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RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - USA
Richmond is the capital of Virginia, a state (officially the Commonwealth of
Virginia) of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city
had a total population of 197,790. Like all Virginia municipalities
incorporated as cities, it is an independent city, not part of any county.
The City of Richmond is surrounded by Henrico and Chesterfield counties,
located to the north and south of the city respectively. The Richmond
metropolitan area includes the city and its two adjoining counties and an
extensive area of central Virginia. Other jurisdictions in the Richmond
metropolitan area include the nearby counties of Amelia, Caroline, Charles
City, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, King and Queen, King
William, Louisa, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George, and Sussex, and the
independent cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell, and Petersburg as well as
the town of Ashland in Hanover County. The metropolitan area attained a
total population of 1,126,262 in 2003.
Trivia
Richmond's official motto is "Sic Itur Ad Astra" (Such is the way to the
Stars)
Richmond's city-adopted slogan is "One City, our City"
Richmond Metropolitan region's branding slogan is "Easy to Love"
Educational Institutions
Richmond is the home of the University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Virginia Union University and the Union Theological Seminary &
Presbyterian School of Christian Education. Virginia State University is
about 20 miles south of Richmond, in the suburb of Ettrick.
Significant Businesses and Non-Profits
Philip Morris USA (a division of Altria Group) corporate headquarters
Genworth Financial, the former insurance arm of GE
home electronics retailer Circuit City
United Network for Organ Sharing, the principal clearinghouse for organ
transplants in the United States
Capital One, a credit card agency, is a significant employer
Brinks Company, famous for its financial and security responsibilites, has
its world headquarters here.
Mitchell, Wiggins & Company LLP (Certified Public Accountants )located in
Richmond and the Tri-Cities area.
'Other prominent Fortune 500 companies based in Richmond include:'
Wachovia Securities
Owens & Minor
CarMax
LandAmerica Financial Group
Performance Food Group
Dominion Resources
History
Richmond was first settled in 1607 by Christopher Newport and Captain John
Smith, who navigated up the James River ten days after landing at Jamestown.
The city was not known as "Richmond" until 1737, when it was laid out by
Major William Mayo on on land donated by Colonel William Byrd II.
In 1775, Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me Liberty or Give me Death"
speech in St. John's Church at a meeting of the Second Continental Congress.
Also in attendance at this meeting were Thomas Jefferson and George
Washington.
Richmond became the capital of Virginia in 1780.
During the American Civil War, Richmond was the capital of the Confederate
States of America. In April of 1865, Richmond was burned by a retreating
Confederate Army and was returned to Northern control, becoming part of "Military
District #1."
After the war, Richmond rebuilt, expanding largely to the west. Monument
Avenue was laid out it 1887. Monument Avenue honors the city's Confederate
heroes in a series of impressive monuments. In 1995, a controversial statue
of Richmond native and tennis star Arthur Ashe was added to the series of
statues on Monument Avenue.
Richmond had the first electrically-powered trolley system in the US.
Designed by Frank Sprague, the trolley system opened its first line in
January 1888. This accelerated Richmond's westward expansion.
Recent Richmond Events
On August 31, 2004, the Shockoe Bottom district was devastated by flooding
brought on by torrential rains from the remnants of Tropical Storm Gaston.
The storm lingered over the Richmond area, dumping nearly 12 inches (30 cm)
of rain in the Shockoe Bottom watershed. A 20-block area, including most of
Shockoe Bottom, was declared uninhabitable in the wake of the flood.
Neighborhoods of Richmond
Church Hill
The historic district of Church Hill encompasses the original land plat of
the city of Richmond. There Patrick Henry gave his "Give me liberty or give
me death" speech in Saint John's Church. Chimborazo Park occupies the site
of the largest Civil War Hospital.
Carver
Carytown/Museum District
Carytown is a residential and commerical area that generally consists of
1920's era homes and privately owned shops, clothing stores, cafes, and
restaurants along Cary street. The Byrd Theater, located in this district,
is a historic 1920's era Movie palace that shows second run movies and that
offers periodic performances of its Wurlitzer organ.
The Muesum District is located just west of the Fan district and north of
Carytown. Historically, this area was a site where many Confederate Soldiers
were trained during the Civil War. Some large institutions in this district
are the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the world headquarters for the United
Daughters of the Confederacy, The Science Museum of Virginia, and the
Virginia Historical Society.
The Fan District
Jackson Ward
Jackson Ward is a historical black neighborhood that at one time was known
as the "Harlem of the South. " A center for black commerce and entertainment,
it was frequented by the likes of Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill "Bojangles"
Robinson, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole and James
Brown. During the construction of the Eisenhower Interstate highway system
in the 1950's, Jackson Ward was split in two.
In the early 2000s, a the Greater Richmond Convention Center and Visitors
Bureau was built downtown Richmond, spurring development of Jackson Ward
with with cafes, restaurants, and the Hippodrome Theater.
Manchester
North Side Neigborhoods
Richmond's North Side is home to many diverse neighborhoods, including
Barton Heights, Bellevue, Ginter Park, Hermitage Rd, Highland Park, Sherwood
Park, etc. These neighborhoods are made up of houses with a variety of
architectural styles, which include Arts and Crafts Bungalows, Victorian,
Romanesque Revival, and Queen Anne houses among other styles.
Oregon Hill
Oregon Hill is a working class white neighborhood that overlooks the James
River. Its proximity to Virginia Commonwealth University as well as
Hollywood Cemetery makes it an attractive housing location for students. It
also has Mamma Zu's restaurant, a restaurant known for less for service than
excellent food.
The River District
In 1999, the City of Richmond completed its canal walk project, a
refurbishment of a 1.25 mile segment of the Haxall Canal and the James River
& Kanawha canal that had fallen into disuse. Developed as a tourist
destination, the area surrounding the Canal Walk was branded by The River
District Alliance (RDA) (a 501(c)6 public/private organization) as "The
River District." [3] (http://www.richmondriverdistrict.com/).
The actual boundaries of the River district are not defined, and include
some businesses commonly thought to belong to other districts, like Shockoe
Bottom and Shockoe Slip. [4] (http://www.richmond.com/riverdistrict/clientoutput.cfm?id=3280073)
Similar Canal Walks were built in San Antonio, TX and Indianapolis, IN.
Shockoe Bottom
This area, just east of downtown along the James River, became a major
nightlife, dining, and entertainment center in the last two decades of the
20th century.
Shockoe Slip
Sites to See
Some popular tourist attractions include:
Virginia State Capitol
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Carytown shops / Byrd Theater
Science Museum of Virginia, housed in the severe neoclassical Union Station,
designed by Beaux-Arts-trained John Russell Pope, 1919
Monument Avenue in the Fan district
Museum of the Confederacy
Richmond Children's Museum,
Canal Walk
Tredegar Iron Works
Civil War Battlefields National Park Visitors Center
the Slave Trail along the James River
The Edgar Allen Poe Museum
Byrd Park
Maymont Park
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
162.0 km˛ (62.5 mi˛). 155.6 km˛ (60.1 mi˛) of it is land and 6.4 km˛ (2.5
mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 3.96% water. The James River runs
through Richmond.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 197,790 people, 84,549 households, and
43,627 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,271.3/km˛
(3,292.6/mi˛). There are 92,282 housing units at an average density of
593.1/km˛ (1,536.2/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 38.30% White,
57.19% African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.25% Asian, 0.08% Pacific
Islander, 1.49% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. 2.57% of
the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 84,549 households out of which 23.1% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 27.1% are married couples living together, 20.4%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 48.4% are non-families.
37.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.9% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.21 and the average family size is 2.95.
In the city the population is spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18,
13.1% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100
females there are 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $31,121, and the median
income for a family is $38,348. Males have a median income of $30,874 versus
$25,880 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,337. 21.4% of
the population and 17.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 32.9% are under the age of 18 and 15.8% are
65 or older.
Famous Richmonders
Arthur Ashe, tennis star and social activist who is remembered with a
memorial on Monument Avenue.
Ellen Glasgow, a novelist who was born and lived there.
Edgar Allan Poe, Author and poet, lived in Richmond for much of his early
life.
Tom Robbins, Author, studied art at Richmond Professional Institute (now VCU
and worked for the Richmond Times Dispatch.
Henry Creamer was an American Vaudeville song lyricist of the early 20th
century.
Aimee Mann a popular American rock guitarist, bass player, singer, and
songwriter.
Samuel Gravely,an African-American Officer who broke many racial barriers
while serving in the U.S. Navy.
Professional Sports Teams
Richmond is also the home of the Richmond Braves, a minor league baseball
team; the Richmond Kickers, a minor league soccer team; and the Richmond
RiverDogs, a minor league ice hockey team.
Transportation
Richmond, Virginia is served by Richmond International Airport, which is
located in nearby Sandston. Local transit is provided by the Greater
Richmond Transit Company.
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