RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Get to know the river behind the “River City” with two historical presentations and walking tours this spring, and then give back and help make the James more beautiful with a pair of community cleanups.
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) will host two public talks during April and May covering topics such as Richmond’s port at Rocketts Landing, the shad fish’s role in the James River, the history of shipbuilding in the city.
Each talk will be followed by a walking tour of local archaeological sites and a cleanup event near the James.
The first presentation will take place on Wednesday, April 26 at 6 p.m. at the DHR Collections Room at 2801 Kensington Avenue in Richmond. The talk will center on how the James River and Kanawha Canal influenced the early history and industry of Richmond and its communities. The corresponding tour and cleanup event will be on Saturday, April 29 at Belle Isle.
The second presentation will be on Wednesday, May 3 at 6 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, located on 236 South Laurel Street, and will focus on Richmond’s history as a port city. The tour and cleanup event for this talk will be on Saturday, May 6 at Ancarrow’s Landing.
Both presentations are free, but those looking to attend should plan to arrive early since space is limited.
Signups for the walking tours and cleanups will take place during the presentations themselves.
The cleanups are rain or sign and will be held outdoors, so attendees should dress appropriately. Gloves and trash bags will be provided for trash pick up.
