts and Archives

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Exchange Hotel and Ballard House (Richmond, Va.)
Records, 1865-1889
Mss3Ex243a

Description & Guide

• Abstract



• Collection Description



• Guide

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Abstract

Main Entry:	Exchange Hotel and Ballard House (Richmond, Va.)
Title:	Records, 1865-1889
Size:	209 items
Scope Note:	Includes account books, accounts, address books, correspondence, departure books, guest registers, inventory books, package book, railroad schedules, room books, visiting cards, and wine list for the Exchange Hotel and Ballard House.
Restrictions:	None.

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Collection Description

The Exchange Hotel was built in 1841 by John P. Ballard (1816?-1878). The architect was Isaiah Rogers of Boston and New York City, who designed the building in the Classic style. Ballard built the more modern four-story Ballard House in 1855-1856, connecting the two structures first with a steel bridge and then with a brick bridge that crossed Franklin Street at the second floor level. The first floor of the older building was rented out as store fronts and the cellars as storage; many commercial agencies and businessmen kept offices in the building. The structures survived the Evacuation Fire of April 1865 and were refitted shortly thereafter, and again in 1891. However, by 1896 both hotels closed. The Exchange was demolished in 1900; the Ballard in 1920.

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Guide

I. Exchange Hotel

A. Account Books (Mss3 Ex243 a 1-15)

• 1865-1866
• 1866 June 1-1868 July 31
• 1867-1868
• 1870 March 4-April 5
• 1876 December 15-1878 March 9
• 1877 July 10-1878 January 17
• 1878 December 20-1879 December 31
• 1880 January 1-November 9
• 1881 October 1-1882 June 27
• 1881-1882
• 1883 April 11-1884 January 29
• 1885 March 13-1886 September 4
• 1886 February 1-1887 January 17
• 1886 September 6-1888 May 8
• 1887 November 7-1888 October 31

B. Inventory Book (Mss3 Ex243 a 16)

• 1870 August 1-1871 January 4

C. Guest Registers (Mss3 Ex243 a 17-32)

• 1879 May 1-1880 January 19
• 1880 October 26-1881 June 17
• 1881 June 18-1882 April 29
• 1882 May 1-1883 April 18
• 1883 Aprils 19-December 31
• 1884 January 1-May 13
• 1884 May 14-November 24
• 1885 May 9-October 25
• 1885 October 26-1886 April 9
• 1886 October 26-1887 April 14
• 1887 Aprils 14-October 31
• 1887 November 1-1888 May 3
• 1888 May 4-October 24
• 1888 November 1-1889 April 23
• 1889 April 24-November 5
• 1889 November 6-1890 April 12

D. Room Books (Mss3 Ex243 a 33-35)

• 1866-1868
• 1868-1870
• 1879-1881

E. Package Book (Mss3 Ex243 a 36)

• 1869 October 29-1872 December 19

F. Departure Books (Mss3 Ex243 a 37-38

• 1865 October 28-1867 March 16
• 1869 July 16-1870

II. Ballard House

A. Guest Registers (Mss3 Ex243 a 39-40)

• 1866 September 1-1869 May 2
• 1868 March 14-November 20

III. Exchange Hotel and Ballard House

A. Account Books (Mss3 243 a 41-76)

• 1865-1867
• 1866-1867
• 1866-1869
• 1868-1870
• 1868-1873
• 1869 October 22-1871 November 30
• 1871 April 1-1873 June 17
• 1871 December 1-1873 April 17
• 1872 January 27-1873 March 9
• 1872 November 15-1873 December 31
• 1872-1874
• 1873 January 15-August 1
• 1873 June 20-1874 November 8
• 1873 December 16-1874 December 10
• 1874-1875
• 1874 November 9-1876 January 16
• 1874 November 9-1876 January 16
• 1875
• 1875 February 6-October 8
• 1876 November 21-1877 July 9
• 1876-1878 (2 v.)
• 1876-1881
• 1877 July 6-July 13
• 1878 March 10-1879 July 27
• 1979 July 28-1880 October 27
• 1879-1880
• 1880 November 11-1881 September 30
• 1880 November 17-1882 June 10
• 1881-1883
• 1881 October 28-1884 February 12
• 1883 November 13-1887 March 9
• 1883-1888
• 1883 November 18-1885 March 12
• 1885 March 13-1886 January 30
• 1886 January 1-1887 October 31
• 1887 February 18-November 5

B. Inventory Books (Mss3 Ex243 a 77-79)

• 1868
• 1872 January 1-October 4
• 1877-1880

C. Guest Registers (Mss3 Es243 a 80-98)

• 1870 March 1-May 25
• 1870 September 18-December 12
• 1871 April 1-July 29
• 1871 July 30-November 12
• 1871 November 13-1872 March 31
• 1872 April 1-August 31
• 1872 September 1-December 30
• 1873 January 1-April 19
• 1873 April 20-August 9
• 1873 August 10-December 1
• 1874 April 13-September 30
• 1874 October 1-1875 March 30
• 1875 April 1-October 31
• 1875 November 1-1876 April 30
• 1876 May 1-1877 January 14
• 1877 January 15-February 15
• 1877 February 20-November 18
• 1878 January 1-June 29
• 1878 August 6-1879 April 30

D. Room Books (Mss3 Ex243 a 99-109)

• n.d.
• 1870-1872
• 1872-1873
• 1873-1874
• 1874-1875
• 1875-1877
• 1877-1879
• 1881-1884
• 1884-1885
• 1885-1886
• 1887-1888

E. Address Books (Mss3 Ex243 a 110-115)

• n.d. (2 v.)
• 1884
• 1888
• 1889 (2 v.)

F. Departure Books (Mss3 Ex243 a 116-129)

• 1869 November 2-1871 April 22
• 1871 April 22-1872 January 15
• 1872 January 23-November 1
• 1872 November 3-1873 October 22
• 1873 October 23-1874 September 30
• 1874 October 3-1875 November 28
• 1875 November 29-1877 March 24
• 1877 March 25-1878 October 12
• 1878 October 19-1880 April
• 1880 May 30-1881 October 24
• 1881 October 24-1883 March 19
• 1883 April 14-1885 January 14
• 1885 February 25-1887 March 28
• 1887 March 28-1888 November 21

G. Accounts (Mss3 Ex243 a 130-135)

• 1868-1883

H. Correspondence (Mss3 Ex243 a 136-141)

• 1873-1889

I. Menu (Mss3 Ex243 a 142)

• 1870?

J. Railroad Schedules (Mss3 Ex243 a 143-150)

• 1881-1888

K. Visiting Cards (Mss3 Ex243 a 151-195)

• 1866-1886

L. Wine Lists (Mss3 Ex243 a 196-198)

• n.d.

M. Miscellany (Mss3 Ex243 a 199-209)

• 1873-1879