St. Luke Building facts for kids
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St. Luke Building
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St. Luke Building, July 2011
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 900 St. James St., Richmond, Virginia |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1902, 1915-1920 |
| Architect | White, John H.; Russell, Charles T. |
| Architectural style | Edwardian |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004589 (original) 100003005 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 16, 1982 |
| Boundary increase | October 5, 2018 |
The St. Luke Building is an important historic office building in Richmond, Virginia. It was built between 1902 and 1903. This building was the main office for the Independent Order of St. Luke.
This group worked to help African Americans become financially independent. A remarkable African American businesswoman named Maggie L. Walker led this effort. She ran many businesses from the St. Luke Building. These included the St. Luke Herald newspaper and the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank. Maggie L. Walker was the first African American woman to start a bank in the United States. She used her success to fight for civil rights for African Americans. Her office inside the building is still kept as it was when she passed away in 1934.
The St. Luke Building was first added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it is a very important historical site.
Contents
Building the St. Luke Headquarters
The St. Luke Building is the oldest office building in Richmond connected to Black organizations. It was first built in 1902. The first design was by architect John H. White. The building was officially opened with a week of special events starting in July 1903.
Later, during World War I, prices went up. The Independent Order of St. Luke decided to expand the current building instead of building a new one. In 1915, Professor Charles T. Russell from Virginia Union University designed the expansion. Henry J. Moore was the contractor for this project.
The building had many different uses. It held Maggie Walker's personal office and spaces for accounting, printing, and other tasks. A special machine for printing was in the basement. The building also got new heating, gas outlets, and updated electrical wiring. New restrooms were added on each floor. The changes to the St. Luke Building cost almost $100,000. Maggie Walker noted that about 300 people worked on the building. Half of them were African American, including a major sub-contractor named Thomas R. Davis.
In the mid-1900s, the area around the building changed a lot. The Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike was built nearby. This highway (now Interstates 95 and 64) separated the St. Luke Building from the heart of the Jackson Ward neighborhood.
St. Luke Building's Look
The St. Luke Building is a great example of the Classical Revival style. This style uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings.
Outside the Building
The front of the building, facing east, is made of light brown bricks. The bricks from 1902-1903 and 1918 are slightly different colors. The first floor has large windows for shops. These windows have been changed a few times over the years. The south side of the building is made of yellow bricks. It has brick columns and lines that divide each section and floor.
The back of the building, facing west, is made of red brick. The north side is also red brick. Many windows are covered up. They are usually two-over-two wood windows with stone sills.
A metal-covered wooden trim is at the top of the front of the building. Letters spelling "St Luke Building" are on the wall between the second and third floors. The roof is flat and slopes down. There are four brick chimneys. An elevator room is on the roof, too.
The front of the building has four double wooden doors. The main entrance has a flat, metal-framed canopy. On the south side, there is a bricked-up entrance with a canopy. It has a few steps and a metal rail. The back of the building has modern metal doors.
An outside metal staircase with a metal roof leads from the second floor on the south side. On the north side, metal fire escape stairs go from the fourth floor down to the second. These fire escapes were added later.
The basement is under part of the building. It has three rooms: a furnace room, a hall with stairs, and a vault. An elevator is also in the basement. The floors are concrete, and the walls are brick or plaster.
Inside the Building
The ground floor used to have shops. Now, it has four rooms and a main entrance hall. There are two stair halls next to the elevator. The floors are made of small ceramic tiles or vinyl tiles over wood. A concrete ramp connects the older and newer parts of the building. Some ceilings are plaster, and some are covered with modern panels.
The second floor has seven rooms and a hallway. There are two sets of stairs near the elevator. A restroom is at the back of the hallway. The original wood floors are covered with vinyl tiles. The older part of the building has a pressed tin ceiling. Many rooms have a framework for a modern ceiling. The outside walls are plaster, and inside walls are modern panels.
The third floor also has seven rooms and a hallway with two sets of stairs. A restroom is at the back. Some plaster ceilings are damaged, showing the wood underneath. Many ceilings are covered with modern panels. Some walls are covered with painted wood-like panels.
The fourth floor is a large open area. This space used to house the insurance society. It has a hallway with two sets of stairs and a restroom. The large open area has low walls that create offices. The outer walls are plaster with a wood paneling at the bottom. Some old wooden walls form a room in one corner. These walls have windows that pivot open.
The south wall has two large windows with painted glass. There is also a doorway that used to be a teller area. The ceilings on this floor are also pressed tin. A large beam in the middle of the ceiling is covered with tin. A wooden teller's cage with metal doors is in one corner. This cage is original to the building.
Why the St. Luke Building is Important
The St. Luke Building was the main office for the Independent Order of St. Luke. This was one of the biggest Black fraternal groups in the United States. In the 1920s, the Order had over 100,000 members in 24 states. This was a huge number, similar to the number of members in the NAACP civil rights group at the same time. What made the Order special was that it was led by a woman, Maggie L. Walker, and most of its members were women.
The St. Luke Building was more than just an office. It became a symbol for the organization across the country. Pictures of the building appeared in African American newspapers and on promotional materials. The Order offered insurance to its members, so it was important to show that it was financially strong. The building itself, valued at over $100,000 by 1920, showed how solid the organization was. Maggie Walker also made sure the building hosted the Order's yearly meetings when they were held in Richmond. The building's size, look, and value helped convince people to join and invest in the Order.
The St. Luke Building is important to the whole country because it was the home of the first bank started by an African American woman in the United States.
