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| Stonewall Jackson |
Once we were done exploring the Historical Society, we drove two blocks up and found a place to park with this monument in our view. I contemplated walking up and down Monument Avenue to take pictures of all the monuments, got out of the car, and quickly retracted that idea. It was too windy for a jolly jaunt. So after snapping this quick shot, I had Aaron drive me around, so I could get out and take pictures 🙂 Poor guy – he never got to see any of the monuments except one. What a sweet husband!
I love living in Virginia! It is jam-packed with history, it is practically in the air that we breathe! You don’t have to go far to appreciate this history. So, back to Monument Avenue in Richmond, VA. This grand avenue was discovered during a site search for the statue of General Robert E. Lee after his death in 1870.
The land was owned by Otway C. Allen, a wealthy local and plans were drawn to include a tree-lined grand avenue stretching west. Allen intended to sell to developers to build houses and to those interested in living on the grand street. On May 29, 1890, the first monument – General Lee – was unveiled to a crowd of about 100,000. Monument Ave was considered the avenue where the upper class of Richmond lived. It is filled with beautiful grand homes that are now converted to apartments and only a few homes remain as single homes, but it is a grand place to visit, nonetheless.
General Robert E. Lee:
The Lee Monument was the first and the largest of the monuments on this avenue. It was created by French sculptor, Antonin Mercie. The many pieces of this statue was cast in several different places, then assembled in Paris and displayed there before it was brought to America by railroad. It is reported that ten thousand people helped pull four wagons with all the parts of this monument. The entire statue is sixty feet tall!
Arthur B Ashe:
Matthew Fontaine Maury:
Jefferson Davis:
Robert E. Lee:
