Richmond,
the capital of Virginia, is among America’s oldest cities. Patrick Henry, a
U.S. Founding Father, famously declared, “Give
me liberty or give me death” at its St. John's Church, leading to the
Revolutionary War.
You can explore one of
the nation's oldest and most storied African-American neighborhoods, Jackson
Ward. See where poet Edgar Allan Poe began his literary career. Tour the
legendary Museum and White House of the Confederacy. Trace the banks of the
Haxall Canal, the James River and Kanawha Canal, which echo with four centuries
of history.
Founded by Colonel
William Byrd II, the "Father of Richmond," in 1737, the community
became a town in 1780, and, at the request of the General Assembly, became the
temporary seat of the state capital, which was moved from Williamsburg for fear
of British invasion. In May 1782, Richmond was incorporated as a city, and
officially became Virginia's new capital.
Neighborhoods
Court End, a neighborhood known for Federal-style
mansions, lends to the region's highly
distinguished historical profile. Stroll through the historic homes, tree-lined
streets, and neighborhood stores, bars and restaurants of the Fan District -
named for the way the streets fan out from Monroe Park - or admire the Tudor,
Queen Anne, Four Square, Spanish and bungalow homes in the North Side district
of Ginter Park. Walk idly through the streets of Church Hill - a well-preserved
19th-century neighborhood, overlooking downtown Richmond - and witness the
rebirth of the Shockoe and the Manchester areas, where warehouses have been
converted into upscale apartments, restaurants, businesses and art studios.
This mid-sized city offers a flourishing
cultural community enhanced by several world-renowned museums and prominent
universities, its own symphony, professional ballet and opera, and numerous
theater companies, art galleries, upscale shopping, gourmet restaurants and
sports attractions. Richmond offers easy access to the ocean, mountains and
Washington, D.C.