Miller's and Eggleston Hotels

Opened in 1904 and demolished in 2009, the hotel that stood here hosted regional and national black luminaries, celebrities, tourists, and leaders including Booker T. Washington. Built by William “Buck” Miller, Miller's Hotel was one of a handful in Richmond to offer black customers fine accommodations, a rarity in the segregated South. Its success reflected the entrepreneurial and professional efforts of the residents of Jackson Ward, widely considered “The Birthplace of Black Capitalism.” Under subsequent owner Neverett Eggleston, the renamed Eggleston Hotel was a hotspot beginning in 1943, hosting such entertainers as Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, and Redd Foxx.