Richmond, VA

In 1607, when English explorers from Jamestown sailed up to the falls of the James River, they found a sizeable settlement of the Powhatan tribal confederacy. A colonial town was not founded at the site until 1737 when William Mayo laid out the original street plan on land provided by Colonel William Byrd II on the north bank of the river. The community was named for Richmond, England, as both shared spectacular river views.

In 1780, Richmond became the capital of the colony and retained that distinction upon American independence and the establishment of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Since the late 19th century, the state legislature has met in the classically inspired capitol designed by Thomas Jefferson.

Richmond developed as the state’s center of finance, government, and trade. The industrial revolution began in 1831with the founding of the Chesterfield Railroad Company, which operated a horse-drawn line between Manchester—on the south bank of the river—and the Chesterfield coal mines. The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad initiated steam-powered service in 1836; within two decades, it was joined by the Richmond and Danville Railroad and the Virginia Central, thus making the city an important southern rail hub.

The outbreak of the Civil War gave Richmond a new identity: capital of the Confederacy. In April 1865, as nearby Petersburg fell to Union forces, the Confederate government and residents evacuated the city. Retreating soldiers set fire to bridges, the armory, and warehouses to permanently keep them out of enemy hands. Post war, the city quickly rebuilt and ensured its dominance over the state’s politics, economy, and society.

The Staples Mill Road Amtrak station is located just outside of Richmond in the Henrico County suburbs. It was constructed in 1975 as a replacement for the historic Main Street station which had been seriously damaged by flooding. Luckily, Main Street Station was restored in the 1990s and today the Richmond area is served by both facilities. Staples Mill is the principle stop for long and short distance trains such as the Silver Meteor, Palmetto, and Carolinian, while both stations are served by Northeast Regional trains.