Fort Stevens is Historically Significant, however time has not been too kind to this location…read more It is very easy to miss as it is located in a semi-residential / commercial zone. It is clear this has been a favorite play area for local children over the last 150 years. Having said this the earthworks are in reasonably good shape just over-grown. The potential for a nice little location is here. It is easy to imagine the series of fortifications that the Confederates established when one takes the time into following the trail. The State of Virginia and National Park Service together have done a good job with a more funding small parks like this can have more attention. Perhaps a cannon or two and cleaner.

Not much more than a soccer/football field with a couple of goals already set up on a large grassy…read morearea. It sits between a condo or apartment complex to the east and busy US-1 / US-301 to the west. One wrong kick and your soccer ball just landed in traffic. There is a walking path that circles the park and there are a dozen or so parking spaces. It's pretty dismal and while I have seen worse, I have definitely seen better. [Review 11964 overall, 1746 of 2019.]

I found no reviews for this park, so I decided to check it out, trying to figure out what was here…read more The "link" to the city site was a broken link, so we had no idea what was here. The review was removed, because it was not descriptive enough. Here is the removed one: "It's really just an open field. Neat history perspective, but not much to do." Apparently, that was not adequate, So here is more detail: It is an open field with a paved path, about 600 feet wide. No trees, no swings, no bathroom. There was grass, and it is up against a busy road. There was a parking lot, and some things to read. It is next to an apartment complex, and very close to the freeway, so easy access to 95. As the description said, it is the site of the first something or another. Cool history, I guess. It's was from the 1600's. That's pretty old for The States. When looking for a playground for the kids, very disappointing. When looking for some history, great find. Tip: if looking for a playground, Bensley park was a great find, and an A10 Warthog visible in the distance. Is that descriptive enough?

I was visiting the city of Richmond during Black History Month and because of the historical and…read morecultural significance of Richmond during the slave trade - I wanted to make sure I saw and did as much as I could to explore this part of its history. The Emancipation and Freedom Monument is a beautiful bronze statue that was commissioned in 2021. The very nature of the topic that the statue represents, made it extremely powerful to see in person. I would highly recommend visiting the monument, as it is very moving, inspiring and has information on some of the KEY Virginians that fought against slavery and equality.

All I can say is wow! I wish I could give this sculpture 5 more stars. It is as amazing as it is…read morepowerful. It is the center piece of Brown's Island. The piece, which is the work of Thomas Jay Warren of Oregon, was dedicated in 2021. It depicts two 12-foot statues. The first statue is of a shirtless male slave that has freed himself from the shackles around his wrist. The statue is very detailed and almost looks real. You can even see the whip marks on his back and his abs. The other stature that makes up this monument is of a woman that is cuddling a baby in her left hand and holding up what I assume are her freedom papers. The paper has the date January 1, 1863, which happens to be the date that Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. On the back of the base you will find the word "FREEDOM". On the other sides of the base you will find the names, images, and brief biographical information of ten African American Virginians whose lives were dedicated to Emancipation and freedom. one side displays five individuals from the period before Emancipation through 1865 (Mary Bowser, William Harvey Carney, Gabriel, Dred Scott, and Nat Turner). The opposite side has five people that continued to work for freedom from 1865 to 1970 (Rosa Dixon Bowser, John Mercer Langston, John Mitchell Jr., Lucy F. Simms, Wyatt Tee Walker). This is one of the best sculptures that I have ever seen and is so impactful. The detail on the sculptures is amazing. The choice of having this monument in Virginia is fitting, given that the state was key in the slave trade. If you could only see one sculpture not only in Virginia, but in the United States, it should be this was. Warren "dropped the mic" on this one. It would be tough for any sculpture to live up to the standard set by this one.

Well maintained and easily accessible. About a half mile if you walk the inside and outside. The…read moresignage gives you a clear understanding of how it fit into the battles. No review can be complete if you fail to mention Battlefield park road. If you can I suggest you take the road from Virginia-5 to the James. The road is lined on alternating sides by entrenchments.. well worth the extra 20min or so. And at the corner of Va-5 is Ronnie's BBQ.. so good!

So, these are not forts as you may think in the traditional sense. Basically what you see are…read moremounds of earth build up to give troops some fortification. Saying that, I think these forts were very interesting to visit. You have to drive from fort to fort. There are little areas to pull over and read some information about what happened there. About half were built but confederate soldiers and the others built union soldiers. At Fort Harrison which is in the middle there is a house to get information. Unfortunately when we went it was closed. The sign on the door said closed for the season. My nephew was doing a report for school about the war. So he was giving us some information as well as learning something new. There are a few cannons at some forts. There is a bathroom at Fort Harrison. But it was closed when we went. The last fort is on the river. You can do a good amount of walking at 2 of the forts. So bring some comfy shoes.

Great place to take a short walk with historical significance. Just a short hop off of 95 between…read moreRichmond and Petersburg if you need to take a stop for your pup or to stretch your legs. Beautiful Riverview.

First time here. I'm a bit of a history nerd so I knew of it's history and existence but never…read moremade it here. It's pretty easy to get to. The fort is around a 1/4 mile walk from the parking "lot". Plenty of shade and very pleasant. Trip is about a mile or so..The fort itself is in pretty good shape given her age and that it's made of earth. There is an observation deck overlooking the exact spot on the James from the 1862 battle with the Monitor and others. My suggestion would be to cut the tops of the trees down that face the James from the platform. I think it would give a better idea of the forts commanding geographical position on the river. Good for kids making their first Civil War battlefield trips. No where really to run to. Very recommended

I visited the eastern front of the Petersburg National Battlefield last month while traveling back…read morefrom a Toyota dealership in the area. The battlefield has several sites in the Petersburg Virginia area including a western front, union and confederate forces encampment sites, remains of makeshift forts, storage depots and landing sites. The battlefield as a whole encompasses many miles in a circular pattern and you can either do a guided or self guided tour. It is well marked and mapped. The site as a whole was the longest siege of the American Civil War. Union forces began the siege in 1864 and it lasted nine months with many battles that resulted in victories for both sides. Petersburg VA at the time was a major hub for Robert E Lee's army with extensive rail lines and supply depots. It was also pivotal in the defense of Richmond which was the Confederate capital during the war. The eastern front battlefield is well preserved and also serves as a park which is managed by the National Park Service. There are walking and hiking trails as well as bike lanes. There is parking at each of the eight sites on the eastern front. Each site is well maintained and marked and it is quite educational. You could spend a few hours here exploring. Just a note, bring bug spray with tick repellent. Several of the sites I had to swipe a tick off my legs. It was a bit wet and it was very humid so the bugs were out in force. Overall it was a great experience. On the next visit I'll check out the western front which is roughly eight miles away on the other side of town.

Often overlooked but a hidden gem national park…read more Our national parks and battlefields are some treasured areas. This park is often in the shadow of others, but had long and bloody trench warfare. The history and earthworks are simply incredible! Definitely read about it and look up closure times before coming. (8pm during the summer and sunset/sunrise throughout the year) 33-odd miles of trails, good to recreate and the tour road is perfect for cycling/running.

Stunning park with gorgeous views. They have a lovely walking trail that allows you to view the…read morewater or access multiple fishing docks. The parking lot is decently sized and can accommodate a lot of people. They have a nice overlook bluff with picnic tables which is great for enjoying nature and having a scenic view. The walking trail has multiple offshoots that allow you to explore, get closer to the water and has benches sprinkled throughout. I absolutely loved my time here getting to just sit and relax in such a beautiful, peaceful environment. They also offer history reenactments here as well, while I have not checked that out yet I am excited to.

Henricus Park Go back into the past where the first…read moresettlers lived. Take one of the paths around the Jane's River and listen to the sound of birds and woodpeckers while getting your steps in. Walk or bike. Bring your fishing rod and see what bites Take the dog along too. Pavilions along the way to stop and relax.

This place is definitely down on its own path and out of the way in the country, but it's…read moreinteresting to hear and see a house and business that's been around 400 years and the oldest family-owned business in the country. The descendants still live here, so only the first floor is tourable. The tour guide was knowledgeable and touched on all aspects of the house's history, so it felt like an all-encompassing informational about the owners of the house and the enslaved people who lived and worked there including photographs to give faces to the names. She went over room highlights and answered any questions that people wanted to better understand. It includes a lot of very old artifacts and paintings of the Hills and Carters who lived there. The view of the river is beautiful, and there are a few outer buildings but most don't have anything to see in them. The gift shop is decent. The price is high for a historic tour, but it is a significant enough house to see to understand more the history of Virginia.

Saw road signs when driving through the area. Well - we just had to stop! Nothing to see or visit…read moreon this rainy day, but we took a few minutes to go off the main road and drive down the lane, past the vineyards and see the buildings (even though from a distance). Would like to go back sometime to see if anything is open and visit what seems like a fun little historical site. Not sure - maybe it's just a destination venue. Wasn't clear in signage.

This marker records an important cusp of Virginia's history. Located in front of the Virginia State…read moreCapitol on Broad Street. It reads, "Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter, defined under Virginia's 1924 Racial Integrity Act as an interracial couple, married in June 1958 in Washington, D.C., and returned home to Caroline County. Arrested in July for violating Virginia's laws against interracial marriage, the Lovings were convicted and sentenced to one year in jail, suspended on the condition that they leave Virginia. In 1963 they obtained help from the American Civil Liberties Union, which unsuccessfully sought to reverse their convictions in the state courts of Virginia and then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which, in the case Loving v. Virginia (1967), overturned all state laws restricting marriage on the basis of race." One must wonder if Virginia specifically chose their "Virginia Is For Lovers" slogan in light of how much they fought this couple, all the way to the Supreme Court. [Review 12317 overall, 2101 of 2019.]

Located in a little park with several things to see. Convenient to many of the downtown hotels…read more Highly recommend adding this to the list of things to check out in Richmond.

Wonderful artistry in the statue and great location in the center of downtown. The timeline around…read morethe statue and the statue itself are both wonderful to see in person.

"Let us be strong and make big plans!" -Maggie Walker…read more Maggie Walker has truthfully made a name for herself! Born in Richmond, Virginia in 1864 and raised by her mother Elizabeth Draper, a former slave, Maggie began to make a change as a teenager. Ms. Maggie Walker was an African American entrepreneur with a vision to make tangible improvements in the way of life for African Americans. She was a bright woman of many firsts, who dedicated her life to making positive social change within the community, especially for African American woman. Ms. Walker was the first woman bank president in the United States. She was also known as a writer, teacher, activist and speaker. If you are in the City of Richmond, I would strongly encourage you to check out Maggie Walkers' National Historic Site, located on E Leigh Street. I believe the National Park has done an exceptional job being able to tell the story of Maggie Walker and reliving her life. Maggie Walker is truly a woman that has accomplished a lot in her life, despite her disability as well as being an African American woman, and deserves to be remembered for her great achievements! Although this statue is located on the main street in Downtown Richmond, I still truly encourage to check out this memorial plaza.