At Chickahominy Bluff on the morning of June 26, 1862 more than 20,000 Confederate soldiers…read moregathered to prepare their advance across the Chickahominy River. General Robert E. Lee, seated on his horse nearby, was watching and listening for the movement beyond the river that would signal the opening of his offensive east of Richmond known as the Seven Days Battles. This site also contains the several remains of Confederate earthworks built to defend the city of Richmond.

When I visited the Chickahominy Bluff Battlefield on Sept. 13, there really wasn't much left of…read morethis historic site. The "Chickahominy Bluff Battlefield" contains just a few mounds of earthworks and a short trail leading to an overlook and an NPS historical marker. There is NO visitor center located here. As I understand, Chickahominy Bluff was the site where Confederate General Robert E Lee, James Longstreet, and D H Hill awaited the arrival of "Stonewall" Jackson's division from the Shenandoah Valley, to launch the 7 Days offensive. The earthworks surrounding the bluff were constructed after the 7 Days battles and were used to defend the Confederate capital of Richmond from an enemy attack. Because of so little that happened here, it amazes me that the National Park Service wants to maintain this ground as part of Richmond National Battlefield Park. There WASN'T even a BATTLE THAT OCCURED HERE!!!!! Nonetheless, I give this site 4-stars since it's a great place for you to make a quick stop if you're interested in Civil War history or for you to have a picnic. If you're visiting a Civil War site around Richmond, the 'Chickahominy Bluff Battlefield' is a great place to stop when heading to the Gaine's Mill, Cold Harbor, or Malvern Hill Battlefields. *On Saturday December 27th, I got a chance to re-visit Chickahominy Bluff on my way to the Beaver Dam Creek and Malvern Hill battlefields. Chickahominy Bluff has NOT improved AT ALL since I first visited the site.*

A sad story in the Civil War days, the Richmond fire that took place as the Union army captured the…read morecity. It took place shortly after President Jefferson Davis and his cabinet fled to the south. Much of the city was already abandoned by this time. The marker reads, "After midnight on 3 April 1865, Confederate soldiers set fire to several tobacco warehouses nearby on orders from Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell, as the army evacuated Richmond and marched west. Two distinct fires spread rapidly throughout the commercial and industrial sections of the capital. The core of the burned-out area, some 35 blocks, extended from the James River in some areas as far north as Capitol Square, and from 4th St. east to 16th St. Frightened citizens huddled in Capitol Square while looters rampaged and firefighters battled the fires. The Union army, which occupied the city early on 3 April, finally brought the fires under control in the afternoon." There are some excellent and distressing pictures here: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2014/04/what-richmond-looked-after-confederate-troops-set-it-fire/8811/ [Review 11979 overall, 1762 of 2019.]

This marker points out the history of the Falls of Richmond - the river rapids that made Richmond…read morewhat it is. There is also a fountain here in the intersection. The marker reads, "The Falls of the James River are the central physical fact of Richmond, having directly influenced its history through their effect upon Trade, Energy, Community and Nourishment." "Trade - As the Falls of the James are a natural barrier between the sea and the interior, the area immediately surrounding the Falls has for centuries been a center for trade. Before European settlement, the Powhatan and Monacan Indians exploited the lands around the Falls as a trading center for the entire region. With the arrival of Europeans, trade between the settlers and Indians flourished and the warehousing and export of tobacco grew in importance. Later, Richmond became a major transportation hub as a result of the construction of the James River and Kanawha Canal, built to by-pass the Falls. Transportation, hydro-power and nearby coal deposits made Richmond a center for the manufacture and trade of flour, wheat, tobacco and iron. Even today, Richmond's commercial and financial core overlooks the whitewater rapids of the Falls." "Energy - Though a barrier to navigation, the Falls were a boon to industry. Richmonders harnessed the water flow of the Falls to drive flour mills, iron plants, and paper mills, all major components of the city's manufacturing growth. Later, hydro power from the Falls was utilized to generate electricity which fed the industrial and residential needs of the community. This included the powering of Richmond's trolley system, the first in the world to successfully operate by electricity." "Community - The Falls and its environs have always provided the most basic physical requirements for settlement and community: food, water, energy, and transport. With the growth of trade and industry along the Falls, Richmond became a more culturally diverse community as immigrants from all parts of Europe followed English settlers to the region. African-American slaves provided much of the labor and many of the skills and crafts essential to the early growth of Richmond, and upon achieving their freedom, became a major factor in the culture and growth of the city. Richmond's selection as Virginia's capital and later as capital of the Confederacy can be traced to the city's growth along the river. While the livelihood of Richmond depends less today on the James, our community's mutual bond still begins at the Falls." "Nourishment - The Falls provided a wealth of vegetation, fish, wildlife and fresh water to nourish both Native Americans and early European settlers. By the early 1800's, hydro power from the Falls drove pumps which provided the City with its first municipal drinking water system. Today, the Falls of the James continue to provide Richmonders with spiritual nourishment, whether through contemplation of the natural beauty of the Falls or through the unique recreational opportunities available along the James: white water rafting, kayaking, canoeing, fishing and swimming." Check it out and you'll get a better understanding of Richmond. [Review 11802 overall, 1584 of 2019.]

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.

This statue is located in a little plaza area by the Main Street Train Station and Richmond's…read moreformer slave market in Shockoe Bottom. This statue is one of 3 identical ones that are part of the triangle of Richmond, which are located in cities that played a prominent role in the slave trade. The other two cites are Liverpool, England; and the Republic of Benin. The statues aim is to raise awareness and set the record straight about Richmond's true role in the slave trade. The statue was dedicated in 2007 and is the work of Stephen Broadbent. It stands 15-feet tall and weighs about a half a ton. This simple abstract sculpture depicts two figures in an embrace. One side of the sculpture has the following inscription: "Acknowledge and Forgive the Past, Embrace the Present, Shape a Future of Reconciliation and Justice." You will find three large wood benches in a triangle formation around the statue. There is also a marble wall there, that reads "THE TRIANGLE Liverpool, England The Benin Region of West Africa Richmond, Virginia During the 18th Century, these three places reflected on of the well-known triangles in the trade of enslaved Africans. Men, women and children were captured in West and Central Africa and transported from Benin and other countries. They were chained, herded, loaded on ships built in England and transported through the unspeakable horrors of the Middle Passage. They were imported and exported in Richmond, Virginia and sold in other American cities. Their forced labor laid the economic foundation of this nation." There is supposed to be a water fall running down that wall, but that was not operational while I was there and appears to have been that way for a while. There is an informational placard at the entrance to the plaza area that explains the significance of the sculpture. This is a basic, but powerful sculpture that has a message. I liked it. You will find metered street parking out front and within a reasonable walking distance from the statue. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy and prior to that was a major business/government…read moreheadquarters for the American Colonies (Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me liberty or give me death!" speech here in Richmond). So it makes sense that a reconciliation statue which attempts to address the issues of slavery is here. The plaque at the foot lists three places and their impact on the slave trading triangle. Liverpool England, the Benin Region of West Africa and Richmond Virginia. "During the 18th Century, these three places reflected one of the well-known triangles in the trade of enslaved Africans. Men, women and children were captured in West and Central Africa and trans ported from Benin and other countries. They were chained, herded, loaded on ships built in England and transporter through the unspeakable horrors of the Middle Passage. They were imported and exported in Richmond, Virginia and sold in other American cities. Their forced labor laid the economic foundation of this nation." [Review 12181 overall, 1965 of 2019.]

Located in front of the James Monroe office building near downtown RIchmond, this marker denotes…read moresome of the earliest residents of the Virginia Colony. It reads, "Jews have participated in Virginia's social and economic life from the colony's beginnings. Kahal Kadosh Beth Shalome (Holy Congregation House of Peace) was founded in Richmond in 1789, when the Jewish community grew large enough to establish the first Jewish congregation in Virginia and the sixth oldest in the United States. Temporary sites housed Beth Shalome until a permanent synagogue was built nearby and dedicated on 15 Sept. 1822. The modest one-story brick structure was sold in 1891 and demolished in 1934. Beth Shalome merged with Richmond's Beth Ahabah congregation in 1898." [Review 11803 overall, 1585 of 2019.]

Richmond is a city of history, from the Colonial times through the Revolutionary War, the Civil War…read moreand then the Civil Rights battles of the 60's. The marker points out an important time of the latter. It reads, "On 22 Feb. 1960, 34 Virginia Union University students, 11 women and 23 men, refused to leave the segregated dining facilities here at Thalhimers department store and were arrested. Charged with trespassing, they were later convicted and fined. This sit-in was part of a wave of protests across the South inspired by recent sit-ins in Greensboro, North Carolina. The arrests of the Richmond 34 sparked the Campaign for Human Dignity, which organized boycotts and picketed Richmond businesses. Thalhimers and other retailers subsequently desegregated. In June 1963 the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the convictions of the Richmond 34 in Randolph v. Virginia." Virginia fought hard to retain the status quo. They lost. [Review 12318 overall, 2102 of 2019.]

This marker is in front of the Craig House. According to Zillow, over a million dollars but not for…read moresale. The marker tells us about the house and its history. It reads, "The Craig House, perhaps Richmond's second oldest structure, was built between 1784 and 1787 by Adam Craig (b. ca. 1760-d. 1808). He was clerk of the Richmond Hustings Court, the Henrico County Court, and the General Court. To save the house, a group of Richmond citizens in 1935 formed the William Byrd Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. The house served Richmond's black community as the Craig House Art Center from 1938 to 1941." [Review 11770 overall, 1552 of 2019.]