Former residents recount growing up in Scott’s Addition in the 1930s
The neighborhood was a city within a city, with its own dining, entertainment, and places of worship.
From the History Replays Today podcast:
On this episode William and Martha Harkess discuss growing up in Richmond, VA. They are both 84 years old. Martha was born in NC, but moved to Scott’s Addition with her family when she was about 3. Later her family moved to the Carytown area where William grew up.
They discuss what life was like in Scott’s Addition starting in the 1930’s, including the old skating rink and Moore’s Field which hosted the Richmond Colts baseball club and car races. Much of the conversation covers their life in Carytown. Their memories of theByrd Theater, recycling before recycling was a thing, the horse farm where the Carytown Kroger is today, the first McDonald’s in RVA, and some of William’s pranks are a few of the topics covered.
On this episode of History Replays Today, two former residents offer an interesting perspective describing what life was like in Scott’s Addition and Carytown in the 1930s, which is a narrative not often heard.
Scott’s Addition is currently enjoying a major renaissance of redevelopment, but it’s pretty cool to hear just how much the neighborhood was its own city within a city almost back in its heyday as well, with its own race track, baseball field, skating rink, restaurants, and places of worship. Definitely worth a listen.
Photo: Richmond Times-Dispatch archives
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Trevor Dickerson
Trevor Dickerson loves all things Richmond and manages RVANews’ West of the Boulevard and West End community sites.
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