On January 1, 1907, at a meeting of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, a resolution was offered and approved that “Richmond should have a building at the Jamestown Exposition as headquarters for exploiting its resources and for protecting its trade interests against Baltimore and other centres and the City Council be urged to appropriate a sum not exceeding $10,000 for the cost of such a building.”

 Without objection, the council’s Committee on Ordinance Charter and Reform recommended the appropriation of $10,000 on January 19. The Chamber began work to gather material for the exhibit. “It is to be the hope that the fruits of our labors will be made manifest by a Richmond exhibit fully demonstrating all the city’s progress and importance as a center of industry.” In February, a committee from the city council Committee on Grounds and Buildings visited Norfolk to see the possible site for the building. They found it to be a 125-foot by 150-foot lot facing a handsome driveway. It was assigned to Richmond rent-free with an option to purchase it following the Exposition. Work began on the building described as “the most commodious and creditable structure and all respects calculated to be to the advantage of the city and its interest of every kind.

 The Chamber set a goal of $20,000 to be sought to cover maintenance on the building and the cost of promotion in the form of “some printed matter.” The publisher of the Richmond City Directory, C. H. Chataigne, had been selected to be in charge. The Jamestown Exposition opened on April 26, 1907. Richmond Day was celebrated on July 18. Some 3,950 Richmonders arrived at Jamestown by train that day, plus another 575 by steamer. Added to the more than 5400 Richmonders that had arrived ahead of time, attendance from the capital city totaled more than 10,000. Admission to the grounds was 50 cents. The Times Dispatch described the day as “crowded almost to suffocation.” That day Mayor Carlton McCarthy, the two branches of the city council, and the heads of various city departments arrived to be greeted by the Richmond Blues “resplendent in their gorgeous uniforms,” the Howitzers and a battalion of the Seventh Regiment.

The Jamestown Exposition was a success and provided an opportunity to tell the story of Richmond. The city was reward for its efforts with a bronze medal in the category of individual exhibits and a gold medal inscribed, “Awarded the Richmond City building.” A silver medal was also awarded the Richmond Public Schools for Classroom Industrial work.