This is a beautiful chapel. The museum guide was anxious at first glance. He warmed up after we…read morecommented on the architecture and the stained glass. He gleefully began sharing information, brochures and offered great insights on the Solider's Home. The furnishings were in amazing shape. Reminded me of my visits to Colonial Williamsburg. I am glad that it has been restored. It serves as a reminder of our nation's history. ****Union Shields are included in the central chancel stain glass windows. The museum guide took an effort to share that the Union ShIelds appeared in the Confederate Chapel as a clear indication of the reconciliation that took place in the post-civil war period in which the Solider's home built. He also noted that "Blue and Grey" reunions had taken place in the Confederate Chapel on numerous occasions. It is s perfect time in our country's current climate to visit this historical site and realize that in the mid-1880s, Union and Confederates soliders (and their direct descendants) let go of the past and embraced the United States of America. Funds from both Northern and Southern veterans helped build the Solider's home. Great tour, beautiful historical treasure. Wonderful Facts about the post-Civil War climate. Go see it!!!

What a hidden treasure! I just happened to find this during a visit to Richmond a few weeks ago,…read moreand it was well worth popping into - this chapel doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside is a fascinating tabletop display showing how that entire area was a hospital complex for Civil War veterans from both sides, along with a photobook (yes, an actual book of old photos) showing what it looked like way back when. The security guard was super kind and she let me walk around for as long as I wanted, so you can go all the way up to the pulpit and get up close to the stained glass windows showing different battles and groups of vets, and how they came together in the decades after the war to help those who needed assistance. Isn't that a message worth preserving?

Wonderful artistry in the statue and great location in the center of downtown. The timeline around…read morethe statue and the statue itself are both wonderful to see in person.

"Let us be strong and make big plans!" -Maggie Walker…read more Maggie Walker has truthfully made a name for herself! Born in Richmond, Virginia in 1864 and raised by her mother Elizabeth Draper, a former slave, Maggie began to make a change as a teenager. Ms. Maggie Walker was an African American entrepreneur with a vision to make tangible improvements in the way of life for African Americans. She was a bright woman of many firsts, who dedicated her life to making positive social change within the community, especially for African American woman. Ms. Walker was the first woman bank president in the United States. She was also known as a writer, teacher, activist and speaker. If you are in the City of Richmond, I would strongly encourage you to check out Maggie Walkers' National Historic Site, located on E Leigh Street. I believe the National Park has done an exceptional job being able to tell the story of Maggie Walker and reliving her life. Maggie Walker is truly a woman that has accomplished a lot in her life, despite her disability as well as being an African American woman, and deserves to be remembered for her great achievements! Although this statue is located on the main street in Downtown Richmond, I still truly encourage to check out this memorial plaza.

The staff here is very efficient (although their "friendliness" seems to vary with each of my…read morevisits). However, the chicken, biscuits, and sides are always hot, fresh and delicious! And, "watch it" the sweet tea is very sweet! Great place to go when I need my "Bojangles Fix!"

One of the things I love best about Richmond are the statues commemorating great citizens, and not…read moreonly do immortalize war heroes, but where else in the world would there be a statue of a tap dancer? Check out the Bojangles monument at the corner of Adams and West Leigh in Jackson Ward. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was a vaudeville great and reportedly was "discovered" while working at the Jefferson Hotel. His statue is located at the spot where he donated a stoplight to protect neighborhood kids.

What makes Richmond such an amazing place to live is that there is so much architecture and…read morehistoric sites still left for us to enjoy. Celebrating its 75th year anniversary, Historic Richmond has been standing in front of bulldozers since 1935. The pioneers of HRF are Mary Wingfield Scott, Elisabeth Scott Bocock, Louise Catterall and Mary Reed who had individually and collectively started buying up the first endangered homes back in the 1920's and 30s. They were the founders of the concept of preservation in Richmond. As someone who has always been involved in preservation and architectural history, I often go to the website to find out the latest news in Richmond preservation. My favorite sections are the "Hot Topics" and "Historic Areas" sections. The "Historic Area" section is the best breakdown of the many historic neighborhoods in Richmond and one that would be a great tool for anyone looking at relocating to Richmond. It is the most comprehensive and I can guarantee you that you are not familiar with all of these areas. Want to know more about the historic or old home you currently occupy? HRF website gives you the tools to do the work to research the past of your home, a great kids or family project. Want to protect your historic home from being torn down or modified improperly? I suggest working with HRF to establish an Historic Easement (Architectural or First Right of Refusal) that allows the historic and architectural integrity of your older home to stay intact long after you are gone. There are many interesting tools for the architectural and historic enthusiast to help learn about one of the organizations behind the preservation of this rich legacy.

With views of the city, Richmond National Battlefield Park tells stories of the Civil War. There's…read morea visitor center with a free exhibit about medicine during the Civil War. Inside are restrooms. The park itself has trails, green space, a gazebo, and a miniature Statue of Liberty.

The Richmond National Battlefield Park is the umbrella name for a series of National Park Service…read morebattlefield parks and museums, including (but not limited to) Cold Harbor, Gaines' Mill, Malvern Hill, & the Civil War Center at Tredegar Iron Works. All are free, and have their own separate Yelp pages. Don't get this confused with individual locations which are run by non-profits, like the American Civil War Museum (also at Tredegar), or the Confederate White House. Those are worth visits, but you have to pay to get in. https://www.nps.gov/rich/index.htm

Located in front of the James Monroe office building near downtown RIchmond, this marker denotes…read moresome of the earliest residents of the Virginia Colony. It reads, "Jews have participated in Virginia's social and economic life from the colony's beginnings. Kahal Kadosh Beth Shalome (Holy Congregation House of Peace) was founded in Richmond in 1789, when the Jewish community grew large enough to establish the first Jewish congregation in Virginia and the sixth oldest in the United States. Temporary sites housed Beth Shalome until a permanent synagogue was built nearby and dedicated on 15 Sept. 1822. The modest one-story brick structure was sold in 1891 and demolished in 1934. Beth Shalome merged with Richmond's Beth Ahabah congregation in 1898." [Review 11803 overall, 1585 of 2019.]

This monument in Richmond's Meadow Park is dedicated to the First Regiment of Virginia Infantry…read more There are inscriptions on all four sides but the light wasn't great to capture more than one of them and the soldier on top. On one side, "Erected to the imperishable memory of the valiant fallen of the First Regiment of Virginia Infantry who through seven American wars endured hardships with patience, met defeat with constant courage, did not vaunt their victories and steadfastly kept the faith with God and their country." Of course, Monument Avenue has others but this one is not on Monument Avenue and it's interesting. [Review 11981 overall, 1764 of 2019.]

This marker points out the history of the Falls of Richmond - the river rapids that made Richmond…read morewhat it is. There is also a fountain here in the intersection. The marker reads, "The Falls of the James River are the central physical fact of Richmond, having directly influenced its history through their effect upon Trade, Energy, Community and Nourishment." "Trade - As the Falls of the James are a natural barrier between the sea and the interior, the area immediately surrounding the Falls has for centuries been a center for trade. Before European settlement, the Powhatan and Monacan Indians exploited the lands around the Falls as a trading center for the entire region. With the arrival of Europeans, trade between the settlers and Indians flourished and the warehousing and export of tobacco grew in importance. Later, Richmond became a major transportation hub as a result of the construction of the James River and Kanawha Canal, built to by-pass the Falls. Transportation, hydro-power and nearby coal deposits made Richmond a center for the manufacture and trade of flour, wheat, tobacco and iron. Even today, Richmond's commercial and financial core overlooks the whitewater rapids of the Falls." "Energy - Though a barrier to navigation, the Falls were a boon to industry. Richmonders harnessed the water flow of the Falls to drive flour mills, iron plants, and paper mills, all major components of the city's manufacturing growth. Later, hydro power from the Falls was utilized to generate electricity which fed the industrial and residential needs of the community. This included the powering of Richmond's trolley system, the first in the world to successfully operate by electricity." "Community - The Falls and its environs have always provided the most basic physical requirements for settlement and community: food, water, energy, and transport. With the growth of trade and industry along the Falls, Richmond became a more culturally diverse community as immigrants from all parts of Europe followed English settlers to the region. African-American slaves provided much of the labor and many of the skills and crafts essential to the early growth of Richmond, and upon achieving their freedom, became a major factor in the culture and growth of the city. Richmond's selection as Virginia's capital and later as capital of the Confederacy can be traced to the city's growth along the river. While the livelihood of Richmond depends less today on the James, our community's mutual bond still begins at the Falls." "Nourishment - The Falls provided a wealth of vegetation, fish, wildlife and fresh water to nourish both Native Americans and early European settlers. By the early 1800's, hydro power from the Falls drove pumps which provided the City with its first municipal drinking water system. Today, the Falls of the James continue to provide Richmonders with spiritual nourishment, whether through contemplation of the natural beauty of the Falls or through the unique recreational opportunities available along the James: white water rafting, kayaking, canoeing, fishing and swimming." Check it out and you'll get a better understanding of Richmond. [Review 11802 overall, 1584 of 2019.]