So long, RVA!
I’m sure many of you spent New Year’s Day nursing a hangover or perhaps getting a kickstart on some New Years resolutions. Maybe if you had some time in the afternoon, you hopped in the car and drove to the White House to pay a social visit to President Obama. As ludicrous as that may sound here in the modern era, the practice was completely normal in 1862.
With the holidays underway and people reflecting on family and loved ones, I think it’s fitting to tell one of the smaller, more personal stories from the Civil War. It’s the story of two brothers–Francis (Frank) Adams Donaldson and John Donaldson from Philadelphia.
Richmonders (and especially Church Hill residents) probably need no introduction to Chimborazo Park. The large grassy park overlooking the James River is a popular spot in the city–but it wasn’t always a park. During the Civil War, this same spot was home to the largest military hospital in the world.
History is full of stories about great men doing great things, and somehow the last line of those stories always seems to be “…and they died impoverished and encumbered with large amounts of debt.” I wouldn’t say Jefferson was exactly impoverished, but the debt part is definitely true. Shortly after his death in 1831, his only surviving daughter Martha inherited the estate and was forced to sell it only a few years later.
Seeing the Confederate flag waving in and around Richmond isn’t exactly an attention-grabber for those of us who’ve lived here a while. But when protesters waving the flag started appearing outside the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, a lot of us were curious – just what exactly is going on? And more importantly, how should Richmond deal with its Confederate past?
On November 1st, 1861, Lincoln appointed a man named George B. McClellan as general-in-chief of all Union armies. Who was this man and how did he rise to power so quickly? The story of George B. McClellan is one of vast potential, unbridled hubris, and paranoia.
While we all think of the music that accompanies Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary, did you know that that song was written in 1982!?! Because the Folk Festival is just one week away, we decided to look at what historical Civil War music was like, and how it might be recognized at the upcoming Folk Festival.
One of Richmond’s most subtle and less-known islands is actually a hotbed of history and mystery. We take a look at both of these attributes to get you excited for an upcoming tour sponsored by the Valentine that will give us all a closer look at this little rock of land.
As the battles of the Civil War unfolded in the Commonwealth of Virginia, young boys from neighborhoods all over Richmond were engaged in small battles of their own…GANG BATTLES! Seriously!
So, last night I saw my first-ever opera performance, and it was about…the Civil War. If you need a minute to let that digest mentally, I understand. I needed a minute too. Setting out to challenge my limited Civil War storytelling world view are the cast and creators of Rappahannock County, performing tonight and tomorrow at the Modlin Center for the Arts at the University of Richmond.
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