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From many spots on Brown's Island, the remains of the Richmond and Petersburg railroad bridge are visible. This was the railroad that brought Jefferson Davis to the city to be inaugurated as the President of the Confederacy in 1861. When the city fell to the Union army four years later, all of the James River bridges, including the R&P, were burned. Born in a slave cabin, John Jasper became one of the most famous preachers of his time. Freed by emancipation in 1865 at the age of 53, he founded the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church in one of the buildings that had housed the Confederate Laboratory on Brown's Island.
Venture Richmond hosting Halloween canal tours in ‘haunted’ downtown - WRIC ABC 8News
Venture Richmond hosting Halloween canal tours in ‘haunted’ downtown.
Posted: Thu, 01 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Location & Hours
Being on the water as much as we are, we can assure you that watching the sun’s golden glow against the city as the sun gradually retires for the night is a view that will simply never get old. It’s an easy hike and it’s very enjoyable, especially the murals at the one-time hydroelectric plant. Cross the footbridge back over the canal at the 1.9-mile mark and re-trace your steps. This allows you a second opportunity to ogle the colorful murals. All things change when you look at them from different points of view.
Learn a little more about our Riverfront Canal Cruises Operations Manager, Alex Dahm!
I took this route, but honestly, I think your best bet is to re-trace your steps across Brown’s Island and back to the parking area. In April, October and November, 40-minute cruises are offered Thursday through Sunday. Tickets are $12 for adults ( ages 12+) and $8 for seniors and children.
History Medallions on the Canal Walk
On your voyage, you might spy cranes, turtles, herons and (if you’re really lucky) eagles. This is an entirely new way to experience downtown Richmond and the Riverfront and its exhilarating to look at the familiar with a new lens, be that historical or just literally being on the historical canal. Bridges and ferry launches have stood at 14th Street since Richmond's earliest days. The city's first bridge across the James River, a toll bridge named after its owner, John Mayo, was completed in 1788. In 1865, Mayo's bridge was burned by the Confederate army as it evacuated the city. As the Confederates evacuated Richmond in 1865, they deliberately torched bridges, warehouses and arsenals to keep them from the Union army.
Perfect for Large Groups
The bridge was replaced in 1972 by the Manchester Bridge, which includes a legally mandated free walkway. These improvements ushered in the heyday of the James River and Kanawha Canal in Richmond. During the 1850s — and peaking in 1860 — canal traffic was at its busiest. As many as 195 boats regularly traversed the waters, bringing goods such as tobacco and wheat from western Virginia to market, and returning home with finished goods from the city. Trade in rush hour for golden hour as you watch the sun set upon the city.
The canal boat tours of the James River and Kanawha Canal operate throughout the season, seven days a week from May through September, and with varying hours in April, October and November. There is an RVA Bike Share location and a taphouse at the 1.8-mile mark, as well as a kiosk for tour guide-led cruises along the scenic riverfront canal. At the 0.7-mile mark, just east of 11th Street, you’ll reach my favorite part of the Canal Walk. The covered boats seat 35 guests and tours leave every hour from the Turning Basin, between 14th and Dock streets on Virginia Street.
Riverfront Canal Cruises in Richmond
For years, the only river crossing for vehicles and pedestrians was Mayo's toll bridge, at 14th Street. Complaints about the tolls eventually led to the opening of Richmond's first “free” bridge in 1873. The day after it opened, thousands crowded onto the Free Bridge to watch the Reverend John Jasper conduct a large group-baptism ceremony in the river.
Eerie Canal Halloween Cruises
Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains. Brown's Island was created when the Haxall Canal was extended west to the Tredegar Iron Works. Encircled by waterways that provided power and transportation to flour mills, foundries and paper companies, Brown's Island has been at the center of Richmond's industrial activities for more than 200 years.
One of the largest mills in America, the Haxall-Crenshaw was surpassed only by the Gallego Mill, located a few blocks away. Gary L. Flowers provides walking tours of Historic Jackson Ward featuring 20 stops in the downtown neighborhood of his hometown of Richmond, Virginia. Tours include historic, educational, economic, religious and social institutions that inspired the name "Black Wall Street" and "The Harlem of the South." The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown Richmond in the Court End neighborhood, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of our city. Once scheduled, cruises can be canceled up to 7 days in advance without penalty.
In 1742, the town was no more than a fifth of a mile square, with 250 merchants, laborers, fishermen and boatsmen. During the Civil War, the hazardous work of loading powder was carried out on Brown's Island because of its separation from the city by water. On March 13, 1864, a huge explosion in the laboratory killed 46 workers - mostly women whom hard times had forced into this dangerous occupation. Explore some of downtown Richmond's most historic neighborhoods, like Court End, Shockoe Bottom, Shockoe Slip and more, on these engaging and illuminating tours of Richmond's past by The Valentine. RVATukTuk offers tours and rides all around Richmond on their fleet of electric-powered, three-wheeled open-air vehicles. The American Civil War Museum is more than a collection of artifacts and relics.
It would also be so exciting to see a Canal Walk that is even more connective to the natural environment, the various trail systems, and the city. Also, A canal walk that has increased commercial activity without sacrificing its unique charm. From Colonial times through World War II, Richmond was a center for tobacco inspection and processing.
The boats can be outfitted with tables of various sizes that can accommodate light refreshments or a more formal, catered meal (catering is not provided by Riverfront Canal Cruises). Stopping at different cruise ports during a Panama Canal crossing makes it easy to savor the varied flavors of these countries, each with its own signature spice and tang. The thrill is not over after you go through the canal locks, there's more to see as you travel through the canal, with tropical flora and fauna adorning the way. You'll get to see other ships as they cross, too, giving you a different vantage point and a new way of learning how the canal works. Cross foggy suspended bridges or zip-line along the treetops at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve near Puntarenas, Costa Rica, where local travel guides take you deep within the forest as you learn about its precious ecosystems.
Sea Suite Cruises RVA was founded with the mission of bringing people together for scenic celebrations to sea and be seen. The River City loves the James River, so in 2022 we introduced Paddle Club RVA and Tiki Club RVA to the James to give Richmonders an opportunity to experience the James like they never have before. Turn left, then right away walk down wooden steps and walk through a concrete tunnel. From here, walk up the red-brick path on Byrd Street and turn right for the Tidewater Locks. The open-air site has been home to murals for some time, but new murals were painted during the RVA Street Art Festival in September.
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