George Washington Monument
by ATXtraveler
Sometimes known as the George Washington Equestrian Monument, this Richmond icon is dedicated to the forefather of independence, which was a value held by Virginians for decades. In 1799, Virginians wanted to honor the memory of Washington, and in true political style, it took 50 years for Virginian politicians to come up with a plan to honor the memory.
When the monument was completed however, I would content that it is one of the more beautiful statues in the country. It was cast in Germany in 1857 and sent to the US where it was officially hoisted into place on Feb. 22, 1858.
One of the most interesting bits of trivia in regard to this statue is that the trowel used to lay the cornerstone of this monument was the same trowel used by Washington himself to lay the corner stone of the US Capitol. Now that is conservative values!
Shockoe Bottom
by b1bob
Shockoe Bottom was for many years strictly an industrial neighbourhood (many tobacco warehouses used to line the streets) that is now home to a bunch of Richmond's finest nightclubs and restaurants. Because the Bottom lies in a shallow valley next to the James River, it has long been prone to disastrous floods as recently as Hurricane Gaston in 2004. There has been much new construction and conversion of old warehouses into loft flats. The Canal Walk begins in the southern portion of the neighbourhood and they plan to extend it to cover the lot of Tobacco Row. Shockoe Bottom has transformed itself from a bunch of vacant buildings to one of Richmond's most vital neighbourhoods.
en español, em português, en français
Monument Ave. Easter Parade
by gipper84
This is a local custom in Richmond every year around easter. The city blocks off about 8 blocks on the heart of monument avenue. This year I got a chance to go to the parade with Nat, which was a very exciting event. Nat and I enjoyed the festive easter customs, the petting zoo, and everyone out walking their cute little dogs. This is definetly an event for children, but adults can also enjoy themselves. There is alcohol and usually a live band. This year's band played classic rock and some good blue grass music. They had clowns on stilts and face painting for the children. There was also a wide variety of food available to the public. There were stands with chicken, hamburgers, steak and cheese subs and all the usual vendor food. The event on the whole last about 2 hours and was a complete blast. I would recommend that if you come to Richmond around Easter don't forget to stop by the Easter Parade.
Immigration and the South
by matcrazy1
In Richmond area I saw various, often unknown for me flags put by homes of the natives. These flags showed usually the roots or maybe just sympathy of the natives. This one on my picture is the Scottish Rampant Lion flag. It's the Royal Flag of Scotland now only used by the monarch.
Well, in contrast to the West I didn't find any flag of Poland in the South. When I looked in southern phone books, l saw that almost all the names were Anglo-Irish, which was very different from the West (and North as well, I am sure), where they were Spanish (Latino), Polish, Czech, German, Italian, Swedish, Greek, Armenian, Lithuanian etc. Only a few European nationalities were rarely found, like Dutch or French.
It seems that the West (and the North) is the land of immigration, the south traditionally is not. My question is why?
Historic Route 5
by wachman
This is the perfect place for the classic Sunday Drive. This tree lined road is the old route from Williamsburg to Richmond. It follows the James River and has an abundance of historical plantations including the homes of Benjamin Harrison and John Tyler. At approximately halfway, there is Indian Fields Tavern. This great restaraunt is a serves wild game and classic Southern treats. This is the best Sunday Drive ever.