VHS Battle Abbey

The Virginia Historical Society broke ground in August 1990 on a $12 million expansion that doubled the size of its Battle Abbey headquarters in the Fan District in Richmond. This was one of six total expansions at this location from 1912 to 2006 in what is now a museum of over 200,000 square feet.

This expansion more than doubled the exhibition space within the
society headquarters and helped it become a more public-welcoming institution with a new a lecture hall complex, allowing it to offer more educational programs.

The new wing's design was unique at that time because it involved installing new windows that were specifically constructed to let in light while screening out harmful ultraviolet rays. In addition, sophisticated heating and cooling systems allowed for the precise control of the temperature in more than 25 different sections. Another innovation was the type of sprinkler system used.
This was the second largest job for the Mill in 1991. Total millwork sold to this job was almost $113,000 and the client was frequent contractor Taylor & Parrish. Battle Abbey represented over 10% of all work at Beckstoffer's that year.
For more information on the expansion of the Virginia Historical Society's headquarters go here.

The Founder of the Mill

Henry Beckstoffer was born in 1877 and hailed from Alfhausen, Germany.  He came to the United States in November 1893 and went immediately to Richmond. 

His first known profession was as a grocer.  He started the Beckstoffer's Lumber Mill in 1897. He lived  at 1130 N 28th, just a block away from the Mill.

(UPDATED) He was a father of five children and married to Sophie  Beckstoffer, also a native of Germany.  He died in 1958 and is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, along with Sophie.