North Anna Battlefield Park is the 172-acre site of the May 1864 Battle of North Anna, which has now transformed into a place with walking trails, a picnic place, and historic interpretive signs that point out trenches and rifle pits from the past. Bring your family and friends to soak in some sunshine and indulge in American history. Some trails, such as the Blue Trail, may include steep hills and require strenuous activity.
Richmond commands much importance till today, for it served as the capital of the Confederate States of America, and an integral site during the course of the Civil War. Spanning 3,629.2 acres (1468.68 hectares) along Virginia's coastal expanse, this historic park bears a string of nationally-significant sites including the Chimborazo Hospital, Fort Harrison, Drewry's Bluff, Tradegar Iron Works, Cold Harbor and a smattering of fortified and military remnants. The park is further accentuated by verdant, open meadows, where a melange of mammals rove along expansive, old-growth forests. It is as if the glory of the valiant Virginian soldiers yet lingers across this site, a stirring chapter which, in more than ways one, determined the fate of the country.
One of the oldest homes in Virginia, this was a boyhood residence of Thomas Jefferson. Tuckahoe is the location of some of Richmond's eeriest hauntings. The most notorious is of a distressed young bride who rushes down a garden path called "The Ghost Walk" supposedly searching for her beloved. The surrounding gardens are a treat to the eyes, with lush green trees, hedges, lawns and colorful flowers making it a great photography zone. Guided tours of the house and its gardens are held daily, wherein visitors are taken through the history of the structure and its occupants.
"Let us have a bank that takes nickels and turns them into dollars." These were the words of Maggie Walker in a speech to the Board of what is now the oldest surviving black-operated bank in the United States, Consolidated Bank and Trust. This remarkable woman was its founder and was also the developer of a successful insurance company that worked to ensure proper health care and burials for African-Americans. Ms. Walker was the daughter of a former slave and a white abolitionist. The 22-room house built in 1883, where she lived for 30 years, is now open to the public for tours. Admission is free.Winter hours: Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., November 1 through February 28.Summer hours: Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 1 through October 31.
Still an active church, St. Paul's was built in 1845. Visit here and stand on the spot where, in 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was told Union troops were advancing on Richmond, a pivotal event of the Civil War. Another famous Richmond native who worshiped at St. Paul's was Edgar Allen Poe. He claimed to have left a valise, the location and contents of which remain an intriguing local mystery in the building.
This dazzling movie palace was built in the early 20th century. Italian marble and elegantly painted murals fill the interior. A balcony and theater boxes overlook the auditorium below and on Saturday evenings, a Wurlitzer organ, which once accompanied silent movies, is played. The audience can sing along; the words are displayed on the screen. The staff dresses in 1920s clothing. Second-run movies are shown here daily. The Byrd also features Saturday midnight movies for really low prices. The Byrd also hosts special movie events like a Halloween screening of Nosferatu with a live band accompanying the silent film.