The Chesapeake Warehouses in the city of Richmond, listed under the Tobacco Warehouses in Richmond Multiple Property Document, were constructed in 1929. The Chesapeake Warehouses resulted from the consolidation of tobacco warehouses after the advent of new technologies allowed for the high-speed manufacture of cigarettes. These large warehouse complexes marked a shift away from the use of independent warehouses. The Chesapeake Warehouses, one of the first such complexes, consisted of single-story, high-bay frame, rail- and truck-serviced buildings, serving Richmond’s cigarette manufacturing plants during the 1920s. The buildings’ construction and modifications over time reflect changes in the technology of the tobacco industry. The Chesapeake Warehouses also recall Virginia’s rich tobacco heritage and the industry’s significant 20th-century legacy in Richmond.