CHARLES DICKENS March 16-17, 1842 Charles Dickens crossed the Atlantic in 1842 to tour America. From Washington, Dickens rode the stagecoach to Fredericksburg, then traveled on by rail. He stayed at the Exchange Hotel on 14th and Franklin Streets, where there was an extravagant dinner given in his honor. In Richmond, the acclaimed English novelist discovered “pretty villas and cheerful houses in its streets, and … Continue reading CHARLES DICKENS

SOLOMON NORTHRUP April 1841 A free African-American farmer and violinist from upstate New York, Solomon Northup was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841. Slave traders brought Northup from Fredericksburg by railcar to Richmond, then one of the largest slaving-trading hubs in America. Northrup joined the 300,000 to 350,000 slaves sold, bought, and traded in Richmond between 1800 and 1865. Northup was likely held at … Continue reading SOLOMON NORTHRUP

People have traveled for millennia. But tourism, or travel for recreation, is a relatively new idea. Early nineteenth-century observers coined the word “sightseeing” to capture the growing popularity of traveling to destinations and touring recognized “sights.”   Modern tourism emerged in Richmond after the Civil War. Guidebooks by city boosters instructed visitors about what to see–and what was worth seeing. Postcards offered a way to … Continue reading Tourism & Richmond

BLACK HAWK April 1833 In the Spring of 1833, Black Hawk, a Native American and member of the Sauk nation, was held captive in Richmond’s Eagle Hotel at Broad and 12th Streets. Black Hawk and his followers refused to leave contested land while white settlers pushed to capture the frontier. A war ensued and Black Hawk was eventually taken East by U.S. troops. President Andrew … Continue reading BLACK HAWK