The Ellen Glasgow house is a little gem that I learned about in my Architectural History classes…read morewhile attending VCU. I had done several papers on historic buildings in what is known as Monroe Ward Historic District and also takes its place as a National Historic Landmark. First the house, then more about its famous owner. The house was built in 1841 and is a combination of both Greek Revival and Federal Architectural styles. It was a common type of home for this era in Richmond and a few others still survive on 5th Street between Main and Cary Streets. It is a 3 over 2 style home with a hip roof and 4 chimneys. Like other homes of this style it has a double "sleeping porch' off the back to catch the previously unobstructed river breezes, a small garden, and a carriage house that is now an apartment. As was also common, this house is brick covered with stucco and scored to look like cut stone. This house if unfortunately not open to the public but is still significant enough to be of interest to historians, literary types, and architecture fans. It was the home of Ellen Glasgow who, in 1938, was the sixth woman inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. More impressive, in 1942, she received the Pulitzer Prize for her final novel, In This Our Life. Pretty neat stuff for a house you probably have driven by a thousand times. Her family bought the house in 1887. Glasgow, who lived in the house until her death in 1945, was a well-known Southern novelist and one of few Richmond women to achieve prominence in literature.

The Bell Tower at Capitol Square next to the Capitol Building is a neat old remnant of life in the…read moreearly 1800's. Stop by while you're visiting the Capitol Building and you can pick up your own Virginia is For Lovers merchandise ( I have a vintage t-shirt from the early days of this campaign) at the little gift shop. There's also a branch of Virginia Tourism located here, which makes it handy for visitors who need maps, directions, or brochures of other city attractions.

You've got mail... NOT! This nondescript brick rectangular building is nothing to write home about…read more It's a bit run down and dingy. Inside there are some cool post office boxes, but the supplies were low and when I walked in, no one came out from the back to wait on me. I heard the employees cackling in the back and talking loudly, and didn't even hear me when I called for assistance. I'll head further out to another post office to do my business. Hours: 10:00-1:15, 2:30-4:30 M-F Closed Saturday

This Post Office is wonderful! I'm sorry didn't get the name of the kind woman behind the counter…read morebut she was so nice, helpful, personable I can't say enough good things! The post office itself was clean, well organized, very well stocked! She takes a lot of pride in her little corner of the world and it shows!

What makes Richmond such an amazing place to live is that there is so much architecture and…read morehistoric sites still left for us to enjoy. Celebrating its 75th year anniversary, Historic Richmond has been standing in front of bulldozers since 1935. The pioneers of HRF are Mary Wingfield Scott, Elisabeth Scott Bocock, Louise Catterall and Mary Reed who had individually and collectively started buying up the first endangered homes back in the 1920's and 30s. They were the founders of the concept of preservation in Richmond. As someone who has always been involved in preservation and architectural history, I often go to the website to find out the latest news in Richmond preservation. My favorite sections are the "Hot Topics" and "Historic Areas" sections. The "Historic Area" section is the best breakdown of the many historic neighborhoods in Richmond and one that would be a great tool for anyone looking at relocating to Richmond. It is the most comprehensive and I can guarantee you that you are not familiar with all of these areas. Want to know more about the historic or old home you currently occupy? HRF website gives you the tools to do the work to research the past of your home, a great kids or family project. Want to protect your historic home from being torn down or modified improperly? I suggest working with HRF to establish an Historic Easement (Architectural or First Right of Refusal) that allows the historic and architectural integrity of your older home to stay intact long after you are gone. There are many interesting tools for the architectural and historic enthusiast to help learn about one of the organizations behind the preservation of this rich legacy.

This monument in Richmond's Meadow Park is dedicated to the First Regiment of Virginia Infantry…read more There are inscriptions on all four sides but the light wasn't great to capture more than one of them and the soldier on top. On one side, "Erected to the imperishable memory of the valiant fallen of the First Regiment of Virginia Infantry who through seven American wars endured hardships with patience, met defeat with constant courage, did not vaunt their victories and steadfastly kept the faith with God and their country." Of course, Monument Avenue has others but this one is not on Monument Avenue and it's interesting. [Review 11981 overall, 1764 of 2019.]

Around the corner from the Federal Reserve is this marker. Many have forgotten but many have not,…read morethat Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy and a lot happened here during the Civil War *cough* War of Northern Aggression *cough*. This marker reminds of that. The marker reads: "In 1861, during the Civil War, Confederates established an ordnance laboratory and complex on nearby Brown's Island. Workers there, many of them women and children who were forced to find employment because of the economic disruption occasioned by the war, assembled cartridges and other ammunition. Despite Col. Josiah Gorgas's stringent safety guidelines, on 13 Mar. 1863, worker Mary Ryan accidentally ignited a friction primer, resulting in a massive explosion that destroyed the building. Richmond residents, responding to the "terrific report," found a scene of horror, with many victims "burnt from head to toe." Ryan, and at least 40 others, died from the explosion." How they know it was Mary Ryan, I have no idea. But she gets the blame.

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.]

This tower is located in James Center. It towers at 45-feet tall and houses a 25-bell carillon and…read moreiron cast figures. The figures include bargemen and mules representing canal life in 1785-1879. The figures rotate on the top and bottom of each hour to the tune of changing melodies. The tower has a functional clock on each of its three sides. The tower is made of limestone and the figures are made of iron. The tower was dedicated in 1987 and looks great, especially considering its age. It is the work of Koninkiijke Eijsbouts from the Netherlands. I like this interactive piece. Especially knowing its story. The figures are very detailed and was really cool peeking out of the tower. So, now at least you know the piece's background if you come across it. It is definitely worth a peek. 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.