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Richmond has a rich and varied
history, and is one of the top destinations for visitors to
Virginia. From colonial times to the Civil War, Richmond was at the
center of events in America. Colonial Williamsburg was one of
America's first settlements, and its history and traditions remain
with Richmond. So too remain the traditions of the genteel South.
Richmond was the capital of the confederacy, and it has retained
many of the historical aspects of old Southern culture. Richmond is
not only the capital of Virginia, but its proximity to Jamestown and
Yorktown make it a capital of sorts for the entire country.
History lovers will enjoy Richmond's own history and its access to
historical locations in America. Jamestown, founded in 1607, is
nearby. The Revolutionary War ended more almost 200 years later at
Yorktown, also nearby Richmond. |
Richmond itself served as the capital
of the Confederacy during the Civil War, and its museums dedicated
to the war and the Confederacy are among the best in the nation.
Richmond's Court End District contains seven National Historic
Landmarks, three museums, and 11 more buildings on the National
Register of Historic Places - all within eight blocks.
The Virginia countryside is particularly beautiful around Richmond,
which straddles the Tidewater and Piedmont regions of Virginia. The
beautiful landscape can be enjoyed any time of the year.
Richmond is only 100 miles from Washington, D.C., and it is much
closer to so much history. With its wonderful Southern grace and
charm, Richmond is truly a wonderful place to visit for those
interested in American history and culture.
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John Marshall House
Built in 1790, this house was the home of the famous Justice of the U.S.
Supreme Court, John Marshall. Today, it is one of the Court End district
museums.
Museum and White House of
the Confederacy
This house is a part of the Court End historical district. It was the
official residence of Confederate president Jefferson Davis; a newer
building next door houses some interesting Confederate relics.
Virginia State Capitol
Designed by Thomas Jefferson in 1785, the Capitol contains some notable
sculptures including busts of the eight Virginia-born U.S. presidents
and a life-size statue of George Washington.
Canal Walk
This district follows the locks of the James River - Kanawha Canal that
was originally proposed by George Washington. History comes alive along
the walk as strollers will encounter some wonderful sculptures and an
outdoor concert center.
St.
John's Episcopal Church
This colonial church has witnessed a great deal of history. It was here
on March 23, 1775, that Patrick Henry exclaimed: "Give me liberty or
give me death!"
Richmond
National Battlefield Park
The Visitors' Center at the park offers an informative movie and slide
show about the site's three battles. This park has items of interest for
all ages.
Virginia Museum
of Fine Arts
This world-class museum has collections that include paintings by Goya,
Renoir, Monet, and van Gogh, as well as featured displays of African
masks, Roman statuaries, Asian icons, and Fabergé eggs.
Agecroft Hall
In 1925, an imported 15th-century English house was rebuilt here in
Richmond and surrounded by formal gardens. The house includes Tudor and
early Stuart art and furniture.
Paramount's
Kings Dominion
With over 100 rides, this theme park has something for everyone. Rides
include simulated white-water rafting and seven roller coasters.
Colonial Williamsburg
This incredible landmark is a convincing re-creation of the city that
was the capital of Virginia from 1699 until 1780. On Colonial
Williamsburg's 173 acres, 88 original 18th- and early 19th-century
structures, such as the courthouse, have been meticulously restored.
Another fifty buildings, including the capitol and the governor's
palace, were reconstructed on their original sites. More than 225 period
rooms have been furnished with over 100,000 items.
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Science
Museum of Virginia
This museum is housed in a massive, domed, former train station. The
planetarium, with its huge curved screen, doubles as a movie theater.
Children and adults will find themselves engaged by exhibits on a
variety of scientific themes.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
This theme park features a European theme with world cuisine and nine
different recreated hamlets. The rides include some highly-rated roller
coasters.
Jamestown Island
Jamestown was the site of the first permanent English settlement in
North America founded in 1607. A five-mile nature trail is dotted with
historic markers; tours of the area that detail its historic importance
are offered.
Jamestown Settlement
This "living-history" museum features a reconstructed fort staffed by
guides dressed as colonists, and an "Indian Village" inhabited by
buckskin-clad interpreters. The pier includes replicas of the ships that
carried the settlers to the New World.
Yorktown Battlefield
The museum here at the site of the last battle of the Revolutionary War
displays George Washington's original field tent. Dioramas, illuminated
maps and a short movie tell the story.
Yorktown Victory Center
The center features a Continental Army encampment with tents, a covered
wagon, and costumed interpreters who speak to visitors in the regional
dialects of the time. Also on site are a small working tobacco farm and
a museum focusing on the lives of ordinary people during the Revolution.
Shirley
Plantation
This is the oldest plantation in Virginia and has belonged to the same
Carter family for ten generations. Built in 1723, the house is filled
with family silver, ancestral portraits and rare books.
Berkeley
Plantation
This 1726 Georgian brick house has been restored and furnished with
period antiques, and its boxwood gardens are well tended. In addition to
a restaurant, there are outdoor tables for picnickers.
Westover Plantation
Built in 1735, this plantation house features famous moldings and
carvings. The grounds and gardens are also well known in the region.
Sherwood Forest
Built in 1720, this house was the retirement home of U.S. President John
Tyler. The house is furnished with heirloom antiques, and the five
outbuildings are open daily. |
