A Legacy on Leigh Street

A Legacy on Leigh Street (HM1S5Q)

Location: Richmond, VA 23219
Buy Virginia State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 37° 32.863', W 77° 26.261'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 484 views
Inscription

Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site

This Italianate mansion was once the bustling home of pioneering African American entrepreneur Maggie Lena Walker (1864- 1934). Walker lived here for the final thirty years of her life and greatly expanded the home to accommodate four generations of her family. Walker's opulent home, and those of her successful neighbors, earned the 100 block of East Leigh Street the nickname "Quality Row." Walker's family continued to care for the house long after her death. Today, visitors can experience the home just as Walker intended it: a place of inspiration where all are welcome.

Visiting her home
Walker's exquisitely decorated home reflected her significant achievements, and most of the furnishings currently on display belonged to her. Guided tours are available during operating hours. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/mawa

(sidebar)
Queen of Quality Row
Maggie L. Walker rose to national prominence as a crusader for racial justice, women's rights, and economic empowerment. As the leader of the Independent Order of St. Luke, a large black fraternal order, Walker chartered the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in 1903. She became the nation's first African American female bank president.

"Mrs. Walker is considered one of the outstanding women of her race and is sometimes referred to as 'the Queen of Negro fraternal leaders' and 'the phenomenon in banking circles.'
Lester Walton, The New York World, 1924

(captions)
(lower left) Walker purchased her house in 1904 from an African American physician named Robert E. Jones (in carriage). She added the columned porch in 1922, giving the home the stately appearance you see today.

(upper right) Maggie Lena Walker, ca. 1905
Details
HM NumberHM1S5Q
Placed ByNational Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Wednesday, May 11th, 2016 at 5:01pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18S E 284653 N 4158427
Decimal Degrees37.54771667, -77.43768333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 37° 32.863', W 77° 26.261'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds37° 32' 51.78" N, 77° 26' 15.66" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)804
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling West
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 114 E Leigh St, Richmond VA 23219, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Nearby Markersshow on map
Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. This markers needs some tags to help categorize the marker
  3. What historical period does the marker represent?
  4. What historical place does the marker represent?
  5. What type of marker is it?
  6. What class is the marker?
  7. What style is the marker?
  8. Does the marker have a number?
  9. What year was the marker erected?
  10. This marker needs at least one picture.
  11. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  12. Is the marker in the median?