Rappahannock Indian Tribe of Virginia

“Welcome to the land of the Rappahannock Indians” – that’s how the Rappahannock Indian Tribe describes their homeland around the Rappahannock River. That land is affectionately known as the “rivah” in local parlance, but it’s where the Rappahannock Tribe has lived for some 11,000 years.

The Rappahannock Indian Tribe is located south of the “rivah” these days on its old hunting grounds in the countryside near Tappahannock.  According to their website, the Rappahannock first met Captain John Smith at their capital town "Topahanocke" in December 1607 when he was a prisoner of Powhatan’s brother Opechancanough, and it was the Rappahannock who cleared Smith of suspicion of murder and kidnapping.

Smith came back the next summer and mapped 14 Rappahannock villages on the north side of the river, the tribe records. Because of the subsequent English settlement on the Northern Neck, the Rappahannock had moved to its present location by the late 1660s.

The Rappahanocks formally incorporated in 1921 and received state recognition by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1983. They are still seeking federal recognition.

Woman Chief

The first woman chief to lead a Virginia Tribe since the 1700s, G. Anne Richardson, a fourth generation chief in her family, was elected by the Rappahannock to lead their tribe in 1998. That same year the tribe purchased nearly 120 acres to establish a land trust, retreat center and housing development. They finished building a cultural center the previous year there in Indian Neck, Virginia, which is about 34 miles east of Richmond, and began construction on homes for tribal members.

Every October, the Rapphannocks host their traditional Harvest Festival and PowWow at their Cultural Center in Indian Neck which is open to the public. The Rapphannock Native American Dancers perform with the Maskapow Drum Group (“maskapow means “Little Beaver” in the Powhatan language).

For more information, or to buy a tribe t-shirt or make a fully tax deductible contribution, contact the tribe at: Rappahannock Tribe Cultural Center, 5036 Indian Neck Road, Indian Neck, VA 23148 or call  (804) 769-0260 or email: info@rappahannocktribe.org or visit their website at http://www.rappahannocktribe.org/

Other articles in this series on Virginia Indians include:

http://www.examiner.com/day-trips-in-richmond/chickahominy-indian-tribe-lives-on-ancestral-land-virginia

http://www.examiner.com/day-trips-in-richmond/upper-mattaponi-indian-tribe-persists-into-the-21st-century

http://www.examiner.com/day-trips-in-richmond/mattaponi-indian-tribe-s-mission-is-sustainability-and-harmony

http://www.examiner.com/day-trips-in-richmond/pamunkey-indians-seek-federal-recognition-for-the-tribe-of-chief-powhatan

Carytown shopping district has a unique ambience

Shoppers who love boutique shopping may find Carytown irresistible. Dubbed a “mile of style,” Carytown is eight blocks of unique retail shops located near the Museum District in Richmond’s near West End.

Quirky, upscale, homemade, trendy, bohemian – lots of words are used to describe Carytown by people who have been there. It’s a district with a mood-altering ambience.

Most of the 300+ shops in Carytown are independently owned and operated. Grocers, coffee shops, restaurants, jewelers, salons, clothing, furnishings, vintage and a whole lot more awaits the visitor.

Carytown Events

Events big and small are standard fare for Carytown. There’s the Sidewalk Sale each May – look for deep discounts on the pink tablecloths outside. The Carytown 10K Run/Walk is also held in May

Carytown First is held the first Thursday of each month – that’s when merchants offer special deals and also events like tastings and workshops.

Come August people flock to what may be the world’s largest watermelon festival. Then there’s a wine festival held each October, and New Year’s Eve in Carytown has become a tradition for many people.

Byrd Theatre

A beloved Carytown institution is the Byrd Theatre, a grand movie palace that has operated continuously since 1928. Now a state and national historic landmark, the Byrd still provides live Saturday night performances on an original Mighty Wurlitzer.

The Cary Court Shopping Center was built in the 1930s, a first for Richmond and a draw to shoppers and even tourists captivated by the idea of park and shop strip shopping. It is now officially recognized for its inaugural role in commercial development.

For additional photographs, check out: http://www.examiner.com/day-trips-in-richmond/carytown-shopping-district-offers-shoppers-a-mile-of-style

Virginians scan Civil War documents for cyberspace archiving

Virginians all over the state are bringing their family’s treasured Civil War documents to local scanning events sponsored by the Library of Virginia through a partnership with the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission.

Their mission: cyberspace eternity.

Letters, diaries, military papers, home front memoirs – most anything that describes life in Virginia during and after the Civil War is being sought and preserved. Not just for future generations – the state library and commission are making the digitized material available online to anyone in the world, be it long lost relatives, researchers or Civil War aficionados.

Local organizations from libraries to city halls throughout Virginia are inviting descendants to bring in family papers, and archivists are traveling the state to digitize their documents, guaranteeing a place in history for the soldiers and their families.

Scanning Process

Officially dubbed the “Civil War 150 Legacy Project: Document Digitization and Access,” the scanning process goes like this:

·        Call and make an appointment for the designated day that library archivists are in your area – while walk-ins are welcome, appointments help the event planners balance workload.

·        Bring your family memorabilia to the event. Staff will ask you to sign a permission form, then they will go over a couple of handouts on how to care for your personal collection and donation possibilities.

·        The archivist will review your documents with you and write down identifying information.

·        Event associates will scan the material.

·        Later your digitized documents will be uploaded for internet access.

This is a multi-year effort. For a schedule of upcoming events, visit:

http://www.examiner.com/day-trips-in-richmond/virginians-bring-their-civil-war-documents-to-scan-for-cyberspace-archiving

The American Civil War story starts at Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond, Virginia

Tredegar Iron Works was the top producer of artillery and ammunition for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Now the South’s largest munitions foundry in Richmond, Virginia has repositioned itself under the slogans “Your Gateway to the Civil War” and “Your Story Starts Here.”

Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy and at the heart of the 1861-1865 conflict that became the defining event in American history. So it is fitting that the National Park Service has teamed up with the American Civil War Center to provide spellbinding exhibits on the 8.3-acre Tredegar site that tell the gripping story of that epic war and emancipation.

Gateway to the Civil War

Staggering death tolls, courage under fire, the very future of the country and its founding principles of freedom – these are the tales that are told at Tredegar today.

As the official Gateway to the Civil War, park rangers and visitor center staff will orient visitors to the entire conflict and provide guidance to the region’s 13 battlefields and many other significant sites.

The Tredegar grounds are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Within easy walking distance are two islands used during the Civil War, one where women and children manufactured ammunition and the other a prisoner-of-war camp for thousands of Union solders.

Chickahominy Indian Tribe lives on ancestral land in Virginia

The Chickahominy are still vibrant as a community on land between the Chickahominy and James River in Charles City County, Virginia, near where their ancestors lived.

The tribe has over 800 members, making it the second largest of Virginia’s Indian tribes. Hundreds of its members live within a few miles of each other -- the tribe owns about 110 acres subdivided into family lots. At its center are the Chickahominy Tribal Center and Samaria Baptist Church, formerly the Samaria Indian Church, once a school for Indian children.

Annual Pow-Wow

Thousands of people from across the United States attend the Chickahominy’s annual Pow-Wow held on Tribal Center grounds each September. The public is welcome to watch the Chickahominny Tribal Dancers perform traditional dances that have been passed down through many generations. Members often wear traditional dress known as regalia to the fall festival. One of the highlights is the crowning of Miss Chickahominy, Junior Miss Chickahominy and Little Miss Chickahominy.

The first weekend in May the Chickahominy host the Six Nations Pow-Wow, and the tribe holds a crab fest each October.

The Tribal Center is located at 8200 Lott Cary Road in Charles City County.

The tribe is governed by a chief, two assistant chiefs and an elected Tribal Council which includes both men and women.

The Chickahominy were an Algonquian tribe and at times allied itself with the famous Chief Powhatan.

To see a slide show of the Tribal Center grounds, visit : http://www.examiner.com/day-trips-in-richmond/chickahominy-indian-tribe-lives-on-ancestral-land-virginia

Bald eagles are a sight to behold on Virginia’s James River

The majestic bald eagle is making a comeback in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and tourists can see the magnificent birds in their natural habitat by taking a boat tour on the James River.

Capt. Mike Ostrander runs the bald eagle tours year-round on his Discovery Barge II, a 24-foot covered pontoon boat that seats six passengers. He guides tourists to a number of nesting pairs south of Richmond. The Center for Conservation Biology estimates that Virginia’s breeding population of bald eagles is now around 650 pairs, up from under 30 in the late 1970s.

The sightseeing excursion to see the nation’s symbol – the bald eagle graces the Great Seal of the United States – lasts two hours and includes commentary. Bald eagles mate for life and share a nest, which they may continue to construct year after year. Their distinctive white crowns and tail feathers appear around age 4 or 5, and the birds live to around age 30.

Launch sites for this unique boat tour include the Richmond Yacht Basin and Deep Bottom Landing in Henrico County. The cost is $40 per person. The boat tours run from 7 – 9 a.m. and 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on specified dates listed on the “Discover the James” website or can be scheduled by calling Capt. Mike at 804.938.2350.

In addition to bald eagle tours, tourists can book river wildlife tours, a Civil War river tour, and the John Smith water trail as well as fishing trips or fishing instruction.

To see pictures of eagles, visit the article online.

2011 is the “Year of Henricus” as America’s second settlement turns 400

It’s been proclaimed the “Year of Henricus” as America’s second successful English settlement moves into its fifth century.

The year was 1611 when the London Company sent Sir Thomas Dale to Virginia to relocate the colony’s seat from Jamestown to a more secure upriver location. Spain at the time was hostile with England, and Jamestown was located in swampland. So it was that the “Citie of Henricus” was established on a bluff on the James River below the falls of present-day Richmond (pictured here).

It was in the Henricus settlement where private land ownership for common people was first introduced in America, and it was here where Pocahontas made her first English home. The first English hospital was developed at Henricus, and this is where North America’s first college was chartered. Tobacco was established as a cash crop here, becoming the first successful export of what would become the United States of America.

Today there is a living history museum on the site.

400^th Anniversary Commemoration Events

Henricus Historical Park is commemorating the 400^th anniversary in 2011 with a number of events.

On March 26 and 27, the origins of America’s educational system will be highlighted – Henricus College was founded in 1619 – along with the Indian attack led by Chief Powhatan’s brother and successor which destroyed the Citie of Henricus in 1622.

On May 7 and 8, medical care at America’s first hospital – Mount Malady – will be featured with a focus on the workers who were patients there.

Tobacco is the topic on July 23 and 24 with the spotlight on the lives of those who worked the fields, indentured servants and African slaves.

September is the actual 400^th anniversary of the settlement’s establishment, and a hundred living history interpreters from across the nation will be on hand to celebrate it. Dubbed “Public Days and the Godspeed”, it is a special event planned for the 17^th and 18^th.

Henricus Historical Park is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Tuesday through Saturday and is located at 251 Henricus Park Road in Chester, Virginia. There is a fee of $8 for adults and $6 for children 3-12.

http://www.examiner.com/day-trips-in-richmond/2011-is-the-year-of-henricus-as-america-s-2nd-settlement-celebrates-400-yea