Richmond, Virginia

Sigh Me discovers clover at the library!  Tucson had very little to offer in the way of examining, chewing or smelling except for rocks so when Sigh Me stretched her belly out in this soft clover she was clearly captivated.  She spent two hours rolling, dozing, sniffing and sampling as I worked away on the blog while parked outside the library. She didn't even object to her vest and harness but was very annoyed when It was time to leave.



Richmond, Virginia was a wealth of great architecture and more than its share of history.  

Richmond is the capitol of the Commonwealth of Virginia. (I have no clue as to the difference between a state and a commonwealth.)
The capitol building was designed by Thomas Jefferson, who was also one of Virginia's early Governors.  Patrick Henry was the first governor of Virginia.

Much of the city was burned in 1781 by British Troops led by Benedict Arnold. Then during the Civil War Richmond became the capitol of the Confederacy.

The Virginia Motto translates "Thus always to tyrants" which was supposedly spoken by Brutus at the assassination of Caesar, spoken again by John Wilkes Booth at the assassination of Lincoln and was seen printed on Timothy McVeigh's shirt the day of the Oklahoma City bombing. Good Grief!  I think Virginia needs to change its motto.  Something more benign like, "Take time to smell the clovers." (Sigh Me suggested that one)

A gothic courthouse.


Washington is on the horse and Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson are below him in the front.  The three men were the drivers of the Revolution and were revered almost as royalty.  And in their day they were known collectively as The Sword (Washington), The Voice (Henry) and The Pen (Jefferson).

Click on these doors to get a closer look.

I loved driving the neighborhoods.  The old town homes are mostly still there--some in cared-for condition and some in need of attention but still very few high rises.

If you look back to the New Orleans blog posting last November you will find a companion to this early Nabisco ad.

The Church Hill Bank--now that's a serious looking bank.

 

 And the Jefferson Hotel.  I so wanted to go inside but couldn't find a place to park.