The Fan District (Richmond, Virginia)

 neighbourhood, residential neighbourhood

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The Fan is a district of Richmond, Virginia, so named because of the "fan" shape of the roads that extend west from N. Belvidere St., on the eastern edge of Monroe Park, westward to Boulevard. The Fan is one of the most easterly points to the city's West End section, and is bordered to the north by Broad St and to the south by Cary Street. Many cafes and locally owned restaurants are located here, as well as historic Monument Avenue. Development of the Fan district was strongly influenced by the City Beautiful movement of the late 19th century.

As development increased from downtown at the turn of the 19th century, Franklin street became a fashionable "West End" address. A desire for a West End address drove rapid real estate development of the area, changing the area from rural tobacco fields in 1900 to being almost fully developed land by the 1930's. As development accelerated, the University of Richmond (then located on Lombardy street) decided to move westward to a more rural location (its present Westhampton location). The term "The Fan" was coined in the mid 20th century by a Richmond Times Dispatch editorial, as the appelation "The West End" no longer applied.

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