History Lover's Guide to Richmond
Kristin Terbush Thrower-Stowe
At the tender age of 6, my family moved halfway across the country to Chesterfield County, a suburb of Richmond, Virginia. For good or bad, I live on the street where I grew up.
Not much has changed, if your curious. (The neighborhood, I've changed a great deal.)
My parents traveled, nowhere exotic, fancy, or abroad but they were always up for a road-trip.
A childhood filled with family road trips to visit relatives in Oklahoma and Canada.
James River
Potterfield Bridge
The Falls of the James River.
Here, the river transitions from a peaceful descent from the mountains through a rock-strewn rapids Fall Line to a tidal river leading to the Chesapeake Bay.
My mother grew up along the waters of Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and the St. Lawrence River. And attened nursing school in Niagara Falls, and met Roger Woodward, the 7 year old who survived going over the falls.
Mom respected and feared water and we were forbidden to swim or jump rocks in the James River.
Luckily, the James River Park System trails provides safe viewing (and possible toe-dipping spots) of the river.
Too paraphrase William Byrd
The James River is as loud as the
sound of a nagging wife.
Wanderlust
The desire to explore and the fear of the James River led to many urban adventures. As soon as I turned 16, my sister and I navigated and explored the city and suburbs streets and alleyways.
We felt like criminals leaving our suburb and crossing the Huguenot Bridge into the foriegn lands of Henrico County and Richmond.
During our trespasses, we shopped along Broad Street, found treasures at the old downtown Department Stores and 6th Street Marketplace, and hiked the hills in Hollywood Cemetery.
