- Things to Do
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Things to Do
James River Cellars -
Kings Dominion
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- Events
- Where to Stay
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Where to Stay
Museum District B&B -
The Jefferson Hotel
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- Plan Your Trip
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Plan Your Trip
Gourmet Getaway Itinerary -
Mancation Itinerary
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- About the Area
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About the Area
African American Diversity Guide -
New Kent County
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Richmond Region History
1600s
Although Native Americans inhabited the area thousands of years prior to the arrival of the English, the Richmond Region's written history didn't begin until 1607. That was the year that Captains Christopher Newport and John Smith made the first attempt to settle at the Falls of the James, located between downtown's 14th Street Bridge and the Pony Pasture, a recreational area along the James River south of the city. (Four years later the Citie of Henricus, which later became home to Pocahontas and her husband, John Rolfe, was established.) One of Virginia's most famous and lucrative crops, tobacco, was scientifically cultivated at Bermuda Hundred in 1612 while the first American hospital, Mount Malady, was established at what is now Henricus Historical Park.
1700s
The 18th century was about growth for the Richmond Region. In 1709, the first coal was commercially mined in Midlothian. St. John's Church, the site of Patrick Henry's famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech, was built in 1741. In 1780, the state capital was moved from Williamsburg to Richmond, and a year later, the Capitol was burned by British troops, under the command of Benedict Arnold.
1800s
Richmond's contributions to the history books were greatly expanded during the 1800s when the Civil War broke out and Richmond became the Capital of the Confederacy. During this time, the population of Richmond swelled from less than 200 at the start of the century to more than 60,000 by 1880. During the early part of the century, the city's first bank, Bank of Virginia, was chartered, and the first public library was established.
1900s
Throughout most of the 1900s, Richmond, like the rest of the South, was segregated, offering separate, but not equal, opportunities to blacks and whites. Despite these obstacles, Richmond's African Americans succeeded, creating many firsts for blacks in the Region and the United States. Many of the Richmond Region's most popular attractions, including Maymont and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, opened during this century as well. Big business also came to the Region during this century with the arrival of many large corporations including Philip Morris and Reynolds Metals Co.
2000s
The Richmond Region continues to make history in the 21st century. Completion of Richmond's floodwall in 1995 led to new development of the Richmond Riverfront, including trendy loft apartments, restaurants and shops. Richmond-area shoppers delighted in 2003 when Short Pump Town Center and Stony Point Fashion Park, the Region's first upscale, open-air shopping malls, opened, giving Richmond more shopping centers than any other U.S. city based on population.
