By the waters of the James

In his brilliance, George Washington as president, envisioned a canal system that would span Virginia as an economic boon. Some of this was realized, but not completed before being supplanted by the newfangled railroad. And so it was, that on April 2, 3 and 4th,  1865 it was the railroads and the bridges that would be the focal point of the devastating evacuations from Richmond.

pilons of the evacuation bridges

First Jefferson Davis would ride the rails to Danville, setting up a govt in exile. Then the citizens would make their escape and finally the army with all its gear and horses, and wagons and some artillery would cross the Mayo bridge attempting to burn it behind them, so not to be followed by the Union troops.

ramp to canal walk

The canal system was left to degrade, but in the 1990s, the city of Richmond through citizen action revived the entire river system and developed  a canal walk that winds along the James River.  This reminds me of the New York  City Highline, also initiated by citizens that revived a desolate area of the city.
Here in Richmond, this park system includes  also vestiges of the slave market system of which Richmond was a center. And finally as a reminder that Virginia's history is the history of explorers and wanderers, there is a John Smith trail, symbolized by the sails of a ship.  So it is that one can walk, bike and picnic here as a modern day American on this beautiful sunny and breezy April day.

plaque to the  soldiers who died at Belle Isle prison. 

Included in this park system is Belle Isle. Now a spot for picnicking, hiking and biking, at the end of the bridge is the site of the notorious prison encampment where 1000 soldiers died. Soldiers were housed in tents with blankets, though many did not receive even these bare essentials.  In the picture are rusted out structures of an ironworks company. Nothing remains of the prison itself.

As the sun is setting, surrounded by these 2015 walkers, runners with their heart rate gadgets, families here for a delicious spring outing, kids laughing and playing soccer on the grass, teens in small gaggles kidding around with friends, I absorb the days journey from Civil War to Revolutionary times to the present.