A Tour of Historic RichmondWilliams, Frances Leigh
History
A Tour of Historic Richmond
Williams, Frances Leigh
Richmond (Va.) -- Description and travel; Richmond (Va.) -- History
This building, now the Confederate Museum, was the White House of the
Confederacy from 1861-65. Here lived President Jefferson Davis. Here
came the generals to confer, the couriers bearing news of the various
battles. Most fittingly, the women of the South have made this a
treasure-house of things Confederate. In the museum you may now see the
uniforms, swords, camp chest and multitudinous relics of Generals Robert
E. Lee, Thomas J. (“Stonewall”) Jackson, Joseph E. Johnston, J. E. B.
Stuart and most of the other Confederate heroes. The student of that
phase of our history finds here invaluable historical papers and files.
¶ _Make a U-turn and proceed west on Clay to Eleventh._
Valentine Museum
This Museum of the Life and History of Richmond, founded by Mann S.
Valentine and opened in 1898, now includes four 19th century buildings.
The Wickham-Valentine House, designed by Robert Mills in 1812, is a
notable example of late Georgian architecture, with furnishings of that
period and of 1853, and with a walled garden that is restful and
beautiful in all seasons. The adjoining Museum building contains a
growing collection of permanent Richmond exhibits and the largest
costume department in the south. The Indian collection emphasizes
archaeological material from Virginia and North Carolina. Changing
exhibitions illustrate past and present city activities and interests.
Facing the garden is the Studio of the sculptor, Edward V. Valentine.
The Bransford-Cecil Memorial House, in the Greek Revival style of the
1840’s, contains a gallery-lecture room; a Research Library, with
extensive pictorial material illustrating Richmond’s history; and the
School Services’ office and workrooms, where two staff members carry on
an organized statewide program of lectures, loans, and special projects
for children. ¶ _Proceed west on Clay to Eighth, turn left Eighth to
Marshall, turn left on Marshall._
[Illustration: _Wickham-Valentine House_]
John Marshall House
On the northwest corner of Ninth and Marshall is John Marshall House.
This house, severely simple on the exterior, boasts a classic dignity
inside which proves that John Marshall, as well as his politically
different cousin, Thomas Jefferson, could design homes. The eminent
jurist himself designed this home. The house is now the property of the
Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, the first of
such societies in America. It is furnished with some of Marshall’s
original furniture. You may see here the robe which Marshall wore as
Chief Justice of the United States. The large structure to the rear of
the house is John Marshall High School, one of Richmond’s two public
high schools. ¶ _Continue on Marshall to Tenth, turn right on Tenth.
Continue on Tenth to Broad._
[Illustration: _John Marshall House_]
City Hall
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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