The Clover Hill Pits are a number of coal shafts and mines that operated in the Southside area of Richmond, Virginia , from 1837 until around 1883.
128-865: In 1837, coal was found after a heavy rain at Clover Hill Plantation, in Chesterfield County, Virginia , possibly by a slave. After mining began, mules carried the coal four miles to Epps Falls on the Appomattox River to be loaded onto boats on the Upper Appomattox Canal Navigation System . In 1841, the Clover Hill Railroad was created to haul coal from the Clover Hill Pits, to the Osborne Landing Docks and later Bermuda Hundred dock to be transported by barge over
256-805: A charter from the London Company to establish a colony in the New World. The fleet consisted of the ships Susan Constant , Discovery , and Godspeed , all under the leadership of Captain Christopher Newport . They made a particularly long voyage of four months, including a stop in the Canary Islands , in Spain , and subsequently Puerto Rico , and finally departed for the American mainland on April 10, 1607. The expedition made landfall on April 26, 1607, at
384-784: A hurricane , and the ships were separated. Although some of the ships did make it to Jamestown, the leaders and most of the supplies had been aboard Sea Venture , which fought the storm for three days before the Admiral of the company, Sir George Somers , deliberately drove it onto the reefs of Bermuda to prevent its foundering. This allowed all aboard to be landed safely. The survivors (including Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Gates , Captain Christopher Newport, Silvester Jourdain , Stephen Hopkins —later of Mayflower —and secretary William Strachey ) were stranded on Bermuda for approximately nine months. During that time, they built two new ships,
512-446: A sea wall was constructed in 1900 to protect the area from further erosion. The archaeological remains of the original 1607 fort, which had been protected by the sea wall, were not discovered until 1996. In 1932, George Craghead Gregory of Richmond was credited with discovering the foundation of the first brick statehouse (capitol) building, circa 1646, at Jamestown on the land owned by Preservation Virginia. Around 1936, Gregory, who
640-405: A celebration honoring the establishment of the first permanent English colony in the New World at Jamestown to be held on the 300th anniversary in 1907. As a celebration was planned, virtually no one thought that the actual isolated and long-abandoned original site of Jamestown would be suitable for a major event because Jamestown Island had no facilities for large crowds. The original fort housing
768-430: A citywide desegregation busing program. This ended in the 1990s. Many of the 47,000 residents who lived in the annexed area had been opposed to the action. They fought unsuccessfully for more than 7 years in the courts to have the agreement reversed. Some called the annexed 23 square miles (60 km ) area "Occupied Chesterfield." Many black residents of Richmond also opposed the annexation, claiming that it violated
896-480: A convenient, strong, healthie and sweete site to plant a new towne (according as I had instructions upon my departure) there to build whence might be removed the principal site." Today known as Farrars Island, the site was on a neck of land with 5,000 acres (20 km ) and a shoreline of seven miles (11 km) on the James River. The English settlers soon built a palisade and moat-like ditch to protect entrance to
1024-536: A fashion similar to that practiced in England. Jamestown was located in James City Shire , soon renamed the "County of James City", better known in modern times as James City County, Virginia , the nation's oldest county. Another large-scale "Indian attack" occurred in 1644. In 1646 Opechancanough was captured, and while he was in custody an English guard shot him in the back—against orders—and killed him. Subsequently,
1152-757: A fierce warrior named Opechancanough , became head of the Powhatan Confederacy . As the English continued to appropriate more land for tobacco farming, relations with the natives worsened. Because of the high cost of the trans-Atlantic voyage at this time, many English settlers came to Jamestown as indentured servants : in exchange for the passage, room, board, and the promise of land or money, these immigrants would agree to work for three to seven years. Immigrants from continental Europe, mainly Germans, were usually redemptioners —they purchased some portion of their voyage on credit and, upon arrival, borrowed or entered into
1280-528: A fortified community inland on the Virginia Peninsula , about 8 miles (13 km) distant. When the statehouse burned again in 1698, this time accidentally, the legislature again temporarily relocated to Middle Plantation and was able to meet in the new facilities of the College of William & Mary , which had been established after receiving a royal charter in 1693. Rather than rebuilding at Jamestown again,
1408-593: A group of mine owners, including Nicholas Mills , Beverley Randolph and Abraham S. Wooldridge, resolved to build a tramway . (The Wooldridge brothers hailed from East Lothian and West Lothian in Scotland , and named their mining company Mid-Lothian, the source of the modern community name). In 1831, the Chesterfield Railroad opened as the first railroad in Virginia; it carried coal from mines near Falling Creek to
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#17328545569111536-564: A key defensive point for Confederate forces to block the Union 's vastly superior Navy from taking Richmond by way of the James River. During the Siege of Petersburg (1864–65), a long defensive works through the county was part of the Confederacy's Richmond-Petersburg line of land defenses. Railroad lines passing through Petersburg finally proved the key to the fall of Richmond in 1865, effectively ending
1664-528: A logical location, leaders in Norfolk began a campaign to have a celebration held there. The decision was made to locate the international exposition on a mile-long frontage at Sewell's Point near the mouth of Hampton Roads . This was about 30 miles (48 km) downstream from Jamestown in a rural section of Norfolk County . It was a site which could become accessible by both long-distance passenger railroads and local streetcar service, with considerable frontage on
1792-719: A major relief effort. The Germans who arrived with the second supply and a few others defected to the Powhatans, with weapons and equipment. The Germans even planned to join a rumored Spanish attack on the colony and urged the Powhatans to join it. The Spanish were driven off by the timely arrival in July 1609 of Captain Samuel Argall in Mary and John , a larger ship than the Spanish reconnaissance ship La Asunción de Cristo . Argall's voyage also prevented
1920-475: A new administrative headquarters and an academy here. Prior to the American Revolutionary War , a thriving port town named Warwick was located at the northwestern confluence of Falling Creek and the James River. It was destroyed during that war, and not rebuilt. (Near the present-day DuPont facility at Ampthill , the site is not open to the public.) Another early port town was Port Walthall on
2048-403: A new purpose-built flagship, Sea Venture , constructed and placed in the most experienced of hands, Christopher Newport. On June 2, 1609, Sea Venture set sail from Plymouth, England , as the flagship of a seven-ship fleet (towing two additional pinnaces ) destined for Jamestown as part of the third supply mission, carrying 214 settlers. On July 24, the fleet ran into a strong storm, likely
2176-623: A place which they named Cape Henry . Under orders to select a more secure location, they set about exploring what is now Hampton Roads and an outlet to the Chesapeake Bay which they named the James River in honor of King James I of England . Captain Edward Maria Wingfield was elected president of the governing council on April 25, 1607. On May 14, he selected a piece of land on a large peninsula some 40 miles (64 km) inland from
2304-405: A population that was 59% white and 41% black. Soon after the ward system was established, the city elected its first black mayor. Many political leaders have long believed that Virginia's annexation laws have created a barrier to regional cooperation among localities. The issues resulting from the 1970 Richmond-Chesterfield case were considered prime examples of obstacles to regional cooperation as
2432-841: A sales Office in New York. In 1877 the Brighthope Railway replaced the Clover Hill Railroad. In 1883, 83 employees worked for the Brighthope Mining Company. The mines were declining when the Brighthope Railway was founded. In 1890, the Norfolk and Western Railway brought in coal from a new coal mine in the Blue Ridge Mountains , the Pocahontas Coalfield which could provide coal more cheaply and ship
2560-594: A shipyard in Portsmouth , Virginia and placed on display at a new dock at Jamestown, where the largest, Susan Constant , could be boarded by visitors. On Jamestown Island, the reconstructed Jamestown Glasshouse , the Memorial Cross and the visitors center were completed and dedicated. A loop road was built around the island. Special events included army and navy reviews, air force fly-overs, ship and aircraft christenings and even an outdoor drama at Cape Henry , site of
2688-406: A store that was opened in 1926 to sell gasoline and food for automobile travelers after the railroad was converted into roads. The mining work was dangerous. In 1867, an explosion closed mine pits temporarily and a cholera epidemic slowed work. Methane explosions killed 17 and then 69 miners in 1859 and 1873 respectively. Two brothers, E. C and William Nunnally, were killed instantly an accident in
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#17328545569112816-456: A study conducted in 1985 by David Stahle and others, who obtained drawings of 800-year-old bald cypress trees along the Nottoway and Blackwater rivers. The lifespan of these trees is up to 1,000 years, and their rings offer a good indication of an area's annual amount of rainfall. The borings revealed that the worst drought in 700 years occurred between 1606 and 1612. This severe drought affected
2944-507: A toll highway which paralleled U.S. 1 and U.S. Route 301 between the northern edge of Richmond and the southern limits of Petersburg. Its portion through Chesterfield County was the longest section of its mileage. Conceived prior to the creation of the Interstate Highway System , the roadway was made toll-free in 1992. The former Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike forms a vital portion of Interstate 95 in central Virginia, including
3072-596: A work contract to pay the remainder of their voyage costs. In 1619, the first representative assembly in America, the General Assembly, convened in the Jamestown Church , "to establish one equal and uniform government over all Virginia" which would provide "just laws for the happy guiding and governing of the people there inhabiting." Initially, only men of English origin were permitted to vote. On June 30, 1619, in what
3200-538: Is a living-history park and museum located 1.25 miles (2.01 km) from the original location of the colony and adjacent to Jamestown Island. Initially created for the celebration of the 350th anniversary in 1957, Jamestown Settlement is operated by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, and largely sponsored by the Commonwealth of Virginia . The museum complex features a reconstruction of a Powhatan village,
3328-702: Is chartered through a state law that allows cities and counties to create industrial or economic development authorities with wide-ranging powers not available to local governments in order to facilitate economic development opportunities within the community. CEDA has the power to buy, sell and develop land for business parks or other economic development purposes. It can also build facilities for sale or lease to private companies; issue taxable and tax-exempt Industrial Revenue Bonds to provide financing for facilities and machinery and provide incentives to attract new companies to Chesterfield County or to induce existing companies to expand. Top 25 Private Employers According to
3456-548: Is much sooner forgotten than an insult." Many years later, Chesterfield Cigarettes were named after this county. In 1939 during the Great Depression , the Virginia State Police moved their offices from downtown Richmond to a seven-room farmhouse located on 65 acres (260,000 m ) of land 3½ miles west on route 60. This structure served as administrative headquarters and barracks. The State Police have since built
3584-544: Is now Chesterfield County. That year Falling Creek Ironworks , the first in what is now the United States, was established slightly west on the creek near its confluence with the James River . In the Indian Massacre of 1622 , Native Americans destroyed Henrico City and the ironworks to try to drive away the English. These were not rebuilt. The colony did not gain a college until 1693, when the College of William and Mary
3712-543: Is one of three locations composing the Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia , along with Williamsburg and Yorktown. Historic Jamestowne is the archaeological site on Jamestown Island and is a cooperative effort by Jamestown National Historic Site and Preservation Virginia . Jamestown Settlement, a living history interpretive site, is operated by the Jamestown Yorktown Foundation, a state agency of
3840-713: The Farmville and Powhatan Railroad , later renamed the Tidewater and Western Railroad , extended to Farmville in Prince Edward County . Although long gone, portions of the old rail bed may be seen along Beach Road near the entrance to Pocahontas State Park . A water stop station in the Park remains and Beach Station remains as a national historic landmark. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Drewry's Bluff became
3968-476: The Indian massacre of 1622 . More than 300 settlers were killed in the attack, about a third of the colony's English-speaking population. Dale's development at Henricus , which was to feature a college to educate the natives, and Wolstenholme Towne at Martin's Hundred , were both essentially wiped out. Jamestown was spared only through a timely warning by a Virginia Indian employee. There was not enough time to spread
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4096-456: The James River to the north and the Appomattox River to the south. Its county seat is Chesterfield Court House . Chesterfield County was formed in 1749 from parts of Henrico County . It was named for Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield , a prominent English statesman who had been the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland . As of the 2020 census , the population was 364,548 making it
4224-502: The National Voting Rights Act of 1965 . They said the city had deliberately diminished their voting power by adding the white voters of the annexed area, which diluted the black vote within the city. In 1970 the pre-annexation population of the city was 202,359, of which 104,207 or 52% were black citizens. The annexation added 47,262 people, of whom 45,705 were non-black and 1,557 were black. The total post-annexation population
4352-608: The Peninsula campaign , which began later that spring, Union forces under General George B. McClellan moved up the peninsula from Fort Monroe in an attempt to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. The Union forces captured Yorktown in April 1862, and the Battle of Williamsburg was fought the following month. With these developments, Jamestown and the lower James River were abandoned by
4480-532: The Roanoke Colony , established in 1585. Despite the dispatch of more supplies, only 60 of the original 214 settlers survived the 1609–1610 Starving Time . In mid-1610, the survivors abandoned Jamestown, though they returned after meeting a resupply convoy in the James River. Jamestown served as the colonial capital from 1616 until 1699. In August 1619, the first recorded slaves from Africa to British North America arrived at present-day Old Point Comfort , near
4608-715: The Southern Railway in 1894. It is now part of Norfolk Southern Railway . The Richmond and Petersburg Railroad became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad . In 1900, a mostly parallel line was built by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad , with a branch line to Hopewell . Through the restructuring of the railroad industry beginning in 1960, the CSX Transportation system eventually absorbed parts of both these lines. Manchester (directly across
4736-405: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 437 square miles (1,130 km ), of which 423 square miles (1,100 km ) is land and 14 square miles (36 km ) (3.1%) is water. Chesterfield County is largely bordered by two rivers which define miles of its boundaries. The major adjoining cities each originated at the head of navigation of these rivers, called the fall line . There,
4864-530: The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) built interstate, primary and secondary highways throughout the 20th century, they quickly filled with traffic as the population and use of autos increased. Customary funding sources were insufficient to raise the monies needed for highway construction. Opened in 1958 and funded through toll revenue bonds , the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike was
4992-415: The canals , turnpikes , bridges and railroads in Virginia, including the area which is now West Virginia . The Board partially engineered and funded new turnpikes, which were operated by private companies to collect tolls . The Manchester and Petersburg Turnpike, which preceded much of the current Jefferson Davis Highway (U.S. Routes 1–301), was one of these. To improve access to markets, in 1825,
5120-470: The coal mining area of Midlothian near the headwaters of Falling Creek and the James River port of Manchester . The current Midlothian Turnpike ( U.S. Route 60 ) generally follows the earlier route. Created in 1816, the Virginia Board of Public Works was a governmental agency which oversaw and helped finance the development of Virginia's internal transportation improvements, including canals, during
5248-496: The 1730s, the coal fueled the production of cannon at Westham (near the present Huguenot Memorial Bridge ) during the American Revolutionary War . In 1831, the Chesterfield Railroad was constructed to transport coal by gravity and mule power to Manchester, Virginia on the south side of the James River across from Richmond, Virginia . From the 1740s through the 1800s rivers above the Fall Line were used for transportation to
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5376-529: The 174-yard (159 m) wide neck from the shore area. Dale named the new settlement Henricus in honor of Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales , the elder son and heir apparent of King James I . When finished in 1619, "Henricus Citie" contained three streets of well-framed houses, a church, storehouses, a hospital, and watchtowers. 1619 was a watershed year for the Virginia Colony . Henrico and three other large citties (sic) were formed, one of which included what
5504-523: The 1750s, when it was abandoned. By the mid-18th century, the land was heavily cultivated, primarily by the Travis and Ambler families. In 1831, David Bullock purchased Jamestown from the Travis and Ambler families. During the American Civil War , in 1861 Confederate William Allen , who owned the Jamestown Island, occupied Jamestown with troops he raised at his own expense with the intention of blockading
5632-558: The 1958 report Archaeological Excavations at Jamestown . In the present time, as part of the Colonial National Historical Park , the Jamestown Island area is home to two heritage tourism sites related to the original fort and town. Nearby, the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry service provides a link across the navigable portion of the James River for vehicles and affords passengers a view of Jamestown Island from
5760-556: The 19th century. In that era, it was customary to invest public funds in private companies, which were the forerunners of the public service and utility companies of modern times. Claudius Crozet (1789–1864), a civil engineer and educator who helped found the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), was Principal Engineer and later Chief Engineer for the Board of Public Works. He supervised the planning and construction of many of
5888-476: The 20th century, including one in 1944. The city tried to annex more of the county in 1970, an action that created controversy. While the annexation lawsuit filed by Richmond in 1965 was being heard, with the city seeking 51 square miles (132 km ) of the county, the leaders of the two jurisdictions, Irvin G. Horner, Chairman of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, and Phil J. Bagley, Jr.,
6016-473: The Atlantic Ocean as a prime location for a fortified settlement. The river channel was a defensible strategic point due to a curve in the river, and it was close to the land, making it navigable and offering enough land for piers or wharves to be built in the future. Perhaps the most favorable fact about the location was that it was uninhabited because the leaders of the nearby indigenous nations considered
6144-460: The Chesterfield residents were committed to individual auto use for most local, commuter, and through transportation of people. With the increases in population, traffic, and poor air quality, some residents have asked the county to fund commuter bus services. Further complicating the issue is the general lack of sidewalks along most roads, adding to residents' dependence on motor vehicles. Although
6272-517: The Commonwealth of Virginia. Spain, Portugal, and France moved quickly to establish a presence in the New World , while other European countries moved more slowly. The English did not attempt to found colonies until many decades after the explorations of John Cabot , and early efforts were failures—most notably the Roanoke Colony , which vanished about 1590. In 1606, English colonists set sail with
6400-660: The Confederates. Some of the forces from Jamestown and the crew of Virginia relocated to Drewry's Bluff , a fortified and strategic position high above the river about 8 miles (13 km) below Richmond. There they successfully blocked the Union Navy from reaching the Confederate capital. Once in Federal hands, Jamestown became a meeting place for runaway slaves, who burned the Ambler house, an 18th-century plantation house, which along with
6528-623: The East with Ports on the Atlantic Ocean . A canal was built in the Manchester section of Chesterfield to enable transporting coal around the James River falls. Portions are extant and may be seen near the south end of Richmond's Mayo Bridge . The Manchester Turnpike in Chesterfield County, completed in 1807, was the first graveled roadway of any length in Virginia. The toll road ran between
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#17328545569116656-488: The James Fort as it was c. 1610 –1614, and seagoing replicas of the three ships that brought the first settlers, Susan Constant , Godspeed , Discovery . With the national independence of the United States established by the end of the 18th century, Jamestown came to be looked at as a starting point. Its founding in 1607 has been regularly commemorated, with the most notable events being held every fifty years. The bicentennial of Jamestown on May 13–14, 1807,
6784-406: The James River and Richmond from the Union Navy. He was joined by Lieutenant Catesby ap Roger Jones , who directed the building of batteries and conducted ordnance and armor tests for the first Confederate ironclad warship , CSS Virginia , which was under construction at the Gosport Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth in late 1861 and early 1862. Jamestown had a peak force of 1,200 men. During
6912-446: The James River flows east to Richmond and then turns almost due south below the fall line for about 8 miles (13 km) before turning east, Henrico County encompasses much of Richmond's West End , North Side , and East End areas. Chesterfield County borders on the Appomattox River to the south. Much of the southern and eastern portions of the county are considered part of the Tri-Cities area, which includes Petersburg, located at
7040-408: The James River from the City of Richmond ) was the county seat of Chesterfield County from 1870 until 1876, when it was moved to the present location at Chesterfield Court House. The City of Manchester had meanwhile left Chesterfield in 1874 to become an independent city and merged with the City of Richmond by mutual agreement in 1910. It is now known as a part of South Richmond. Colonial Heights
7168-466: The Jamestown Rediscovery staff. Visitors can also often observe archaeologists from the Jamestown Rediscovery Project at work, as archaeological work at the site continues. As of 2014 , the archaeological work and studies are ongoing. In addition to their newsletter and website, new discoveries are frequently reported in the local newspaper, the Virginia Gazette based in nearby Williamsburg, and by other news media, often worldwide. Jamestown Settlement
7296-432: The Jamestown colonists and Powhatan tribe's ability to produce food and obtain a safe supply of water. The settlers also arrived too late in the year to get crops planted. Many in the group were either gentlemen or their manservants, both equally unaccustomed to the hard labor demanded by the harsh task of carving out a viable colony. One of these was Robert Hunt , a former vicar of Reculver , England, who celebrated
7424-445: The Jamestown colony, on a British privateer ship flying a Dutch flag. The approximately 20 Africans from present-day Angola , had been removed by the British crew from a Portuguese slave ship. They most likely worked in the tobacco fields, under a system of race-based indentured servitude . The modern conception of slavery in the British colonies was formalized in 1640, and fully entrenched in Virginia by 1660. In 1676, Jamestown
7552-408: The Jamestown settlers was believed to have been long ago swallowed by the James River . The general area in James City County near Jamestown was also considered unsuitable, as it was not very accessible in the day of rail travel before automobiles were common. As the tricentennial of the 1607 Founding of the Jamestown neared, around 1904, despite an assumption in some quarters that Richmond would be
7680-477: The Jamestown society organized a celebration marking the 250th anniversary of Jamestown's founding. According to the Richmond Enquirer , the site for the celebration was on 10 acres (40,000 m ) on the spot where some of the colonists' houses were originally built. However, it is also speculated that the celebration was moved further east on the island closer to the Travis grave site, in order to avoid damaging Major William Allen 's corn fields. The attendance
7808-415: The Mayor of Richmond, met privately and agreed to a compromise. In May 1969, the city and Chesterfield County approved what was called the Horner-Bagley Compromise, incorporated in a court decree of July 12, 1969. This effectively shut out a number of third parties attempting to block the annexation, and they believed they had been excluded from the process. A small commuter bus company held operating rights in
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#17328545569117936-407: The NPS's excavations at Jamestown. In 1954, John L. Cotter took charge of field projects at Jamestown, conducted with the site's 350th anniversary (1957) in mind. Cotter worked with Edward B. Jelks and Harrington to survey the area's colonial sites. In 1957 Cotter and J. Paul Hudson co-authored New Discoveries at Jamestown . Cotter contributed, along with Jelks, Georg Neumann, and Johnny Hack, to
8064-557: The Powhatan Confederacy began to decline. Opechancanough's successor signed the first peace treaties between the Powhatan Indians and the English. The treaties required the Powhatan to pay yearly tribute payment to the English and confined them to reservations. A generation later, during Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, Jamestown was burned and eventually rebuilt. During its recovery, the Virginia legislature met first at Governor William Berkeley 's nearby Green Spring Plantation , and later at Middle Plantation , which had been started in 1632 as
8192-490: The Prince of Sweden, Mark Twain , Henry H. Rogers , and dozens of other dignitaries and famous persons. A major naval review featuring the United States' Great White Fleet was a key feature. U.S. Military officials and leaders were impressed by the location, and the Exposition site later formed the first portion of the large U.S. Naval Station Norfolk in 1918 during World War I . With America's increased access to automobiles, and with improved roads and transportation, it
8320-508: The Richmond area's high-speed open lanes, enabling vehicles to travel through at highway speeds with a Smart Tag or other compatible electronic toll collection transponder. The large, planned community of Brandermill , which includes a conference center, was named in 1977 the "best planned community in America" by Better Homes and Gardens magazine and the National Association of Homebuilders . The Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC), metro Richmond's bus transit organization, unveiled
8448-416: The Route 111 bus line in March 2020. The route runs 7.6 miles, from north of the Chippenham Parkway interchange to Brightpoint Community College in Chester. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is planning two superstreets in Chesterfield County to address left turns at high traffic volume intersections. Anticipated completion is in 2022. The Chesterfield County Planning Department oversees
8576-453: The Spanish from gaining knowledge of the weakness of the colony. Don Pedro de Zúñiga, the Spanish ambassador to England, was desperately seeking this information (in addition to spies) in order to get Philip III of Spain to authorize an attack on the colony. The investors of the Virginia Company of London expected to reap rewards from their speculative investments. With the second supply, they expressed their frustrations and made demands upon
8704-535: The Starving Time was John Rolfe , who carried with him a cache of untested tobacco seeds from Bermuda, which had grown wild there after being planted by shipwrecked Spaniards years before. In 1614, Rolfe began to successfully harvest tobacco. Prosperous and wealthy, he married Pocahontas, bringing several years of peace between the English and natives. However, at the end of a public relations trip to England, Pocahontas became sick and died on March 21, 1617. The following year, her father also died. Powhatan's brother,
8832-428: The War. A normal school founded by the state after the American Civil War primarily to help educate freed men eventually became Virginia State University , located in the Ettrick area near Petersburg and Colonial Heights . The U.S. Government rebuilt damaged railroads. After Reconstruction , Chesterfield County used Convict lease to build roads in 1878. The Richmond and Danville Railroad became part of
8960-457: The West with James River bateau , which could carry about a ton, and boats several times larger from Eppington . The Appomattox River on the Southern border was the lower end of the Upper Appomattox Canal Navigation System connecting to Farmville, Virginia . The James River and Kanawha Canal on the northern border of Chesterfield connected past the Blue Ridge Mountains . Port Walthall connected ships that carried more than 200 tonnes to
9088-407: The annexed area were unhappy about this change, as Richmond Public Schools was already involved in a contentious racial desegregation lawsuit in the Federal courts because of its failure to integrate. The transferred schools included Huguenot High School , Fred D. Thompson Middle School, Elkhardt Middle School, and eight elementary schools. In 1971, the federal court ordered these schools included in
9216-402: The capital of the colony was moved permanently to Middle Plantation in 1699. The town was renamed Williamsburg , to honor the reigning monarch, King William III . A capitol building and "Governor's Palace" were erected there in the following years. After the move of the capital to Williamsburg, Jamestown declined. Those who lived in the general area attended services at Jamestown's church until
9344-409: The coal on a larger standard gauge, class one railroad. This brought an end to the success of the Clover Hill Pits. Slave owners leased their African slaves to be miners in the Clover Hill Pits. Slave owners would collect pay for the mining work as part of the lease agreements. Because the slave owner would suffer financial loss at the death of the slave, they purchased insurance policies that would pay
9472-579: The colonists, a historic drought and the communal nature of their workload, progress through the first few years was inconsistent. By 1613, six years after Jamestown's founding, the organizers and shareholders of the Virginia Company were desperate to increase the efficiency and profitability of the struggling colony. Without stockholder consent the Governor, Sir Thomas Dale , assigned 3-acre (12,000 m ) plots to its " ancient planters " and smaller plots to
9600-752: The colonists. Jamestown was located in James Cittie . Of the first documented African slaves to arrive in English North America , on the frigate White Lion in August 1619, were an African man and woman, later named Antoney and Isabella. Listed in the 1624 census in Virginia, they became the first African family recorded in Jamestown. Their baby, named William Tucker, became the first documented African child baptized in British North America. Another of
9728-490: The colony more self-sufficient. After Smith was forced to return to England because of an explosion which gave him deep burn wounds during a trading expedition, the colony was led by George Percy , who proved incompetent in negotiating with the native tribes. There are indications that those in London comprehended and embraced Smith's message. The third supply mission of 1609 was by far the largest and best equipped. They also had
9856-402: The controversy surrounding annexations in Virginia, in 1987, the General Assembly placed a moratorium on future annexations of any county by any city. When this moratorium expires, Chesterfield County remains immune from annexation by Richmond because of the 1981 state grant of immunity. Unless new revenue sharing or other agreements are reached, the county is at risk to annexation suits by any of
9984-471: The county from both cities, the county did not fund transit bus service when the large systems in Richmond and Petersburg converted to governmentally subsidized operations in the 1970s. Privately owned suburban bus services, such as that operated by Virginia Overland Transportation could not operate profitably, even when funded with start-up money through state demonstration program grants. County leaders believed
10112-489: The county, but the expanded city granted the franchise to a competitor. Richmond annexed 23 square miles (60 km ) of the county, including fire stations, parks, and other infrastructure, such as water and sewer lines. Under the agreement, the county school system also conveyed about a dozen public schools , support buildings, and future school sites to the City of Richmond to be operated by Richmond Public Schools . Residents of
10240-537: The docks at the fall line on the James River. By the early 1850s, railroad lines connecting these areas included the Richmond and Danville Railroad (R&D) (which put the Chesterfield Railroad out of business) and the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad . They were both completed before the American Civil War , in which they provided important transportation for Southern supplies and men. The Clover Hill Railroad
10368-466: The early enslaved Africans to be purchased at the settlement was Angela , who worked for Captain William Peirce. After several years of strained coexistence, Chief Opechancanough and his Powhatan Confederacy attempted to eliminate the English colony once and for all. On the morning of March 22, 1622, they attacked outlying plantations and communities up and down the James River in what became known as
10496-657: The exit for State Route 150 (Chippenham Parkway) and includes major exits for U.S. Route 60 west of Richmond, and State Route 288 in the Midlothian area. The southern terminus of State Route 76 is near the Brandermill development. Today the Powhite Parkway features a new highspeed toll system that allows smart-tag and e-z pass holders to travel through at speeds of 45–50 mph. The Pocahontas Parkway, an 8.8-mile (14.2 km) toll road known as State Route 895 , connects
10624-600: The fall line. Jamestown, Virginia The Jamestown settlement in the Colony of Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas . It was located on the northeast bank of the James River , about 2.5 mi (4 km) southwest of present-day Williamsburg . It was established by the London Company as "James Fort" on May 4, 1607 O.S. (May 14, 1607 N.S. ), and considered permanent, after brief abandonment in 1610. It followed failed attempts, including
10752-446: The first known Anglican Eucharist in the territory of the future United States on June 21, 1607. Two-thirds of the settlers died before ships arrived in 1608 with supplies and German and Polish craftsmen , who helped to establish the first manufactories in the colony. As a result, glassware became the foremost American products to be exported to Europe at the time. Clapboard had already been sent back to England beginning with
10880-627: The first landing of the settlers. This celebration continued from April 1 to November 30 with over a million participants, including dignitaries and politicians such as the British Ambassador and U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon . The highlight for many of the nearly 25,000 at the Festival Park on October 16, 1957, was the visit and speech of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and her consort, Prince Philip . Queen Elizabeth II loaned
11008-617: The first returning ship. The delivery of supplies in 1608 on the first and second supply missions of Captain Newport had also added to the number of hungry settlers. It seemed certain at that time that the colony at Jamestown would meet the same fate as earlier English attempts to settle in North America, specifically the Roanoke Colony (Lost Colony) and the Popham Colony , unless there was
11136-484: The fourth-most populous county in Virginia (behind Fairfax , Prince William , and Loudoun , respectively). Chesterfield County is part of the Greater Richmond Region , and the county refers to much of the northern portion of the county as " North Chesterfield ". During the early 17th century, shortly after the settlement of Jamestown in 1607, English settlers and explorers began settling other areas. One of
11264-411: The harbor of Hampton Roads. This latter feature proved ideal for the naval delegations which came from points all around the world. The Jamestown Exposition of 1907 was one of the many world's fairs and expositions that were popular in the early part of the 20th century. Held from April 26, 1907, to December 1, 1907, attendees included US President Theodore Roosevelt , Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany,
11392-425: The hillier and rockier Piedmont region falls to the sandy and mostly flat eastern coastal plain Tidewater region, a change which creates barriers for ships going upstream on the rivers. Chesterfield County includes areas of both regions. Richmond and Manchester were formed at the fall line of the James River. Most of the northern portion of Chesterfield County is part of what is called Richmond's "South Side" . As
11520-536: The historical significance of the colonial sites of the Peninsula. Williamsburg, a sleepy but populated town of shops and homes, was still celebrating Civil War events. However, as the new century dawned, thoughts turned to the upcoming 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (now known as Preservation Virginia ) started the movement in 1900 by calling for
11648-603: The junction of Interstate 95 and State Route 150 in Chesterfield County with Interstate 295 near Richmond International Airport in Henrico County , forming part of a southeastern bypass of Richmond. The roadway features the high-level Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge over the shipping channel of the James River downstream from the deep-water Port of Richmond, to allow ample clearance for ocean-going vessels. Although Route 895 had been planned for many years, sufficient state and federal construction funds were not available at
11776-574: The leaders of Jamestown in written form. They specifically demanded that the colonists send commodities sufficient to pay the cost of the voyage, a lump of gold, assurance that they had found the South Sea, and one member of the lost Roanoke Colony. It fell to the third president of the council, Captain John Smith , to deliver a bold and much-needed wake-up call in response to the investors in London, demanding practical laborers and craftsmen who could help make
11904-499: The leather from shoes for sustenance. Only 60 of the original 214 settlers at Jamestown survived. There is historical and scientific evidence that the settlers at Jamestown had turned to cannibalism during the starving time. The ships from Bermuda arrived in Jamestown on May 23, 1610. Many of the surviving colonists were near death, and Jamestown was judged to be unviable. Everyone was boarded onto Deliverance and Patience , which set sail for England. However, on June 10, 1610,
12032-563: The mansion that evening. Also during the festivities, students of the College of William & Mary gave orations. An old barn on the island was used as a temporary theater, where a company of players from Norfolk performed. Attending were many dignitaries, politicians, and historians. The celebration concluded on May 14 with a dinner and toast at the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg. In 1857,
12160-462: The mine. The accident occurred at the Clover Hill pits on February 28, 1874. Heavy Timbers that held up the earth above them snapped. The breaking of the timbers caused them to be crushed by the falling earth. Chesterfield County, Virginia Chesterfield County is a county located just south of Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia . The county's borders are primarily defined by
12288-515: The more progressive developments in the colony was Henricus , founded under the guidance of Sir Thomas Dale . It was to include a college to help educate Virginia Indians , as well as the children of settlers. Dale was accompanied by men known as the "Hammours". These veterans of the Low Country wars were heavily armed and better trained than settlers of Jamestown. Dale wrote about the site: "Eighty miles up our river from Jamestown, I have surveyed
12416-498: The north shore of the Appomattox River , near the current Point-of-Rocks Park. Coal mining in the Midlothian area of Chesterfield County began in the 18th century. Around 1701, French Huguenot settlers to the area discovered coal. In a 1709 diary entry William Byrd II , the wealthy planter who had purchased 344 acres (1.4 km ) of land in the area, noted that "the coaler found the coal mine very good and sufficient to furnish several generations". Commercially mined beginning in
12544-573: The northernmost portion of Interstate 85 near Petersburg. The Powhite Parkway Extension of the Powhite Parkway in Richmond, Virginia (a toll road operated by the Richmond Metropolitan Authority ) was built and opened in 1988. The extension in Chesterfield County is operated by and the tolls are collected by VDOT. (The entire route in Richmond and Chesterfield is signed as Virginia State Route 76). The county extension begins at
12672-699: The ocean to the Northern States. In 1848 the Clover Hill Railroad had produced 56,000 tons of coal for export and 22,000 tons for use in Richmond and Petersburg. The Clover Hill Pitts had several mining sites, the Brighthope Pit, the Halls pit and Racoon Pit. The company spread outside of Virginia. In 1876, Bituminous Coal from the Clover Hill Railroad Company was advertised in the Coal and Coal Trade Journal from
12800-468: The old church was one of the few remaining signs of old Jamestown. When Allen sent men to assess the damage in late 1862, they were killed by the former slaves. Following the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Courthouse , the oath of allegiance was administered to former Confederate soldiers at Jamestown. In the years after the Civil War, Jamestown became quiet and peaceful once again. In 1892, Jamestown
12928-480: The parameters and scope of several economic development projects submitted in the county, including the development and implementation of the county's Master Plan that guides growth and commerce. The Planning Department introduced an online system in April 2020 to allow the submission and review of development plans via email. The county launched the new Community Facilities and Infrastructure tool in June 2020, which allows
13056-556: The pinnaces Deliverance and Patience . The original plan was to build only one vessel, Deliverance , but it soon became evident that it would not be large enough to carry the settlers and all of the food (salted pork) that was being sourced on the islands. While the third supply was stranded in Bermuda, the colony at Jamestown was in even worse shape. The settlers faced rampant starvation for want of additional provisions. During this time, lack of food drove people to eat snakes and even boil
13184-416: The popular Jamestown Ferry and a portion of State Route 31 were relocated. Major projects were developed by non-profit, state and federal agencies. Jamestown Festival Park was established by the Commonwealth of Virginia adjacent to the entrance to Jamestown Island. Full-sized replicas of the three ships that brought the colonists, Susan Constant , Godspeed , and Discovery were constructed at
13312-515: The remaining 1,500 acres (610 hectares) portion of Jamestown Island which had been under private ownership by the Vermillion family. The National Park Service partnered with Preservation Virginia to preserve the area and present it to visitors in an educational manner. On June 5, 1936, the national monument was re-designated a national historical park and became known as Colonial National Historical Park . Beginning in 1936, J.C. Harrington worked on
13440-531: The river. In 1996, Historic Jamestowne gained renewed importance when the Jamestown Rediscovery project began excavations in search of the original James Fort site, originally in preparation for the quadricentennial of Jamestown's founding. The primary goal of the archaeological campaign was to locate archaeological remains of "the first years of settlement at Jamestown, especially of the earliest fortified town; [and the] subsequent growth and development of
13568-400: The settlement's later arrivals. Measurable economic progress was made, and the settlers began expanding their planting to land belonging to local native tribes. That this turnaround coincided with the end of a drought that had begun the year before the English settlers' arrival probably indicates multiple factors were involved besides the colonists' ineptitude. Among the colonists who survived
13696-503: The site too poor and remote for agriculture . The island was swampy and isolated, and it offered limited space, was plagued by mosquitoes, and afforded only brackish tidal river water unsuitable for drinking. The Jamestown settlers arrived in Virginia during a severe drought, according to a research study conducted by the Jamestown Archaeological Assessment (JAA) team in the 1990s. The JAA analyzed information from
13824-503: The smaller independent cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell, and Petersburg which adjoin it. Beginning especially in the second half of the 20th century, Chesterfield grew exponentially, most of all as a commuter town of Richmond. The Richmond-Petersburg Interurban Electric Railway , local streetcar service, and commuter rail service of the Southern Railway to Bon Air had all ended by 1957. Although some bus routes extended into
13952-490: The state legislators considered changes. In 1979, the Virginia General Assembly adopted legislation that allowed any county meeting certain population and density standards to petition the local circuit court to declare the county permanently immune from annexation. In 1981, Chesterfield County and several other counties in the state sought and received such immunity from further annexation by Richmond. Recognizing
14080-622: The time of construction, but the state encouraged innovative funding. In 1995, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Public-Private Transportation Act, to allow private entities to propose solutions for designing, constructing, financing and operating transportation improvements. A public-private partnership developed a proposal acceptable to the state. Since construction, the partnership has collected tolls to recover costs. The toll collection facility features one of
14208-411: The timely arrival of another relief fleet , bearing Governor Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (who would eventually give his name to the colony of Delaware ), which met the two ships as they descended the James River, granted Jamestown a reprieve. The colonists called this The Day of Providence . The fleet brought supplies and additional settlers. All the settlers returned to the colony, though there
14336-460: The town". Visitors to Historic Jamestowne can view the site of the original 1607 James Fort, the 17th-century church tower and the site of the 17th-century town, as well as tour an archaeological museum called the Archaearium and view many of the close to two million artifacts found by Jamestown Rediscovery. They also may participate in living history ranger tours and archaeological tours given by
14464-472: The tracking of information related to the county's capital improvement plan including data regarding school enrollment. The Chesterfield Economic Development Authority (CEDA), a seven-member board appointed by the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, works in conjunction with the Department of Economic Development to create new jobs, expand the tax base and diversify the economy of Chesterfield County. CEDA
14592-489: The value of the slave to the owner in case of accidental death in the dangerous mines. The mining company also hired whites and hired free people of color . Many of the miners lived in a town named Winterpock . Winterpock had over 1000 residents in 1870, but as mining dwindled the community of miners became smaller. All that exists of the town today is the Reformed Baptist Church of Richmond established in 1825 and
14720-399: The word to the outposts. Of the 6,000 people who came to the settlement between 1608 and 1624, only 3,400 survived. In 1624, King James revoked the Virginia Company's charter, and Virginia became a royal colony . Despite the setbacks, the colony continued to grow. Ten years later, in 1634, by order of King Charles I , the colony was divided into the original eight shires of Virginia , in
14848-444: Was 249,621 and 42% black. The plaintiffs prevailed in federal court. The city created an electoral ward system to ensure blacks did not lose their voting power, changing what had been a system of electing all city council positions at large (by which the majority population would more easily prevail). Under the ward system, four wards had a predominantly white population, four wards had a predominantly black population, and one ward had
14976-656: Was active with the Virginia Historical Society , founded the Jamestowne Society for descendants of stockholders in the Virginia Company of London and the descendants of those who owned land or who had domiciles in Jamestown or on Jamestown Island prior to 1700. Colonial National Monument was authorized and established by the U.S. Congress in 1930. In 1934, the National Park Service obtained
15104-511: Was awarded a royal charter in the capital. In 1634, the King of England directed the formation of eight shires (or counties ) in the colony of Virginia. One of these was Henrico County , which incorporated a large area on both sides of the James River. On May 25, 1749, the Virginia House of Burgesses separated Chesterfield from Henrico County and created the new county. The first county seat
15232-466: Was built to haul coal, mined in Chesterfield at the Clover Hill Pits to ports at Osborne's Landing. This railroad was replaced by the Brighthope Railway , which was, in 1881, narrowed into a narrow gauge railroad and rerouted to the tiny village of Bermuda Hundred , a port on the James River near the mouth of the Appomattox River . The Brighthope Railway was sold in foreclosure and restructured as
15360-476: Was called the Grand National Jubilee. Over 3,000 people attended the event, many arriving on vessels which anchored in the river off the island. May 13 was the opening day of the festival, which began with a procession which marched to the graveyard of the old church, where the attending bishop delivered the prayer. The procession then moved to the Travis mansion, where the celebrants dined and danced in
15488-604: Was deliberately burned during Bacon's Rebellion , though it was rebuilt. In 1699, the colonial capital was moved to present-day Williamsburg, Virginia . In the 18th century, Jamestown ceased to exist as a settlement and remains as an archaeological site, Jamestown Rediscovery , which houses museums and historical sites, including the Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum in Yorktown. Jamestown
15616-509: Was established at Chesterfield Court House . It has continued as county seat except for 1870–1876, during Reconstruction , when the county government was located at Manchester . The latter community has been subsumed by South Richmond. The legislature named the county for the former British Secretary of State , Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield . Lord Chesterfield was famous for his "good manners and writings". One of his most frequently used sayings implies avoiding rudeness; "An injury
15744-457: Was estimated at between 6,000 and 8,000 people. Sixteen large steam ships anchored offshore in the James River and were gaily decorated with streamers. Former US President John Tyler of nearby Sherwood Forest Plantation gave a 2½ hour speech, and there were military displays, a grand ball and fireworks. The 100th anniversary of the Surrender at Yorktown in 1781 had generated a new interest in
15872-538: Was feasible for the 350th anniversary celebration to be held at Jamestown itself in 1957. Although erosion had cut off the land bridge between Jamestown Island and the mainland, the isthmus was restored and new access provided by the completion of the National Park Service's Colonial Parkway which led to Williamsburg and Yorktown , the other two portions of Colonial Virginia's Historic Triangle . There were also improvements of state highways. The north landing for
16000-431: Was formerly an incorporated town in Chesterfield County and became an independent city in 1948. Over half a century later, the two neighbors continued to share provision of some governmental services. Chesterfield County shares borders with three independent cities and was long exposed to annexation suits from any of them under Virginia law. The county lost territory to the City of Richmond through several annexations in
16128-464: Was purchased by Edward Barney. The following year, Barney donated 22½ acres of land, including the ruined church tower, to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, now known as Preservation Virginia . By this time, erosion from the river had eaten away the island's western shore. Visitors began to conclude that the site of James Fort lay completely underwater. With federal assistance,
16256-414: Was still a critical shortage of food. Relations between the colonists and the Powhatans quickly deteriorated after De La Warr's arrival, eventually leading to conflict. The Anglo-Powhatan War lasted until Samuel Argall captured Wahunsenacawh's daughter Matoaka, better known by her nickname Pocahontas , after which the chief accepted a treaty of peace. Due to the aristocratic backgrounds of many of
16384-578: Was the first recorded strike in Colonial America , the Polish artisans protested and refused to work if not allowed to vote. On July 21, 1619, the court granted the Poles equal voting rights . Afterwards, the labor strike was ended, and the artisans resumed their work. Individual land ownership was also instituted, and the colony was divided into four large "boroughs" or "incorporations" called "citties" by
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