Richmond History

The city of Richmond, located at the Falls of the James River, is an independent city and the capital of Virginia. An intriguing mix of new and old, Richmond is a city that embraces progress even as it honors its heritage and tradition. Richmond features a thriving financial center and one of the oldest municipal park systems in the U.S. Also known as "River City," Richmond is frequently described as "a big city with a small town feel."

When Captain John Smith explored the James River in 1607, his progress was impeded by "great craggy stones in the midst of the river, where the water falleth so rudely, and with such a violence, as not any boat can pass." However, where Smith saw an obstacle, many settlers saw opportunity. A number of small mills sprang up in the area, taking advantage of the power provided by the Falls of the James. It was not until 1737 that William Byrd II, having inherited the land from his father, actually founded the town of Richmond. Inspired by the similarities between the James and Thames Rivers, he named the town in honor of the London suburb Richmond-upon-Thames. The community grew quickly; the mighty falls provided power for Richmond's iron factories and the tidal waters below the falls created ideal land for tobacco farming.

In 1775, Patrick Henry delivered his rousing speech ("Give me liberty or give me death") at Saint John's Church in Richmond, heralding the American Revolution. At the height of the war, in 1780, Virginia's state capital was moved to Richmond in the hopes that it would be less vulnerable to British attack. Despite this, British troops under the command of Benedict Arnold plundered and burned Richmond in 1781. The city recovered, and was thriving once again within the year. The State Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson, was completed in 1788 and set the standard for other state and federal buildings.

In 1861, during the Civil War, the Confederate capital was moved from Montgomery, Alabama to Richmond. In 1862, Major General George B. McClellan led Union troops in an attempt to capture the city, but was driven back by General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate soldiers during the Seven Day Battles. In 1865, General Ulysses S. Grant and his army finally succeeded in taking Richmond. The retreating Confederates set their munitions stores and warehouses ablaze, but unfortunately the fire burned out of control and much of Richmond was, once again, burned to the ground. Six days after Richmond's fall, Lee surrendered to Grant on the steps of the Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the Civil War.

Richmond's history is on constant display throughout the city, from the statues on Monument Avenue to the ruins of a Civil War prison camp on Belle Island. The Shockoe Bottom district, now home to a number of restaurants and nightclubs, was once a port of embarkation for slaves being sold to plantations in the Deep South. The Confederate White House, from which Jefferson Davis presided over the Southern states (and where Abraham Lincoln met with troops following Richmond's capture) is located next to the Museum of the Confederacy. The Edgar Allan Poe Museum features exhibits of Poe's manuscripts and other artifacts of his life while he lived in Richmond. Several U.S. Presidents, as well as Confederate President Davis, are interred in Hollywood Cemetery, which overlooks the James River. The rows of small headstones marking the mass graves of fallen Confederate soldiers serve as a sobering reminder of tragic loss.

Other points of interest in Richmond include Tobacco Row, a collection of old tobacco factories and warehouses that have been converted into trendy condominiums and loft apartments, and Maymont Park, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful urban parks in the U.S. Richmond is also home to Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond. Virginia State University, the first state-supported four-year college for African American students, was founded in 1882 and is located about 20 miles south of Richmond, in Ettrick.