Tag Archives: oregon hill

Oregon Hill Real Estate Market Watch

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Neighbor and real estate agent Wes Fertig put out this recent Oregon Hill Market Watch report for those that have been interested in selling their home here or moving in. Two other things to mention: Wes Fertig participates in a program that gives real estate rebates and discounts for any employee of Richmond area police department, fire department, sheriff’s office, 911 center, or EMS agency when buying or selling a home with him as the realtor. Secondly, he is OregonHill.net’s newest advertiser!



To see more of the report, click here.

Corner of Pine and China St., Grace Arents School, 1911

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For this ‘Throwback Thursday” history post, here’s a great 1911 photo of the corner of S. Pine and China streets. It shows the Grace Arents School, named after the activist, philanthropist and niece of Lewis Ginter who funded its construction. The school building is now used for award-winning Open High School. In fact in 2011, there was a centennial celebration.

Notice the streetcar tracks, which were visible until at least early 1960’s. Many of the tracks still exist today, lying under the modern streets.

This photo was posted in the Visual and Vintage Virginia FaceBook group.

Street Cleaning Continues Monday

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Thanks to a neighbor’s persistence, the City is planning to clean the west side of S. Pine Street this coming Monday after missing in their regular schedule.

Neighbors should make sure to remove their cars from the west side of S. Pine Street (even street numbers) before MONDAY at 8:00am so the street can be cleaned!

OHNA Meeting Tomorrow Night

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From announcement:

Hey everyone! Please don’t forget that our next Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association meeting will be Tuesday, February 26th at 7pm inside St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Below is the agenda sent by OHNA President Todd Woodson. Hope to see you all there!!!

“First, for those of you that have cats or small dogs that go outside, there is a grave danger to them existing within and adjacent to the neighborhood. 16 months ago, I was “adopted” by two mated feral cats. The male I could eventually pet while the female always ran at the sight of humans. They were not coming inside so I built an insulated house on my porch with an outdoor heating pad and fed and watered them. They went under the house during bitter cold. The female went missing 1 1/2 weeks ago, then yesterday at 5am, my indoor cat woke me up screaming but not wanting to go out. I checked the porch and my other outdoor cat was gone. A night watchman at Hollywood Cemetery confirmed last night that there are at least 7 coyotes in the cemetery that they have seen and are aware of. Right now is mating/gestation season so there will be even more coyotes coming. There was a confirmed sighting some months ago a couple alleys east of me of a coyote with a cat in its mouth. Coyotes will establish a “prey profile” of the easiest, most available food source available which they will seek with keen senses of sight, sound and smell. After research on the internet, I determined loss of cats to coyotes as well as attacks on small dogs is at an epidemic rate in the city and being near the river and an open space like Hollywood compounds the problem. Coyotes are classified as nuisance animals by the Va Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and can be killed at any time (with the exception being with a weapon on Sundays). They are not native to Virginia but populations have exploded since they have moved here. PLEASE take all measures available to safeguard your pets! I am shocked and saddened by my horrible loss and don’t want to see it spread.
Our meeting will start at 7pm with the usual updates from Police and VCU. I will then introduce Dr. Ghazala Hamshi who will speak regarding her candidacy for Virginia Senate in our district, a position currently held by Senator Glen Sturtevant. Dr. Hamshi is a lifelong democrat and she has worked as a college professor and administrator as her career calling.
I would then like to discuss the 2000 Riverfront apartment building’s Special Use Permit Application for an illuminated “2000” sign on their building. This is the apartments next to the river directly across the Lee Bridge from us. Concerns have been noted in the past on light pollution, especially near the river, and the need for such illuminated signage.
We will also have updates from Councilperson Agelasto’s office.
Take care and I look forward to seeing you Tuesday.”

Ray Williams

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Style has a story on the passing of Ray Williams, City homicide detective.

Excerpt:

Retired Richmond police Detective W. Ray Williams died Feb. 1 at 68 following a long battle with heart disease, tragically dying on the same day as his younger brother Tommy, a retired American Filtrona factory worker who had long suffered from Alzheimer’s.

The gravel-voiced Richmond native had a tough upbringing in the city’s Oregon Hill neighborhood.

“You had to fight to exist in Oregon Hill,” said Ray Williams, who at age 12 witnessed a neighbor get shot through the neck. Ray was the third of six children, all of whom were placed in foster care as young children for four years. His two youngest siblings would be adopted by another family. Their father, a second-generation bootleg whiskey-maker who once sold his wares to the same undercover policeman twice in a single night, was in and out of the nearby state penitentiary and prison road camps during their early years. Years later, as a young homicide detective, Ray would be called to an abandoned house in Oregon Hill, where his father was found dead on a mattress in the kitchen.

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A memorial service for Ray Williams will be held Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Richmond Police Academy, 1202 W. Graham Road. His family has asked that donations be made in his name to the Richmond Police Foundation, richmondpolicefoundation.org, or Apple Dog Daycare, appledogdaycare.com.