Richmond Virginia is one the nation’s centers for everything historic. The close proximity to the nation’s capital and the participation of so many important historic moments has given the city the ability to be successful in industry and tourism. The Richmond Coliseum plays host to football, baseball and soccer games that are some of the best in the country. It depends on who you are talking to as to which sport is the favorite. Some favor attending the football games while others prefer baseball, with the baseball scoreboards lit with the team colors.
Colonists from English originally arrived in the Richmond area in the early 1600’s. The slow growth was due to the Native Americans inhabiting the area and led to the final founding of the town in 1737. By the late 1700’s, Richmond was embroiled in much of the politics of the day and based its success on agriculture and the slave trade.
The course of the country towards independence was largely due to Richmond as a focal point of the rhetoric of the time. Patrick Henry’s famous speech in Richmond catapulted the country into the American Revolutionary War, with Richmond at the center. Richmond was burned by the British troops, but the city would not stay down.
Post war days opened the doors for Richmond to become an industrial center as it rebuilt and revitalized their town. Cargo transport was the mainstay of the success of Richmond and soon the town became a bustling city. Architecture of the time was a focus as businesses and homes were added to the expanding borders of the area.
The Civil War brought the State of Virginia to the Confederate side. Once again, the fate of Richmond was shaken as the result of the war ended in the destruction of some of the city. There is something to be said about the tenacity and stoic attitude of the people of the area. Richmond rebuilt this time, stronger and better than before. The buildings had iron fronts and they constructed huge brick factories. The river and canal transport gave way to the railroad and made Richmond a hotbed of commerce. Post Civil War days also offered the free Black slaves the opportunity to enjoy life in Richmond and entire communities of Black American businesses were established and began to thrive.
There was a new, enlightened focus on construction, infrastructure, the arts, education and revitalization of their historic roots. Over the years, Richmond has added colleges, universities, museums, art galleries, theatres, sports stadiums and scoreboards as part of their city. Richmond has become an industrial cornerstone but also home to many other types of corporations. The people of Richmond are devoted to their local baseball, football and soccer teams as stadiums are filled with the fans, all eyes fixed to the winning numbers. Baseball scoreboards seem to be the most popular, however, college football games are another favorite in Richmond; with standing room only.
As Richmond entered the twenty first century it is now known as a financial capital. Many of the Fortune Five Hundred companies relocated their corporate offices to Richmond which has also brought the type of multicultural environment for the metropolis that it has grown into.
The Richmond of today offers residents and visitors the chance to see a moment in the past, combined with the high tech of today. The diversity in the people that live in Richmond opens the door to an experience that is not found in many places. The people of Richmond have proven their strength time after time in their rebuilding, and now they freely share the town they call home with all that arrive at their shores.