History of the Richmond YMCA
The YMCA of Greater Richmond was founded on December 19, 1854, during a meeting held in the lecture rooms of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. At this gathering, the constitution and by-laws were presented, outlining the organization’s mission: to bring young men under religious and moral influences, provide access to a library and reading room, offer lectures, devotional meetings, and Bible classes, and create a safe, wholesome home-away-from-home to counteract the “lure and ruin” of city life.
In May 1855, the Richmond YMCA opened its first headquarters in the Goddin Building at Bank and 11th Streets, facing Capitol Square. The building’s owner, W. Goddin, generously offered a $50 annual discount on rent. While the space served as a base of operations, it was too small for large gatherings, so public lectures and monthly meetings were held at local churches.
The YMCA’s lecture series quickly gained popularity, initially featuring religious topics presented by local clergy. Over time, the programming expanded to include secular subjects. Notable lectures included:
- Professor E. L. Youmans on “The Chemistry of the Sunbeam”
- Professor John Lord on “Dante and the Revival of Poetry”
- W. T. Willey on “Christian Missions in Their Secular Influence”
One of the most enduring and popular initiatives of the 1850s was the establishment of a free library and reading room. Inspired by similar programs in Great Britain and North America, the Richmond YMCA began fundraising in the summer of 1855. By year’s end, the library housed nearly 900 volumes. By the start of the Civil War, the collection had grown to 2,350 volumes, along with subscriptions to 50 newspapers and 12 magazines, covering topics from philosophy to mathematics.
In 1855, the YMCA also formed a standing committee that divided the city into 12 districts. This committee provided employment services, church connections, and sick visitations. By the end of the decade, the Richmond YMCA had become a well-established and vital part of the community.
The outbreak of the Civil War dramatically transformed Richmond, which shifted from a state capital to the capital of the Confederacy. The city became a hub of government activity, military hospitals, and war production. In response, the YMCA adapted its operations to meet the changing needs.
The association relinquished its large room in Goddin’s Hall to the Confederate Post Office. Although the library remained open, acquiring new books and periodicals—especially from the North and abroad—became increasingly difficult.
Following the Battle of Manassas, the Richmond YMCA began forwarding supplies to sick and wounded soldiers from other Southern states. Partnering with the Ladies Aid Society and the Spotswood Hotel, the YMCA played a crucial role in wartime relief efforts. In 1863, the organization reported delivering:
- 1,000 blankets
- 4,500 shirts
- 9,855 pairs of drawers
- 3,000 pairs of socks
- 500 pairs of pants
- 500 pairs of shoes
During the Civil War, the Richmond YMCA expanded its efforts in meaningful ways. Some illiterate troops expressed a desire to learn to read, prompting the YMCA to develop and print a simple handbill as a primer and hire officers to teach basic literacy. In 1861, the YMCA partnered with neighborhood women to establish three private hospitals located at:
- 4th and Cary Streets
- Franklin Street between 8th and 9th
- 4th and Byrd Streets
These hospitals were operated by the YMCA for three months free of charge, staffed by volunteer doctors and support personnel. Notably, two YMCA founders worked directly in these facilities. From the late 1860s to early 1870s, the Richmond YMCA, like many Southern institutions, struggled to survive. Its endurance was a testament to the dedication of its officers and members. At the end of the Civil War, only two Southern YMCAs remained operational—Charleston, SC, and Richmond. The exact means by which Richmond’s YMCA persevered remain unclear due to limited records, though it is known that the association lost everything in the 1865 Richmond fire. A turning point came in 1874, when a renewed spirit led to a successful membership and fundraising drive. Membership rose from 300 in 1873 to 753 in 1874, and debt was reduced from $700 to $438.55. The YMCA library remained popular despite limited resources. Circulation increased from 400 volumes per month in 1873 to 1,200 in 1874, as men and women eagerly visited to read.
One of the YMCA’s brightest moments came in 1887 with the opening of its first permanent home at 6th and Main Streets. The facility quickly became a bustling hub of activity. Men lifted weights, practiced on parallel bars, and performed intricate exercise routines. Women and boys participated in calisthenics, and basketball teams competed on the courts. By the standards of the day, it was a modern YMCA. The ability to build this facility was largely due to the strong economy of the late 1870s and early 1880s. Richmond’s industrial growth—driven by tobacco, brickmaking, candy, chemicals, furniture, and fertilizer—led to population growth and increased financial support for the YMCA. Over the next 25 years, the YMCA remained a vibrant center. The library continued to draw visitors, and classes were well-attended. Sports and fitness programs were especially popular, reflecting the YMCA’s embrace of “Muscular Christianity.” Activities included baseball, tennis, and physical education for both men and women, including “Physical Culture for Women.”
In December 1891, Luther Gulick, director of the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, MA, sought a fast-paced indoor winter sport. James Naismith, a physical education instructor, responded by inventing basketball, initially using peach baskets and just 13 rules. The game quickly gained popularity. While the exact date basketball arrived at the Richmond YMCA is unclear, records show it was a central part of the Y’s sports programs by 1898, with leagues and championships established by the early 1900s. Swimming pools were introduced in Richmond YMCAs during the first decade of the 20th century. In October 1909, the first YMCA structure built in Richmond during this period was the Railroad YMCA, located at Main Street Station. Designed to offer railway workers a wholesome alternative to flop houses and saloons, it featured:
- Showers and tub baths
- Swimming pool and gym
- Reading room and games (checkers, chess, dominoes)
- Social events and sleeping quarters
Interest in adding a swimming pool to the main YMCA building grew in the early 1900s. Studies showed that renovation was impractical, so the decision was made to build a new facility. In 1905, the YMCA purchased a lot at Grace and 7th Streets. After collecting 4,264 contributions totaling $222,623.93, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on New Year’s Day 1908, and the building was dedicated on May 17, 1910. The new facility featured:
- Courts for handball, volleyball, and basketball
- Three floors of expanded fitness equipment
- Swimming pool, gym, and auditorium
- Lodging rooms and offices
- Spa, music room, and billiard room
- Four bowling alleys, barbershop, laundry
During World War I, the Richmond YMCA supported wartime initiatives, including welcoming servicemen training at Camp Lee near Petersburg. Free stationery was provided for soldiers to write home, and by war’s end, the building regularly hosted nearly 300 men on Saturday nights. The YMCA continued to offer lodging and support to demobilized veterans well into 1919. In the 1920s, the YMCA began reevaluating its relationship with evangelical Protestantism, culminating in a major shift in 1931, when it eliminated theological tests for membership and abandoned formal religious identification. Though the YMCA thrived during the 1920s, the Great Depression hit hard. Following the 1929 Wall Street Crash, revenue declined as members could no longer afford fees. Despite financial challenges, the YMCA remained active and impactful. A 1934 report showed high gym usage, partly due to waived membership fees for boys under 16. A 1937 report revealed remarkable growth compared to 1927:
- Free program participants rose from 991 to 4,200
- Regular users increased from 3,159 to 7,294
In 1939, the Richmond Times-Dispatch praised the YMCA’s contributions in an editorial:
“At present, the agency is serving many persons besides the paying members. The number of Richmonders touched by the agency’s widespread program of adult education, religious training and other activities cannot possibly be determined.”
On June 28, 1942, the Richmond YMCA dedicated its new building at Foushee and Franklin Streets. At the time, it was considered the most modern YMCA facility in the nation and the largest in Richmond’s history. The YMCA’s vision for the new building was outlined in a 1938 report, which emphasized expanding services to include more young women. The report called for the addition of women’s locker rooms and restrooms, reflecting the YMCA’s long-standing inclusion of women. Female auxiliaries had been a standard feature of YMCAs nationwide since their inception, and Richmond was no exception.
As World War II loomed, YMCA leaders proactively prepared for the arrival of soldiers. The Richmond YMCA played a key role in helping to form the United Service Organizations (USO). Richmond hosted three USO facilities, which collectively welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors. In 1943 alone, the USO at 2nd and Grace Streets entertained 540,000 servicemen.
Even as the YMCA of Greater Richmond expanded into the suburbs, it remained committed to serving the City of Richmond. In the late 1970s, the decision was made to remain in the 1942 building at Franklin and Foushee—where it still operates today—and to support the North Richmond YMCA and Community Center. Renovation of the Franklin Street facility began in the early 1970s and continued for the next 30 years, ensuring the building remained a vibrant and functional space for the community. As the YMCA approached its 150th anniversary, the Downtown Y offered members a bright, welcoming facility that combined modern technology with the association’s traditional values of service, inclusion, and community development.
Adapted from The Richmond YMCA: 150 Years of Innovation and Service for Central Virginia by Edward R. Crews.
ITS TIME TO FIND YOUR Y
JOIN THE GREATER RICHMOND YMCA TODAY
Join today and gain access to all 16 of our locations throughout the greater Richmond area, with no contracts, no join fees, and access to income-based memberships.
