FEATURE RICHMOND, VA: THE RICH LIFE

WORDS BY WAYNE DAWKINS

Boasting a rich history, awe-inspiring architecture and a redeveloped downtown, Richmond, VA is one of the Southeast’s premier cultural hotspots.

Almost any chapter you flick to in an American history book is bound to contain a reference to Virginia’s vibrant capital city. Founded nearly 400 years ago by the settlers at Jamestown, just 60 miles down the James River, Richmond has long been the focal point of Virginia life and history. First, the city became capital of the colony in 1698; then of the state, from 1780, after it was decided that Williamsburg was too vulnerable to British attack; and it was named capital of the Confederacy in 1861. Richmond has always been a center of politics and power, with its influence often reaching across the rest of the country—it was at St John’s Church that Patrick Henry gave his famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech.

MaymontBut Richmond’s influence stretches far beyond grand battles and political upheavals. As a center of innovation, Richmond created the armor for the world’s first ironclad ship, the CSS Virginia, and was also the site of the country’s first electric streetcar system in 1888. In the world of art and culture, Richmond is home to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts—the first state-supported art museum in the US and the largest in the Southeast.

The country’s first African-American-owned and operated bank (the Savings Bank of the Grand Fountain, United Order of True Reformers) opened in the city in 1888. Fifteen years later, the city saw entrepreneur Maggie L Walker become the country’s first female bank president, forming the bank that would later become the Consolidated Bank and Trust Company—now the oldest surviving African-American bank in the country. Richmonder Arthur Ashe Jr, who in 1975 became the first African-American to win Wimbledon, firmly marks the city’s place in sports history. Another black history first took place in 1990, when L Douglas Wilder, the grandson of slaves, became the first elected African-American governor in the country.

Virginia State Capitol

Today, the thriving city is home to a greater metropolitan population of nearly one million and boasts wonderful shopping, dining and entertainment options. In order to understand what’s so great and fun about Richmond, visitors should start at the James River, which runs through the city. Here, natural and urban spaces collide, providing a window into the city’s past and present.

Richmond has the distinction of being the only capital city in the US with bald eagles inside the city limits, according to Ralph White, manager of James River Park. And the park, with 550 acres of shoreline, islands and seven miles of rapids, is a good place to spot them. Daredevils will enjoy the Class 5-rated rapids—the limit of navigability for open boats such as canoes. “Along the river there’s a blend of wilderness,” explains Lucy Meade, director of business development for Richmond Renaissance. “You can see herons, and there are intense white-water rapids. You might see 20 kayakers disembark at Belle Island or see mountain bikers who know the trails. For a visitor, it’s unique.”

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

The other unique riverside attraction is the Canal Walk, which opened four years ago and is a restoration of canals that were surveyed by George Washington. Janene Charbeneau, director of communications for the Metro Richmond Convention and Visitors Bureau, calls the Canal Walk “part real, part faux, yet for the most part historically significant.” Historic markers point out and explain dramatic events that have taken place along the river. For example, there is a recreation of the package of Henry “Box” Brown, the runaway slave who mailed himself to Philadelphia and freedom in 1848. Developers will continue adding attractions along the walk for the next 20 years, while old buildings are restored and recreated as restaurants, nightclubs and condominiums.

Historical Society

Follow the walk north to the fashionable neighborhood of Shockoe Bottom to see the oldest commercial building in the city, now restored and operating as Julep’s New Southern Cuisine, an upscale eatery (www.juleps.net). Outside the restaurant is a historical marker noting that this is the site where Captain John Smith of Jamestown-fame landed in 1609, declaring the land “None Such Place.” In 1676, William Byrd established a second English settlement, and in 1737, his son William II laid out the city and named it after Richmond upon Thames.

James River Rapids

If you are in the mood for a nature walk, a museum tour, picnic or the chance to take in a concert, visit Maymont (www.maymont.org), a beautiful historic 100-acre park and estate, located on the banks of the James River. James Henry Dooley, a Confederate veteran turned post-war entrepreneur and millionaire, and his wife Sallie May Dooley bought the land in the 1890s. The mansion that visitors can explore today dates back to 1893. The Dooleys, who lived at Maymont for 30 years, traveled the world, bringing back trees, flowers and plants from six continents, including some spectacular Japanese and Italian varieties. In 1926, the couple, who are buried on the property, left the estate to the city of Richmond, and the park and museum opened to the public that year.

General Lee

“This is a rare example of an American country estate,” explains Maymont spokeswoman Kate Peeples. “There are lots of Victorian homes from the Gilded Age of the Vanderbilts and others, but very few intact estates with Victorian homes.” The inside of the mansion is an ode to opulence, with impressive items on display including rococo revival furniture, Tiffany vases and furniture, 18th-century tapestries and 17th-century Italian marbles.

At the nature center, guides are on hand to explain the history of the James River and the abundance of wildlife. There are turtles, otters, fish and other creatures to see. “The Dooleys were childless,” says Peeples, “but they loved kids.” It is no surprise, then, that there is a children’s farm where kids can get close to chickens, goats, donkeys, horses, elk, buffalo and black bears—the latter three creatures once native to Virginia. A café, gift shop and welcome center were added to Maymont in 1999.

Church Hill

But the beauty of the gardens and luxury of the Dooley’s estate show just one side of the story. The Maymont management has pressed on to allow visitors to see the other side, and on May 22 the “Beneath the Stairs” exhibit opened. “Dale [Wheary, director of historical collections and programs] had this vision to complete the Maymont story and show there was more than the opulent rooms upstairs,” says Peeples. “We have spent the last 10 years working to tell the other story—that of the 30 people who made it possible for the Dooleys to live the way they did. The basement was restored, and we did oral histories from both sides. Some of the workers had parents who were slaves, and the Dooleys themselves were former slaveholders. This is a piece of history that is not interpreted elsewhere,” says Peeples.

The James River

With the 400-year anniversary of Jamestown on the horizon and more plans underway to revitalize the city’s famous sites, there has never been a better time to enjoy Virginia’s vivacious capital. So, book a flight and see a page or two of US history in action.

For more information, visit www.visit.richmond.com AirTran Airways provides daily, low-fare flights to Richmond. You can get great deals on car rentals with AirTran Airways’ partner Hertz. Find out more at www.AirTran.com

OTHER SIGHTS & SOUNDS

Edgar Allan Poe Museum

Local musicians say that the music scene in Richmond is just as strong as that in Nashville or Austin, but with more variety. In the city’s many clubs, visitors can expect to hear anything from River City High (a nationally known punk-rock band) to the renowned Richmond Jazz Society.

October 7-9, Richmond will be host city of the 67th National Folk Festival, a free event showcasing 250 of the nation’s finest performing artists and crafts people. Continuous music will be performed on seven stages. There should be pleasing sounds for any ear, including blues, rockabilly, Caribbean, gospel, klezmer, jazz, bluegrass, cowboy, polka, Cajun and much more. www.nationalfolkfestival.com

Writer Edgar Allan Poe is usually associated with Baltimore, yet he lived a significant portion of his life in Richmond. The Edgar Allan Poe Museum, housed in the oldest building in Richmond (20th and East Main streets), tells his story. The museum includes love letters Poe wrote to Elmira Shelton. www.poemuseum.org

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts hosts world-class exhibitions in addition to an excellent permanent collection of works from throughout history and from around the world, including the largest collection of Fabergé eggs outside of Russia. www.vmfa.state.va.us

Richmond was capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War and is the home of the Museum of the Confederacy. The Civil War Visitor Center at historic Tredegar Iron Works hosts a broad range of exhibits, programs and events. A coming attraction is The American Civil War Center, which will tell the stories of Union and Confederate warriors and enslaved blacks, due to open in 2006. www.richmondriverfront.com

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