Exchange Building (Petersburg, Virginia) facts for kids
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Exchange
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Exchange Building, 2017
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| Location | 15–19 W. Bank St., Petersburg, Virginia |
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| Built | 1841 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Part of | Petersburg Old Town Historic District (ID80004314) |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000322 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 11, 1969 |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
| Designated CP | July 04, 1980 |
The Exchange Building, also known as the Merchant's Exchange Building or The Exchange, is a historic commercial building in at 15-19 West Bank Street in Petersburg, Virginia. Built in 1841, this Greek Revival style building is one of the least-altered examples of a 19th-century market hall. It now houses the Siege Museum commemorating the Siege of Petersburg. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
Description and history
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The Exchange Building is located in Petersburg's Old Town, at the northeast corner of West Bank Street and Exchange Avenue. It is a two-story, five bay by five bay, building with a hipped roof. It features a four-column Doric order portico in front, and five pilastered bays on the sides. At the building's center is a large circular domed room, the dome supported by piers and an entablature.
The Exchange was created in 1839 by a group of Petersburg businessmen as a meeting place where locally produced wares, predominantly tobacco and cotton, could be sold, and as a place to hold public auctions. The building was designed by an architect named Berrien from New York City, and was completed in 1841. It is a locally rare example of high-style Greek Revival architecture, and is one of the nation's least-altered examples of a market building. It now houses the Siege Museum, which displays artifacts and history relating to the American Civil War Siege of Petersburg.
