Excellent question and it all depends on your perspective. Technically, the West End of Richmond begins at Foushee Street in Downtown. See that’s where street addresses start carrying a “West” directional before the street name. If you had asked my grandmother as a child in the 1890’s living in the 800 block of West Franklin, whether she lived in the West End her answer would have been a resounding “yes.” Ask that same question to a resident of 800 block of Franklin today and they’d think you’d stayed out in the sun too long. Nowadays, this area is considered the Fan.

 
     So where is this West End today?  How long you got for this answer? These days I divide the West End into numerous categories. First, there is the Old West End, which is in the City starting at the Downtown Expressway and going out to the University of Richmond. Next is the Near West End which begins at the Henrico County line and runs west to Parham Road. Next up, there is the Far West End, which would run from Parham Road to the county line of Goochland. All of these areas are typically bounded by Broad Street on the north and the James River on the south. 
 
     Hey, what about Glen Allen, I thought that was in the West End? Well, yes and no. It is west of the City, but it is north of Broad Street. A better description of this area would be the New West End. Not because it’s replacing any of the older “West Ends”, but because it is the most recently developed area west of Richmond. Don’t like that “new” name? Just give it a little time, remember my grandmother once lived in the new West End.