Hippodrome Theater in the Jackson Ward District of Richmond, Virginia
HISTORIC JACKSON WARD WALKING TOUR
STOP 1: HIPPODROME THEATER
See the Jackson Ward Walking Tour web page for a map of tour stop locations.
528 North 2nd Street
The Hippodrome Theater was the main venue for live performances and movies in Jackson Ward from the time it opened in 1914 through 1945 when it closed after catching fire. The theater hosted the likes of Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, and in later years, James Brown. After 1945 it opened and closed numerous times, usually as a movie theater, though in the 1970s it functioned as a church for a short time. Its latest reincarnation came in 2011 after an extensive restoration, and the Hippodrome now serves as a rental facility for private events.
To the left of the Hippodrome is the Speakeasy Grill, which is run by the same management as the theater. This was originally an elegant mansion built in 1907 by Reverend William Taylor.
Stop 2: Mechanics Savings Bank
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Last updated on May 14, 2025
