Articles Courtesy of Chesterfield Living Magazine:

Henricus - The Citie of Henry

Falling Creek Ironworks

First Commercially Mined Coal in America

British Invasion

Shunpiking, Coal Hauling and Gravity Railways: National Transportation in Chesterfield

Bermuda Hundred Campaign

When Cotton was King

Annexation- Chiseling the Horner-Bagley line

Remembering Isabel

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Enjoy a Haunted Evening at Henricus Historical Park on October 21-22

Children under six and their families may enjoy storytelling and treats

CHESTER, Va., October 3, 2011 – Henricus Historical Park, site of the second permanent English settlement in the New World, will present "Haunted Henricus: Things That Go Bump in the Night" on October 21 and 22. Visitors will experience an evening of spellbinding accounts and legendary tales as period-dressed interpreters revive old English and American Indian folklore and legends. Join colonists and Virginia Indians by the fireside of 1611-1622 Virginia as they recount eerie and strange tales of their homeland.

Activities planned for "Haunted Henricus" will capture the essence of what it felt like to be a colonist in a dark, mysterious and wooded landscape, exposed to uncertain perils. Visitors will understand the connection of the harvest season to many European superstitions and listen to tales of "Things That Go Bump in the Night." Representatives from R.I.P. Ghost Hunters will be onsite to share findings of paranormal activity at Henricus Historical Park today.

Prior to the guided site tours, storytelling will be available for children under six and their families from 6-7:30 p.m. Haunted tours will run from 7:30-10:30 p.m. and last approximately one hour. Refreshments will be available from 6-10:30 p.m. and include cookies, apple cider and hot chocolate. Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for children 3-12 with registration required by October 19 by calling (804) 748-1613. Haunted tours are not appropriate for children under six.

"Our Halloween event is unique because our program aims to educate and entertain visitors," said Charles Lewis Grant, acting executive director. "Haunted Henricus makes learning about history fun for the whole family."

Warm up by the fire and enjoy an evening of old fashioned family fun. Blankets are encouraged for the storytelling portion of the evening. Henricus Historical Park is located on 32 acres along the scenic and historic James River and is surrounded by the 810-acre Dutch Gap Conservation Area. Only 20 minutes from Richmond, the park is located at 251 Henricus Park Road, Chester, Virginia 23836.

400th Commemoration Continues at Henricus Historical Park with Henricus Colledge Event on March 26-27

Henricus to Conduct Drawing for Free Park Admission for One Year for Facebook Fans

Henricus Historical Park continues its 400th commemoration with the third major event in a series called "The Year of Henricus" with "Henricus Colledge - First University Chartered in North America" on March 26 and 27. In 1619, the Virginia Company of London chartered a university designed to offer higher learning to both colonists and American Indians. After the Indian offensive of 1622, development was postponed until 1693 when the College of William and Mary became the first permanent university in Virginia. This event explores Henricus Colledge through family-friendly historical interpretations and demonstrations, including lectures from experts on the university.

Activities will highlight how colonists and American Indians applied educational systems within their cultures. American Indian activities will feature how the Powhatan people learned to cook, sew clothes, craft tools, make and use weapons and construct dwellings. English activities include militia, religious and cultural instruction, trade apprenticeships and house management including cooking and gardening. On Saturday, lantern tours recounting the Indian offensive of 1622 will begin at 7 p.m. and pre-registration is required. Both days, prominent lecturers will discuss the political and religious questions of the day, including the Indian offensive of 1622.

Here is the lecture schedule for the weekend:

Saturday
1 p.m. - Robert C. Galgano, Ph.D., Instructor, Department of History, University
of Richmond: "Trust is the Mother of Deceit: 1622"
2 p.m. - Stuart Peachey, Director of Historical Management Associates Ltd.: "The Farming
English People of 1622 Virginia"
3 p.m. - Margaret E. Carlini, Education Supervisor at Henricus Historical Park: "Legacy of Early
Virginia Education – 1622 to Today"

Sunday
12 p.m. - John Daniel Pagano, Historical Interpretation Supervisor at Henricus Historical Park:
"A School for the Infidels: The Creation and Destruction of Virginia's First College"
1 p.m. - Warren M. Billings, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History, Emeritus and Visiting
Professor of Law, William and Mary Law School: "After Henrico University: The Creation
of William and Mary"
2 p.m. - Stuart Peachey, Director of Historical Management Associates Ltd.: "The Farming
English People of 1622 Virginia"

In an effort to expand its social networking presence, Henricus Historical Park will conduct a drawing for five complimentary "400th Commemoration All-Access Passes" for Facebook fans if the Henricus page reaches 500 followers by March 26. Passes include free admission to the Park for two adults for one year, advance notice of special events and programs and 20% off in the visitor's center gift shop. Please help the Park spread the word by inviting friends and family to follow Henricus on Facebook here.

"The Year of Henricus" began with Publick Days 2010 and will continue to lead up to the site's 400th anniversary which will be commemorated in September 2011. Events will culminate with the arrival of 17th-century ship replica, Godspeed from Jamestown Settlement, at Publick Days this September. For more information about all events during "The Year of Henricus", visit www.henricus.org or call (804) 748-1613. Reporters and photographers are encouraged to schedule tours in advance and attend all events.

Admission for Henricus Colledge, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, is free for gift club patrons, $8 for adults and $6 for children aged 3-12. Pre-registration is required by March 19 for the lantern tours, which will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on March 26, by calling (804) 748-1613. Henricus Historical Park is located on 32 acres along the scenic and historic James River and is surrounded by the 810-acre Dutch Gap Conservation Area. Only 20 minutes from Richmond, the park is located at 251 Henricus Park Road, Chester, Virginia 23836.

More about Henricus Historical Park:
Founded in 1611 by Sir Thomas Dale, the Citie of Henricus is the second successful English settlement in North America and will commemorate its 400th anniversary in September 2011. Henricus Historical Park is a living history museum located within the Dutch Gap Conservation Area with Pre-K–12 and adult education programs, including indoor and outdoor meeting and special event space available for rental. Henricus is a non-profit organization which operates in partnership with the Henricus Foundation and counties of Chesterfield and Henrico. For more information about Henricus Historical Park visit www.henricus.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

WWII Planes Arrive at Chesterfield County Airport for Tours and Flights Oct. 20-22

Tour World War II planes at Chesterfield County Airport Oct. 20–22. The Wings of Freedom tour features a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, a WWII B-24 Heavy Bomber and a P-51 Mustang.

The tour, sponsored by the Collings Foundation, will arrive at Chesterfield County Airport at 2 p.m. on Oct. 20. Visitors are invited to explore the aircraft inside and out. The cost is $12 for adults and $6 for children under 12. There is no charge for WWII veterans. A discounted school rate is offered at $2 per student.

On Oct. 20, from 2-5 p.m., staff from Chesterfield County Public Library will be available to scan visitors' memorabilia and artifacts. All who provide their photographs, documents or other memorabilia for scanning will be given a CD containing the images free of charge. Veterans and their families are encouraged to consider contributing these mementoes to the library’s emerging digital collection and contribute to the record of Chesterfield County’s history.

In addition, the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia will be on site Oct. 20-21 with a display of WWII artifacts related to its current exhibit, “WWII – Victory in Europe” – currently located in the Chesterfield County Museum. This exhibit, which went on display in May, honors the service and sacrifice of Chesterfield County residents during WWII.

The hours of the ground tours are:

Oct. 20, 2-5 p.m.

Oct. 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Oct. 22, 9 a.m.-noon

Visitors also will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly aboard these rare aircraft. For reservations and information, call 800-568-8924. For more information, call Chesterfield County’s Department of Public Affairs at 748-7498 or the Chesterfield County Airport at 743-0771.

Celebrate 400 years of history

By Amy Sheets

Henricus Historical Park is celebrating its 400th anniversary with a yearlong series of commemorative events beginning this September and concluding with the return of Jamestown Settlement’s ship Godspeed to Henricus next fall.

“The Year of Henricus” kicks off with the popular annual event, Publick Days, Sept. 18-19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Costumed interpreters will offer perspectives on what it was like to settle in the New World. There will be military drills and musket firings, craftsmen and blacksmiths demonstrating their trades, explanations of 17th-century medical practices, historical children’s games and crafts, storytelling, and Virginia Indian activities. This event is free, and parking is $5 per vehicle.

In November, Henricus will celebrate one of its better known residents, Pocahontas. On Nov. 6-7, learn about Pocahontas and her life under the tutelage of the Rev. Alexander Whitaker. Pocahontas learned about Christianity, converted, and was baptized. In addition, the program, called Pocahontas, Rocke Hall, and the Powhatan People, will discuss the life of the Virginia’s Native Americans during this time and will explore the historic events and cultural overviews of the two groups who lived and worked in close proximity to each other.

Other events scheduled for the year include programs about Henricus Colledge, tobacco, and the highlight of the year, the return of the ship Godspeed to Publick Days 2011.

“Henricus Historical Park is an essential landmark in the founding of our country,” says Charles Lewis Grant, acting executive director. “To have such an important piece of history in our own backyard is a wonderful opportunity to experience our nation’s early history in person, without traveling far. We encourage the public, particularly Chesterfield County residents, to come and see where America began.”

For a full list of programs from The Year of Henricus, or to learn more about the second successful English settlement in the New World, visit Henricus Historical Park’s website.

Historical society commemorates WWII’s ‘V-E Day’

By Julie Buchanan

Starting this month, the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia is commemorating the 65th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, or V-E Day. It was on May 8, 1945, that the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany.

The Chesterfield County Museum opened an exhibit May 8 that features keepsakes from county residents who served in the war, including flags, weaponry, letters and clothing. The exhibit is titled, “Chesterfield Remembers World War II: Service at Home and Abroad,” and will be on display through December.

“Our idea is to commemorate the people who sacrificed and honor those who are still with us,” said Dr. Jean von Schilling, chair of the historical society’s collections committee. “We have some wonderful World War II memorabilia.”

A special piece of the exhibit is a video of oral histories by local residents who lived through the war, either on the front lines or on the home front. The video, shot and edited by Public Affairs Officer Rodney Macklin, is being shown on a loop in the museum.

“It was good to be able to share my experience, and it gave me the chance to relive my two years in the war,” said George Partin, who was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1943 and spent two years on a naval operating base in Guam. “Veterans my age are getting fewer and fewer nowadays.”

The Chesterfield County Museum is at 6813 Mimms Loop in the Chesterfield County government complex. Regular museum hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission is free. This exhibit is being sponsored by Bon Secours Richmond Health System.

On June 5, Magnolia Grange will host a free lecture, “World War II on the Home Front,” by Glen Harrington. The lecture begins at 11 a.m. and is presented in partnership with the Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation. To reserve a seat, call 804-796-7003.

A lecture on May 15 by Peter Wrenn told about the USS Indianapolis, a ship that was torpedoed by the Japanese in 1945.

Von Schilling hopes to educate younger generations about a war that they have only read about or seen depicted in the movies.
“I want young people to know that this was an all-out effort,” she said. “There was rationing. There were things we went without. I hope young people will be able to understand why it happened.”

For more information about the Chesterfield Historical Society’s World War II commemoration, call 804-796-7121. Anyone interested in participating in the oral history project should call 804-748-7311.

New publication tells little-known story of the Bermuda Hundred Campaign

Scott Williams is an avid history buff, particularly about Chesterfield County’s Civil War history. That interest led Williams, who works for the county’s Department of Environmental Engineering, to become a member of the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia. He also was recruited by fellow Civil War preservationist and co-worker George Fickett who works for in Information Systems Technology. Together, they helped to revitalize the historical society’s Military History Committee several years ago with new members and a renewed focus to bring awareness about the county’s little-known Civil War history, particularly the Bermuda Hundred Campaign. The importance of this campaign often has been overshadowed by bigger battles, with more causalities, that were fought at the same time in Virginia.

The renewed committee decided that its first focus would be to update and expand upon an earlier Civil War brochure that Fickett had written in the 90’s. For two years period, they conducted additional research, and wrote and edited a very affordable 58-page driving-tour guide that has just been printed. The principal author was retired Army Maj. Robert Forman, who was assisted by Willliams, David Malgee, Eric Chandler, George Cranford, Courtney Rogers, Ben Uzel and George Reynolds. The research relied heavily on two definitive books about this particular campaign, William Glen Robertson’s, “Back Door to Richmond”, and Herbert M. Schiller’s, “The Bermuda Hundred Campaign.” Forman’s daughter, Sarah Shannon, also volunteered her expertise as a graphic designer in producing the publication’s attractive format.

The Bermuda Hundred Tour Guide is an excellent way for residents to learn more about the history in their own backyards. It includes an extensive collection of spectacular Library of Congress images of the sites and people associated with the Bermuda Hundred Campaign.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a Civil War expert, a visitor to the area or a resident who just wants to know more about where you live, this is a great resource and overview,” Williams said.

Another unique aspect about the tour guide is the maps that Williams developed. New Geographic Information Services, or GIS, technology enabled him to geo-reference historic maps with modern ones, and to use other battle maps as a guide in creating new maps using descriptions of the roads in the official records as reference points. The result is a book filled with two-dimensional shaded-relief maps that show the typography of the land. Williams was assisted by GIS employee Nathan Hawkes who created the shaded-relief base layer of the maps. These maps give life to the battlefields because they make the decisions made by the military commanders more understandable since landscapes often define where battles are fought. How the armies moved, and why they chose to defend or secure certain lines that resulted in engagements, are easily seen in these maps.

IIn writing the new guide, Maj. Forman also gathered information from Colonial Heights and Hopewell historians, adding those stories to the larger picture of the Bermuda Hundred campaign so that a total of 26 sites are represented in chronological order. Also included are the stories of the Army of the James’ XVIII Corps African-American soldiers who dug the Dutch Gap canal, were part of the U.S. Colored Cavalry at Drewry’s Bluff, and also that of Siah Carter, a run-away slave from Shirley Plantation who served on the ironclad Monitor.

Richmond National Battlefield Park Historian Robert E.L. Krick assisted in the final reviews and edits of the guide.

"The tour guide booklet for the Bermuda Hundred Campaign sites is an important achievement,” Krick said. “It accurately and succinctly summarizes the many Civil War battles in the county with an emphasis on getting people on to the ground to recognize what's there today.  These places are local treasures, but also of national significance.”

The guide comes at an appropriate time since the Civil War’s 150th anniversary will be commemorated from 2011 to 2015. The Virginia General Assembly created the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission in 2006 to prepare for and commemorate the sesquicentennial of Virginia's participation in the nation’s bloodiest conflict, where as many as 1 million soldiers died. Three out of every five Civil War battles were fought in Virginia and some of the Confederacy’s top leaders were Virginians. Virginia also had the most military hospitals and prisoner-of-war camps. The war affected everyone who lived in Virginia, and the commission plans to bring attention to the many diverse stories of the soldiers and civilians whose lives were greatly impacted during the four-year struggle.

The commission’s motto, “Understanding Our Past, Embracing Our Future,” demonstrates the importance of learning about the past. Since all parts of Virginia were affected by the war, the commission has asked localities to establish sesquicentennial committees to focus on telling their unique stories. Chesterfield County developed its committee last year, and it currently is in the process of planning legacy projects and special events that will be held during the four-year commemoration.

One of the people revitalized by the sesquicentennial plans is George Fickett.  Fickett, according to Williams, has been running “a one-man army” on behalf of historic preservation in the county since the early 1980s, singlehandedly bringing attention to battlefield sites that needed to be saved before they were lost to urbanization. The county now has seven Civil War sites, mainly due to Fickett’s dedication and tireless efforts, which compose the chain of major battle sites from the Bermuda Hundred Campaign.

 “I’m so glad that I was able to save these sites,” Fickett said. “Now they are preserved and interpreted for the people of Chesterfield and the nation to come see and appreciate.”

The Bermuda Hundred Campaign Tour Guide currently is available for $12 at the Chesterfield Historical Society’s Museum Shop, located inside Magnolia Grange plantation home at 10020 Iron Bridge Road. For more information, call 804-796-1479.

This site is sponsored by Chesterfield Heritage Alliance.
For more information, call the Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation at (804) 748-1623
Copyright 2006 © Chesterfield Heritage Alliance. All rights reserved.