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Richmond's History


Cadeho

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Am I the only one that used to confuse Richmond's ACORN (The Alliance To Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods) with the left-wing ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now)?

:lol: Maybe they're one and the same.

Be sure to read the story about the old structures and infills honored by The Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Phil Riggan of the Richmond Times Dispatch has compiled a thoughtful and reverent photographic history of Richmond's Slave Trail. Take a look at his video and the slide show.

And how lucky is Richmond to have Ralph White, manager of the James River Park System!

Burt, you are the man. Thanks for all your support over the years. I appreciate all the kind words you have said about me on this website.

I used to work for Media General and the inRich.com, TimesDispatch.com and DiscoverRichmond.com websites. Fun times, but I was laid off and now I'm looking for work.

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  • 1 year later...

This week the city South of the James, Manchester aka Rocky Ridge, was annexed by the City Of Richmond 100 years ago. During this time the city of Manchester was only one square mile, with close to 10,000 residents.

Richmond has a known reputation for annexing (for property tax money) and abandoning (which in case is all of southside). Sidewalks, Community Sevice Centers, Health Services, Economic development was very much lacking. For everyday services you had to go to Chesterfield or drive north of the river. I remember a couple of years ago in some parts of Manchester you could purchase a whole block and perch a house there with a panoramic view of Downtown. Today things are starting to turn around through revitalization of warehouses and brownstones by some local firms. Hopefully by Manchester now becoming part of the Downtown Master Plan (for the first time) we will see more activity.

Manchester_factories.jpg

Manchester circa 1865: Library of Virginia

http://www2.timesdis...-221205/336618/

offtopic.gif Also to our great Richmond political figures, please build a electric streetcar through Manchester and Downtown! Richmond was the first place in this country to have electric streeet cars. Imagine hoping on the streetcar in Manchester and hoping off at your job in the Finance District.thumbsup.gif

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The American Civil War Museum partnering with local universities is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the The Civil War & Emancipation Day

tagline.gif

CIVIL WAR AND EMANCIPATION DAY

The 150th Anniversaries

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Come see your history in action! More than 15 museums and historical sites in partnership with The Future of Richmond’s Past will offer a full day of free activities for the public at Civil War & Emancipation Day: the 150th Anniversaries. With the dual 150th commemorations of the beginning of the Civil War in 1861 and the end of slavery in 1865, 2011-2015 will remind residents and visitors that these pivotal historic events continue to have a lasting impact on our lives today.

Don't miss this remarkable opportunity to experience the history that Richmond has to offer.

Schedule of Activities

Other Free Attractions

Parking and Shuttle Service

Press Release

Exhibitors Include:

2nd Rhode Island Infantry, Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, Virginia Union University, Dabbs House Historic Site, Museum of the Confederacy, Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, Violet Bank, Virginia Commonwealth University Department of History, Virginia Aviation Museum, and Museum on Civil War Medicine, Virginia Historical Society, The College of William & Mary Sharpe Community Scholars, Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project, Valentine Richmond History Center, University of Virginia Department of History of Art and Architecture, James River Squadron, University of Richmond’s Digital Scholarship Lab …….and more!

Participating Institutions:

University of Richmond, Virginia Union University, Virginia Commonwealth University, American Civil War Center, Library of Virginia, Valentine Richmond History Center, The Museum of the Confederacy, Black History Museum and Cultural Center, National Park Service/Richmond National Battlefield Park and Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, Elegba Folklore Society, Slave Trail Commission, Sacred Ground Reclamation Project, Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, Venture Richmond, and the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

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Also to our great Richmond political figures, please build a electric streetcar through Manchester and Downtown! Richmond was the first place in this country to have electric streeet cars. Imagine hoping on the streetcar in Manchester and hoping off at your job in the Finance District.thumbsup.gif

Or you could just take a bus that already does that.

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Or you could just take a bus that already does that.

Or they can have the option for both. The streetcar will run more frequently and add character will cater more to tourist and people who want a quick ride across the river. Streetcars are usually for short jaunts.

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Or they can have the option for both. The streetcar will run more frequently and add character will cater more to tourist and people who want a quick ride across the river. Streetcars are usually for short jaunts.

I'm not a big fan of duplicating services. Of course I'm angry that the street cars were taken out and certainly I believe that they would be "cooler" than the bus system but to build a rail system from scratch when current ridership for the bus is way below capacity seems reckless to me. Until we as a community opt to take the bus, we don't deserve more options (if people want to demand expanded bus routes that's one thing but the reality is that routes are being cut instead, has to do with ridership and demand). Building a billion dollar system just so middle class folks will find public transportation sexy enough to use isn't good planning. It would be cool to take a train from Manchester to Richmond, but it would be equally cool to see a GRTC bus packed with people following the same route. Both would be progress, but the packed bus has to happen first.

Personally I'd like to see a new main public library, or at least extended hours at the current one.

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I'm not a big fan of duplicating services. Of course I'm angry that the street cars were taken out and certainly I believe that they would be "cooler" than the bus system but to build a rail system from scratch when current ridership for the bus is way below capacity seems reckless to me. Until we as a community opt to take the bus, we don't deserve more options (if people want to demand expanded bus routes that's one thing but the reality is that routes are being cut instead, has to do with ridership and demand). Building a billion dollar system just so middle class folks will find public transportation sexy enough to use isn't good planning. It would be cool to take a train from Manchester to Richmond, but it would be equally cool to see a GRTC bus packed with people following the same route. Both would be progress, but the packed bus has to happen first.

Personally I'd like to see a new main public library, or at least extended hours at the current one.

Thanks Brent, for opening my eyes to other things. Seem to get narrow minded sometimes. In due time Richmond will become a more condensed city so that can occur. But for now just dreaming. Hopefully the Broad Street Bus Rapid Transit becomes a success so it can be expanded to other parts of the city.

The city needs to act now in making the small changes when possible towards the Master Plan (sprucing up sidewalks, bike lanes, renovating Mayo Island and Bridge, etc.) so the city looks more inviting.

I totally agree on a new or they could expand the new library plus extend the hours. thumbsup.gif I also would like for the city to do something about the schools to attract families but that is a whole different topic.

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  • 2 months later...

Hopewell was once a boomtown! Many Richmonders and residents of the Tri-Cities do not realize a gold rush type town was in their own backyard. It wasn't gold that drove people to Hopewell to set up shop, it was jobs for the DuPont plant! Overnight Hopewell grew from 300 residents to 40,000-50,000! The scene in Hopewell was lawless with everyman for himself (typically of what you would see in the Wild Wild West!) The state sent officials from Richmond to handle the unincorporated town but soon after the officials were removed due to corruption and bribery. So the state sent its own officials to handle the job! Today Hopewell is a city of 25,000 residents and with the growth of Ft. Lee, Rolls-Royce Plant, Osage Bioenergy, and others the economic base and population is increasing.

http://query.nytimes...9669D946496D6CF

http://web.wm.edu/wm...rch/history.htm

http://hopewellvahis...d%20Stories.htm

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John Murden of Church Hill People's News brought this blogsite to our attention yesterday.

The blog will open on the story of a notorious Richmond murder in the 1880's.

It is a treasure trove of Richmond's history. Scroll to "Topics we've discussed" and click on any of the subjects that interest you. You're in for a treat that will entertain and enlighten as briefly or as long as you choose. :thumbsup:

http://www.theshockoeexaminer.blogspot.com.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Here's a very long story about plans to promote Richmond as a tourist destination during the 150th anniversary of The Civil War.

While focus will be on the Civil War, the area's history prior to and after the 17th century European settlement also will be emphasized.

One place, Henricus, is not mentioned in this story. Second to Jamestown, it was the oldest colonized site after Jamestown in The New World, albeit abandoned a year or so after settlement.

Henricus is very difficult to reach by road, but boats from Richmond to the settlement ought to be studied, IMO.

If the city could convince the Norfolk Southern railway to repair its bastile bridge, ships could leave from the Kanawa Canal at the foot of 17th Street, pass though the Great Ship Lock and travel a few miles down The James River to Henricus. Because Henricus is on a bluff overlooking the river, some sort of cleverly disguised elevator could be constructed to carry visitors to the site.

This is one of the stories featured in today's print edition of the RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...ur26-ar-525492/

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If Richmond can somehow make itself a TRUE destination city (which it has the capacity to do), we might be able to get direct flights from points west and actually increase passenger traffic to the airport (the Civil War is a start). Richmond has to sell itself as THE place to be and visit. It needs to make itself attractive, somehow - more amusement parks - wouldn't it be great to have Disney plop a Disney theme park in the Richmond area that focused on the early America and/or even the Civil War? People could get educated about early America and have fun all at the same time! We need to steal Williamsburg's thunder (no disrespect to Williamsburg) and we also need to pour more money into advertising...and make the city more business friendly and do better to improve the quality of life (although it's not bad now). Richmond could be the next Orlando...or something similar, but better with its own originality and flare. The people just need the vision.

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wouldn't it be great to have Disney plop a Disney theme park in the Richmond area that focused on the early America and/or even the Civil War? People could get educated about early America and have fun all at the same time!

Disney was actually trying to buy up land around Manasas for the very idea about 15 years ago. Honestly, I do not see where another Amusement Park would fir in with 2 already in the area, but I like where you are going with this.

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Most prominent among rejuvenated theatres in Richmond are The Carpenter at Richmond CenterStage, formerly a Loew's movie palace,The National, once a major movie/vaudeville house, and The Empire built in 1911 for stage shows.

The Hippodrome is undergoing renovation, while The Robinson in Church Hill and The Henrico in Highland Springs have been dusted off and revived for entertainment purposes.

The latest, with plans for revival, is the Bellevue on MacArthur Avenue on Richmond's northside.

When it was built in the pre-war 1930's, MacArthur was known as Rappahannock Avenue and The Bellevue Theatre was a crown jewel in the Neighborhood Theatre chain. A second cinema house called The Ginter was also built on Rappahannock Avenue, but it failed after a few years and was demolished. Subsequently, The Bellevue became the Sami's Grotto Center. It is now The RVA Studios, a recording and production facility, and has announced plans to bring entertainment into the building once again.

From the Northside Richmond News blog:

http://northrichmond...h-samis-grotto/

The Flickr photos show that the sloping movie house floor is now a level surface. And a stage has been built out into the auditorium in front of the proscenium arch.

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  • 3 weeks later...

John Murden posted this on his Church Hill Peoples News blog:

http://www.historicr...date=2010-10-28

Click on the movie trailer.

And if you're never been insde the Grace Street Theatre which was converted from a second-run movie house by VCU, here's your chance. It is on the north side of Grace between Shaffer and Harrison Streets.

Why not contribute a few bucks to Historic Richmond Society by attending the film showing and a reception following a block away at The Scott House. The Scott/Bocock house is now part of VCU and is the handsome house in a park-like setting on the south side of Franklin between Shaffer and Harrison Streets.

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