Photograph by Ed Pollard, Hasselblad H4D50 - 2019.

Fenchurch Street, October 23, 1960

Artist Carroll H. Walker (American, 1904 - 1990)

CultureAmerican

DateOctober 23, 1960

MediumGelatin silver print

DimensionsOverall, Image: 6 15/16 × 9 11/16 in. (17.6 × 24.6 cm)
Overall, Support: 8 × 9 7/8 in. (20.3 × 25.1 cm)

Credit LineGift of Carroll H. Walker

Object number67.40.22

Not on view

DescriptionPhotograph depicting a scene from Norfolk, VA.

Label TextFenchurch Street, October 23, 1960, 1960 Gift of Carroll H. Walker 67.40.22 Looking North from Bute and Brewer Streets, September 4, 1960, 1960 Gift of Carroll H. Walker 67.40.26 Market and Court Streets, August 3, 1960, 1960 Gift of Carroll H. Walker 67.40.28 Market and Court Streets, October 23, 1960, 1960 Gift of Carroll H. Walker 67.40.27 In 1951, Norfolk became the first American city to use federal support, provided by the 1949 Housing Act, to condemn slums and replace them with public housing. The multimillion-dollar project cleared about 130 acres just north of Brambleton Avenue (an area now known as Young Terrace), demolishing more than 1,000 structures, erecting about 750 low-rent units, and relocating about 3,000 mostly African American families. The project also created wide boulevards designed to ease the flow of downtown traffic. A number of residences remained in downtown just south of Brambleton and northeast of the commercial core. Once thriving communities, these areas were cleared in the 1960s to make way for throughways like Saint Paul’s Boulevard, the sites of Chrysler Hall and Scope Arena, and what would become MacArthur Mall. Some were critical of the changes. A columnist for the Norfolk Journal and Guide wrote, “They’re tearing down local history…taking with them memories of fabulous parties, weddings and other events of yester-year.”