From the event description:
The bloodshed that resulted from the two-day Battle of Shiloh exceeded anything America had ever known in its history. Learn how this battle unfolded and how the horrific casualty count rewrote America’s notions of war.
From event description:
While recent events have focused on the United Daughters of the Confederacy’s monument building efforts in the early 20th Century, Dr. Karen Cox argues that the Daughters had a far-reaching agenda with implications for race relations that are still with us today. Discover the UDC’s work–especially its efforts to shape the worldview of young white southerners–during the organization’s heyday between 1894 and World War I.
From press release:
Nearly 100 local youth are taking to the riverfront this summer to engage in a special program offered in partnership by the National Park Service, YMCA of Greater Richmond, James River Park System, James River Association, American Civil War Museum, and The Valentine. Kids in Kayaks empowers City of Richmond youth with the knowledge of natural and cultural landscapes, provides awareness and access to resources and skill development, and builds confidence and wellness through healthy recreation and community engagement.
YOU’RE INVITED! On Wednesday, July 24, you are invited to visit Historic Tredegar at 470 Tredegar Street from 10:00 am to 11:30 am to view the programs taking place, talk to those participating and planning, and learn more about Kids in Kayaks.
Over the course of six weeks, City of Richmond middle-school students are enjoying a taste of what downtown’s riverfront has to offer. Programs include water safety courses, lessons on watershed science, and discussions about the area’s history. We invite you to come see for yourself!
“The Richmond riverfront is a vital part of the city where we can tell the stories of our nation’s history, both cultural and environmental,” said Richmond National Battlefield Park Superintendent Doyle Sapp. “This valuable partnership allows us to showcase the rich cultural and natural history Richmond has to offer while teaching kids how to safely enjoy the riverfront.”
Local company Buskey Cider will be doing pop-up at historic Tredegar this Saturday.
Information from the FaceBook event page:
They’ll be pouring ciders at Historic Tredegar on the front patio of the American Civil War Museum overlooking the river and parts of Brown’s Island from 12-5pm on Sat, 7/13. Boka Tako Truck will be joining for quick eats while everyone enjoys the awesome environment at Historic Tredegar in front of the museum. A portion of proceeds from the event will go to the ACWM.
Favorite ciders from Buskey will be available, such as RVA Cider, and their popular summer seasonal, Watermelon Rosemary, and will all be sold by the pour.
How’s that for a provocative title?
It’s actually the name of an upcoming event at Historic Tredegar as part of The Foundry Series. From the American Civil War Museum’s event page:
Uncover how Frederick Law Olmsted’s epic 1850s journey through the American South compares to contemporary conversations about political and cultural divisiveness
today, as author Tony Horwitz discusses his new book, Spying on the South: Across the American Divide. Moderated by Danita Rountree Green, Coming to the Table – Richmond.Cost:
Free. Registration encouraged.Program Date:
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 – 6:30pm
To make a reservation, click here.
From letter:
Dear Honorable Members of the Richmond City Council,
It is devastating to learn that New Market has applied with the Corps of Engineers to backfill the historic James River and Kanawha Canal beside the American Civil War Museum at Tredegar. Burying the authentic canal, built when George Washington was President of the canal, undermines the city’s effort underway to rewater the canal. The canal, built with the sweat of slaves and Irish immigrants, provided the power for the Tredegar Iron Works and made Richmond an important shipping hub.
Here is a link to New Market’s deplorable application to fill the canal: https://webapps.mrc.virginia.gov/public/habitat/getPDF.php?id=20180983
A few years ago the Richmond City Council expressed its desire to revitalize the canal at this location by spending $385,000 for a bridge over the canal on the new 2nd St. connector to maintain the navigability of the canal. New Market’s proposal would fill the canal at the east side of the bridge.
Please take action to let New Market know that the Richmond City Council has devoted significant financial resources to protecting the canal, and it is not in the city’s interests to have the canal backfilled with dirt.
Below, also please find a message from the Dr. Bill Trout, the Curator of the Canal Museum.
Sincerely,
Charles Pool
From attached message:
I hope that we can do something to encourage NewMarket to work toward opening the canal at Tredegar instead of filling it in. A press release from the Virginia Canals & Navigations Society should go through our president Roger Nelson.
Here are some thoughts:Don’t let NewMarket waste Tredegar’s most historic, dynamic and scenic resource.
The canal should be a major tourist feature at Tredegar because Tredegar is there only because the Kanawha Canal is there – for its transportation and for water power. Tredegar would come alive again by opening the canal for boat trips, and for powering waterwheels and turbines. Filling it in and putting up display panels won’t help. Can you imagine water flowing down a raceway and turning a big water wheel? Wouldn’t that be what tourists would photograph and remember? Tredegar means power!
At Tredegar is the only part of the canal in Richmond where there can be mule-drawn canal boat trips, because the towpath is there and gone everywhere else. People love boat rides. Ask canal parks in the other canal states if mule-drawn rides are enjoyable and educational and bring a canal alive. And how did Tredegar receive its supplies of pig iron and fuel during the Civil War? By canal! Tredegar means transportation!
The James River (now Kanawha) Canal was the first operating canal system with locks in the United States. The first part was open at Pump House Park in 1789 while George Washington was the canal company’s honorary president. He visited the canal, with great ceremony, in 1791. Don’t waste Washington’s canal.
So. Open the canal at Tredegar. A $385,000 arched bridge over the canal bed is already there, waiting for the water. Use your imagination, Richmond! Put your canal back to work, don’t fill it in!Bill Trout
Curator, Virginia Canal Museump.s. The canal society has just published a new book, Amazing Virginia Canals, featuring the high points of our remarkable canal and river navigation network. Pages 26-27 are about the canal at Tredegar and its future. See www.vacanals.org/shop.
frogsincanal from Scott Burger on Vimeo.
This movie was taken about a month ago from the bridge over the Kanawha Canal on the Brown’s Island Way/Second Street Connector. The camera faced west towards the Lee Bridge but you can hear on the audio all of the wildlife noises. If you listen carefully, you can also hear a rock cover band playing a song at a private function at Tredegar.
Oregon Hill neighbors recently learned that New Market corporation has quietly submitted (with Venture Richmond’s support) an application to fill the canal just east of this site, adjacent to Tredegar Iron Works. More on this later and in the meantime you can read about past struggles between those who went to destroy and those who want to protect the canal (including the “Fences Of Contention“), but for right now listen to the nighttime nature sounds while you still can.
As with Party For The Planet this past weekend, the Richmond riverfront around Oregon Hill should be pretty busy this coming weekend.
This Friday, public/private partnership, Venture Richmond starts back up their Friday Cheers concert series on Brown’s Island. They are claiming its their 35th season (though it seems like that would have to include time when there were not events on this part of the riverfront). This Friday, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real with Landon Elliott will be playing. Their photos are above. Tickets cost $10.
On Saturday, the American Civil War Museum at Tredegar will be holding a celebration in honor of its new building. The Times Dispatch recently had a sneak peak of this $25 million, 29,000-square-foot new museum, which is the result of the merger of two museums: the Museum of the Confederacy and the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar. The grand opening will include special guided tours of “A People’s Contest: Struggles for Nation and Freedom in Civil War America” exhibit, walking tours, and artifact encounters with curators. Event also features the hosts of BackStory, eight emerging scholars, and Triple Crossing Brewery, and food trucks.
Schedule highlights:
– 9 a.m.: Ribbon cutting
– 10 a.m., 2 p.m., & 4 p.m.: Cannon firing demonstration by Museum staff
– 10:30 a.m.: Live panel program with the hosts of the podcast, BackStory. (90 minutes)
– 12-4 p.m.: Emerging Scholars lightning talks, sponsored by The Civil War Monitor, also in collaboration with Emerging Civil War. (30 minutes each, beginning every 30 minutes at noon)
– 12-4 p.m.: Beer garden, by Triple Crossing Beer. Food trucks also onsite (TBA).
Cost: Free with Museum admission. Free for members.
And then on Sunday, the Annual Sunday Picnic at Hollywood Cemetery will take place from 1:00pm to 3:30pm. Pack a picnic basket, bring a blanket or chair, and join in for an annual tradition that dates back to the 1800s! Live music will be provided by the Oak Lane Band and UNCOMMON, a contemporary acapella band. An ice cream truck and hotdogs will be on site. Trolley tours will also be provided. The picnic is free to attend, but they do ask for RSVP in advance. Please email nrowe@hollywoodcemetery.org or call (804) 648-8501 to make reservations.
Hopefully, rains will hold off for these events, but the forecast is looking iffy.
‘Party For The Planet’, a new, FREE, non-profit hosted, family-friendly festival dedicated to environmentally-friendly living and sustainability, will take place at historic Tredegar this Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm.
Highlights include: Earth Day 5K Race Without a Trace; live music and entertainment including bands YARN, FREE UNION and LOBO MARINO; craft beer, wine, and local food trucks; kid-friendly activities; local community organizations, non-profits, artists and vendors; educational demos and activities to build interest in sustainability, health, and the environment; well-behaved, leashed dogs welcome!
Its main sponsor and host is Viridiant, local non-profit committed to advancing sustainable construction.
So far, it looks like Friday rain will clear out and there will good weather for this new festival.
It’s that time of year when things start moving much faster and there about a million events on the weekend here in the R of the VA…
Here’s one just down the hill…
Tredegar hosts the 10th Annual Civil War & Emancipation Day this Saturday.
This free event allows participants to uncover the many stories of how the Civil War, Emancipation, and how their legacies shaped and continue to impact our community. In particular, this event commemorates the 150th anniversary of public education for all Virginians.
Here is the schedule of events:
-11 am: Cannon firing demonstration
-11:30 am: Storyteller, Jamar Jones (Quill Theater)
Historic Tredegar walking tour (American Civil War Museum)
-12 pm: Viriginia Union University choir
-12:30 pm: City Dance Theater
-1 pm: “Then and Now: Teaching the Civil War Era” panel discussion ( $ tickets required)
Panelists:
Lauranett Lee, Ph.D., University of Richmond
Donovan Livingston, educator and poet
Atif Qarni, Virginia Secretary of Education
Kathryn Shively, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
-1:30 pm: Shenandoah Valley Civil War Era Dancers
Brown’s Island walking tour with Ranger Mike Gorman
-2 pm: Dylan Prichett, storyteller
-3 pm: Canon firing demonstration
Food trucks and refreshments for purchase will be available onsite.