Articles Courtesy of Chesterfield Living Magazine:

Henricus - The Citie of Henry

Falling Creek Ironworks

First Commercially Mined Coal in America

British Invasion

Shunpiking, Coal Hauling and Gravity Railways: National Transportation in Chesterfield

Bermuda Hundred Campaign

When Cotton was King

Annexation- Chiseling the Horner-Bagley line

Remembering Isabel

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Celebrate 400 years of history

By Amy Sheets

Henricus Historical Park is celebrating its 400th anniversary with a yearlong series of commemorative events beginning this September and concluding with the return of Jamestown Settlement’s ship Godspeed to Henricus next fall.

“The Year of Henricus” kicks off with the popular annual event, Publick Days, Sept. 18-19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Costumed interpreters will offer perspectives on what it was like to settle in the New World. There will be military drills and musket firings, craftsmen and blacksmiths demonstrating their trades, explanations of 17th-century medical practices, historical children’s games and crafts, storytelling, and Virginia Indian activities. This event is free, and parking is $5 per vehicle.

In November, Henricus will celebrate one of its better known residents, Pocahontas. On Nov. 6-7, learn about Pocahontas and her life under the tutelage of the Rev. Alexander Whitaker. Pocahontas learned about Christianity, converted, and was baptized. In addition, the program, called Pocahontas, Rocke Hall, and the Powhatan People, will discuss the life of the Virginia’s Native Americans during this time and will explore the historic events and cultural overviews of the two groups who lived and worked in close proximity to each other.

Other events scheduled for the year include programs about Henricus Colledge, tobacco, and the highlight of the year, the return of the ship Godspeed to Publick Days 2011.

“Henricus Historical Park is an essential landmark in the founding of our country,” says Charles Lewis Grant, acting executive director. “To have such an important piece of history in our own backyard is a wonderful opportunity to experience our nation’s early history in person, without traveling far. We encourage the public, particularly Chesterfield County residents, to come and see where America began.”

For a full list of programs from The Year of Henricus, or to learn more about the second successful English settlement in the New World, visit Henricus Historical Park’s website.

Historical society commemorates WWII’s ‘V-E Day’

By Julie Buchanan

Starting this month, the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia is commemorating the 65th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, or V-E Day. It was on May 8, 1945, that the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany.

The Chesterfield County Museum opened an exhibit May 8 that features keepsakes from county residents who served in the war, including flags, weaponry, letters and clothing. The exhibit is titled, “Chesterfield Remembers World War II: Service at Home and Abroad,” and will be on display through December.

“Our idea is to commemorate the people who sacrificed and honor those who are still with us,” said Dr. Jean von Schilling, chair of the historical society’s collections committee. “We have some wonderful World War II memorabilia.”

A special piece of the exhibit is a video of oral histories by local residents who lived through the war, either on the front lines or on the home front. The video, shot and edited by Public Affairs Officer Rodney Macklin, is being shown on a loop in the museum.

“It was good to be able to share my experience, and it gave me the chance to relive my two years in the war,” said George Partin, who was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1943 and spent two years on a naval operating base in Guam. “Veterans my age are getting fewer and fewer nowadays.”

The Chesterfield County Museum is at 6813 Mimms Loop in the Chesterfield County government complex. Regular museum hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission is free. This exhibit is being sponsored by Bon Secours Richmond Health System.

On June 5, Magnolia Grange will host a free lecture, “World War II on the Home Front,” by Glen Harrington. The lecture begins at 11 a.m. and is presented in partnership with the Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation. To reserve a seat, call 804-796-7003.

A lecture on May 15 by Peter Wrenn told about the USS Indianapolis, a ship that was torpedoed by the Japanese in 1945.

Von Schilling hopes to educate younger generations about a war that they have only read about or seen depicted in the movies.
“I want young people to know that this was an all-out effort,” she said. “There was rationing. There were things we went without. I hope young people will be able to understand why it happened.”

For more information about the Chesterfield Historical Society’s World War II commemoration, call 804-796-7121. Anyone interested in participating in the oral history project should call 804-748-7311.

This site is sponsored by Chesterfield Heritage Alliance.
For more information, call the Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation at (804) 748-1623
Copyright 2006 © Chesterfield Heritage Alliance. All rights reserved.