Basin Race
The Great Basin of the James River & Kanawha Canal covered three square blocks directly in front of this plaque: between Cary and Canal, and 8th and 12th Streets. By 1834, millers had realized the Basin’s water could be used to turn waterwheels, and the Gallego Mills and the Franklin Paper Manufacturing paper mill opened. Basin hydropower was used until the early 20th century.
The Basin was large and elevated, and the water level could be maintained by flow from the Canal. The Canal Company leased water to the mills on a yearly basis, rated on the volume of the flow.
Franklin Paper was powered by a Basin-fed mill race which ran south between 8th and 9th Streets. It was the first paper mill in Richmond and later made the stock for Confederate currency. The site is occupied today by the Federal Reserve Bank.
Other ante-bellum facilities powered by the Basin race included the shops of the Richmond & Petersburg Railroad and an iron works.
Marker can be reached from the intersection of South 8th Street and East Canal Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
