Insight Guides....

RICHMOND:

HEART OF THE OLD (AND NEW) DOMINION

Richmond is at the heart of everything wonderful about the Old (and new) Dominion. There's an interesting blend of historic and modern in Richmond. Over a billion dollars of shiny new buildings grace the downtown skyline, but they coexist with restored mansions, museums, and warehouses. Richmonders and visitors alike enjoy the new and old riches, but at a southern gentleman's (and gentlewoman's) pace.

An Historic Haven: Richmond is an historic treasure trove waiting to be discovered. It all started when Indians settled in the area to take advantage of the James River for location, food, and transportation. The Pilgrims soon followed, with one of the first few English settlements in America.

Richmond developed quickly into a political and industrial power. The city was named for Richmond-on-the-Thames in England and it's present layout was planned way back in 1737.

Richmond played an active role in the development of the U.S. Patrick Henry spoke his immortal words at St. John's Church on Church Hill: "Give me liberty or give me death!"

As the new nation developed, so did Richmond. The primary industries included tobacco, coal, flour, furniture, and textiles. The city prospered for decades, but a major role in the Civil War changed the face of Richmond forever.

Richmond became the Capital of the Confederacy and was the site of many bloody battles. By 1865, it was obvious that the Union Army would take Richmond. The city was set afire (by the Confederates) and many buildings were ruined.

Richmond rebounded quickly from the Civil War devastation and has been on the move ever since. Richmond has been the home of many famous sons and daughters: Maggie Walker was the first female bank president in the country; Edgar Allan Poe changed the face of American poetry; Arthur Ashe Jr., Willie Lanier, and Lannie Wadkins have all graced the playing fields; Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Shirley MacLaine, and Warren Beatty have all entertained America; and many more famous figures have proudly called Richmond home.

Downtown Delights: From gleaming skyscrapers to teeming renovated warehouse restaurants, downtown Richmond is endlessly interesting to businesspeople, historians, and tourists.

Richmond's downtown features a great combination of growth and history. It's a combination that is working well in this capital city.

In many ways, Franklin Street could be called the "Gateway to Downtown Richmond" and all that it holds. Richmond landmarks like The Jefferson Hotel, The Commonwealth Club, and many others provide the perfect prelude to how the old blends so well with the new in this city. All along Franklin Street, historic houses saved from the wrecking ball now serve as private residences or as offices for organizations like the Garden Club of Virginia, the Junior League of Richmond, and The Woman's Club.

Main Street is where Richmond means business. Along this stretch, industrial, business, financial, government, and legal big-wigs put Richmond on the national business map.

The Broad Street Old and Historic District features 19th- and 20th-century commercial buildings that are quickly becoming new stores and apartments. This section has also been dubbed "President's Row" because of the presidential streets running across it, like Adams, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. Broad Street presents a mini-history of architecture, from Romanesque to Art Deco.

Broad Street leads downtown to City Square. This area has seen successful ventures like the Richmond Coliseum and the Richmond Centre for Conventions and Exhibitions, as well as Sixth Street Marketplace, a shopping, dining, and meeting mecca.

Jackson Ward: The Jackson Ward Historical District is a quintessential urban neighborhood that shouldn't be missed by Richmond visitors. The area features more cast iron architecture than can be found anywhere else in the U.S.

Jackson Ward had its heyday earlier this century. This area was the home of many prominent Richmond blacks, including Maggie Walker and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. The Maggie L. Walker House memorializes the woman who founded the nation's oldest continuously operated black-owned bank. Nearby, a bronze statue commemorates "Bojangles," the famed tap dancer who grew up in Jackson Ward. He is caught in a typical pose, dancing down some steps.

Court End: Within an eight-block section of the downtown area, Court End contains nine National Historic Landmarks, three museums, and eleven other buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

The focal point of Court End's colorful past is the Capitol at Second and Grace Streets. It's the second-oldest working capitol in the United States--after Maryland's in Annapolis. The Capitol was designed by Thomas Jefferson and was modeled after a Roman temple in Nimes, France. It was later used as the model for the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

While at the capitol, lucky visitors may actually get a tour from a true southern belle, replete with genuine accent and interesting anecdotes. Also on the grounds of the is an old bell tower, which now houses a helpful Visitor's Center.

Other buildings of interest surround the Capitol. The Executive Mansion houses the state's governor. Richmond's Old City Hall, on Capitol Square, is in the Gothic Revival style and houses the courtroom from which the area derives its name. Morton's Row along Governor Street provides a look at the Italianate residences that used to surround Capitol Square (they are now state offices)

Next on the Court End neighborhood tour is the John Marshall House at Ninth and Marshall Streets. This was his residence for forty-five years while he served as Secretary of State, Ambassador to France, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. The Wickham-Valentine House on Clay Street provides a glimpse into the life of John Wickham, Richmond's wealthiest citizen when he built the house in 1812. The property includes the Valentine Museum, which relates Richmond's varied history through excellent exhibits and slides.

Nearby on Clay Street, the White House of the Confederacy provides further insight into Richmond's Civil War role. The home served as the residence of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy from 1861 to 1865. It is the centerpiece of the Museum of the Confederacy, which houses the largest Confederate collection in the nation.

Thus, from the Capital of the Old Dominion to the Capital of the Confederacy, Court End still serves as a mecca for Richmond's downtown.

Shockoe Slip: Perhaps no other area best displays the way Richmonders can combine the past and present to make for an enjoyable future. Shockoe Slip was a lively area full of stores and warehouses in the 19th-century, but fell into decay when commerce along the James River slowed. The Slip is again lively, but now it's full of diners, shoppers, and strollers enjoying the renovated buildings.

This modern movement, with a healthy respect for the past, can also be seen in Shockoe Bottom. This historic warehouse district is experiencing renewed residential and commercial growth with the completion of a flood wall preventing the reoccurrence of damaging floods.

The area is the perfect Richmond blend of old and new. Trendy restaurants, offices, and residences are housed in renovated buildings from the earlier commercial boom. For example the old Belle Bossieux Building (now a popular seafood restaurant called Awful Arthur's) on 18th Street, was built as a row of shops, with residences above. It was designed by Edmund Bosssieux, a New Orleans native who obviously liked that city's architectural style.

The oldest continuously operating farmers' market in the country is at 17th and Main. Area farmers have brought their produce here for over two hundred years.

An eerie contrast to the lively Shockoe Bottom commercial scene is provided by the Poe Museum on Main Street. Richmond's oldest structure is now an interesting memorial to Edgar Allan Poe. It presents the life and career of this strange, but very talented, author.

The Rest of Urban Richmond: After a day touring the downtown area, it's best to branch out to see the rest of urban Richmond.

If you're fascinated with science or the family is with you, first head for the Science Museum of Virginia on Broad Street. Housed in the former Broad Street Railroad Station, there are very few "Do Not Touch" signs in the museum. Instead, visitors are encouraged to touch, observe, and experience the impact of science on life. The museum is best known for UNIVERSE, one of the world's most advanced planetariums and space theater.

On the statue-laced Monument Avenue, you'll see many monuments to the South, including Robert E. Lee astride his horse Traveller, erected in 1890. Along Monument Avenue are some of Richmond's most beautiful metropolitan homes. Nearby, the Fan District offers many beautifully renovated Victorian homes and lots of local restaurants.

On The Boulevard nearby, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts contains one of the finest modern art collections in the nation. The collection of Faberge jeweled Easter eggs and "objects of fantasy" is the largest such collection in the free world.

Hollywood Cemetery, with its rolling hills and bluffs overlooking the James River and downtown, contains the resting places of more than 18,000 Confederate soldiers, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and U.S. Presidents Monroe and Tyler.

Whether you're staying there or just visiting, The Jefferson Hotel is an elegant stop on your way back downtown. Built in 1895, one of the oldest and grandest hotels in the South is now beautifully renovated and welcoming visitors and overnighters to its elaborate lobby and interesting guest rooms.

On the other side of downtown, St. John's Episcopal Church stands on historic Church Hill, overlooking the city skyline. It was here, in 1775, that Patrick Henry made his famous "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!" speech. Guided tours present the history of the church and allow visitors to stand where Patrick Henry stood surrounded by the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Harrison on that famous day. The speech is often recreated on Sundays.

These sights provide an overall view of the past and present in the heart of the Old Dominion. However, Richmond offers much more than a taste of old and new. The Richmond folks exude Southern hospitality and provide a personal touch to Richmond's present and past.

Further Afield: There's also much more to Richmond a bit further afield. The "fashionable" West End takes in the west side of the city of Richmond and part of Henrico County. The West End features Agecroft Hall, a restored 15th century English manor house and gardens.

There are also many excursion possibilities. One popular offering is a cruise aboard the Annabel Lee, a 20th-century paddlewheeler. Cruisers enjoy a scenic trip along the James River, with many dining and entertainment options.

Civil War buffs should head straight for the Richmond National Battlefield Park. The park was the site of one of the Confederacy's largest hospitals. A film, "Richmond Remembered," gives an excellent overview of the major role of Richmond during the Civil War.

A leap into the present can be provided by Paramount's Kings Dominion, twenty miles north of Richmond on I-95. This family entertainment center provides more than one hundred rides, shows, and attractions.

Of course, Virginia's Historic Triangle is a little more than an hour away on I-64. Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown are all within 90 minutes of Richmond. Smart drivers take Route 5 for the scenery and pretty plantations along the way. Smart families also head for Williamsburg's Busch Gardens and Water Country USA.