Paradise for lovers of old architecture
by matcrazy1
The Historic Fan District is large Victorian residential neighborhood immediately west of the Richmond downtown commercial area. I walked along West Franklin Street (on my picture) and Monument Avenue which form 2.2-mile long axis of the district. Map here.
In the period 1880 - 1920 a lot of rich newcomers came to live in fast growing Richmond and thosands of amazing houses, residences, churches and other buildings were built in the district.
I found extraordinary variety of styles and building treatments in the Fan District. I have never seen so many architectural styles mixed at one area. Unbelievable!
Predominate styles:
- Italianate,
- Richardson Romanesque,
- Queen Anne,
- Colonial Revival
Others:
- Tudor,
- Second Empire,
- Beaux Arts,
- Art Deco,
- Spanish,
- Gothic,
- Bungalow,
- the American Arts and Crafts Movement.
Details in my Must See Activity tips.
Hospitality of my friend Nat (b1bob) and amazing architecture of homes in the Fan District.
Virginia's Ultimate Honour Roll
by b1bob
One of my favourite things about Richmond is how they chose to honour Richmond's war dead. Many war memorials of all shapes and sizes have the names of heroes engraved in stone. It is ingenious how they managed to engrave all the names, broken down by conflict and then again by county and city. The included photo (please enlarge) gives the impression of the names of Hanover County's war dead being engraved on a stone wall. However, that was the grey sky on the other side of the glass. The names would not have shown up nearly as well on a clear day.
Cheerwine
by ATXtraveler
Thanks to good ole Nat (B1Bob), I have now officially become addicted to one of the best soda pops in the country, Cheerwine.
Cheerwine is a traditional cherry flavored soft drink, whose roots are definitely based in the South. Originally designed in 1917, this particular soda is unique, and must be shared with friends, Yankee, Southerner and foreign.
Be careful however when sharing your Cheerwine with Yankees, as they have been known to hoard its supply, and try to export it back above the Mason Dixon line.
Pack fo the Season
by wachman
Bring clothes to match the season. Richmond has four seasons and you need to dress accordingly. Avg temps Dec-Feb 50-10, Mar-May 80-40, Jun-Aug 100-70, Sep- Nov 80-30. These temps are high-low exteremes to be found in the season expressed in degrees Farenheit.
Shockoe Slip
by ATXtraveler
Shockoe Slip is the name give to the area on the Southeastern side of Richmond's financial district, which is also the area closest to the river. This area was fairly unique, as we went from a fairly modern paved city back in time to a set of streets with a cobblestone feel, and an older, more historic feel to it. This nine block radius is home to warehouses, tobacco storage buildings, wholesale outlets and mills since the 1780s, but the area was leveled by the War between the States and was quickly rebuilt afterward. This would definitely be the area during your trip to look for antiques, jewelry, or an older world feel.
The main exhibit hall
Richmond National Battlefield Visitor's center
Thalhimer's
chicken kebab over rice pilaf
