Livery stables are very rare survivals in the City of Richmond. The livery stable at 917 Green Alley, built in 1909 by William Rowe Fensom, is the best example of the 6 or so left in the city.

The livery stable at 917 Green Alley was built in 1909 by William Rowe Fensom (b. 1874, d. 1925), a successful plumber whose business headquarters was around the corner at 902 Cumberland. Fensom had large contracts including the plumbing for the original John Marshall High School. His mother lived on the same block at 140 S. Cherry Street. A photo provided by the Fensom family survives from around 1915, showing Fensom’s mother at her home at 140 S. Cherry, just around the corner from the historic stable built by her son. W. R. Fensom may be the gentleman standing on the right of the photograph.

In 1909 it cost about $3700 to build the livery stable, which was called the Auditorium Stables, according to City Directories. Ironically, VCU successfully adapted the livery stable for use for their recreational program, but VCU cites their own renovation of the building as lacking integrity.

Livery stables are very rare survivals in the City of Richmond. In the 1916 Hill City Directory, twenty-nine livery stables were listed under the heading “Livery, Boarding and Sales Stables.” Twenty-three of these have been demolished and several of the other surviving stables have been altered beyond recognition. 917 Green Alley is the stable that has survived with the greatest integrity. The stables may be considered outbuildings of the noteworthy City Auditorium, since they are closely linked by function and vicinity, and provide an glimpse of Richmond’s transportation history.