Category Archives: community

Valentine Exhibit Review

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In Disciples of Vulcan, the Valentine Richmond History Center attempts to illustrate the long history of Oregon Hill in pictures and words. For residents of neighborhood, the beautiful old photographs on display are certain to leave an impression as some combination of recognition, pride, and loss washes over you. Black-and-white images tell the story of the Hill’s growth from its beginnings as a hardworking immigrant enclave to the diverse community that it is now, protecting is roots defiantly in the face of big changes.

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Visitors to the exhibit have a chance to see several long-gone but often-referenced places, such as the penitentiary and the older section of Oregon Hill on the other side of Belvidere. Placards trace the general history of the neighborhood from its start in the early 1800s to the present day, referencing everything from its original demographics to recent conflicts with VCU. A collection of ephemera includes advertisements for neighborhood businesses, a menu from the Chuck Wagon, and flyers for community events.

Although the exhibit is small and can be seen in about half an hour, everyone but the most seasoned neighborhood historians is sure to learn some new facts about Oregon Hill. Disciples of Vulcan could go from great to amazing if more in-depth information were to be added, such as more details about why the neighborhood remained relatively unchanged for as long as it did, race relations, boy gangs, bread riots, and personal stories about life in the area. As it is, the exhibit it a must-see for all Oregon Hill residents and enthusiasts, and will be invaluable in establishing a sense of identity as newer transplants become members of this longstanding community.

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The Valentine Richmond History Center is open Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm, and Sunday 12pm – 5pm. Admission is normally $8, but Sundays are Pay What You Can Day. The museum is located at 1015 E. Clay Street.

tess m. dixon

* alwaysmidnight.etsy.com
* parasolparty.wordpress.com
* midnightsocietyrva.com

Once An Oregon Hill Resident: Ida Mae Thompson

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I have mentioned Oregon Hill’s activist history before, but then I was tipped off about this online entry:

Ida Mae Thompson (1866–1947)

Ida Mae Thompson was an important figure in Virginia’s woman suffrage movement, not for her political work but for her recordkeeping. First as a member of the Equal Suffrage League, the organization that led the effort to win women the right to vote, and then as a member of the League of Women Voters, Thompson collected and preserved the movement’s history.

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Thompson and her English-born mother moved to Richmond in 1886 to live with Thompson’s brother, Otis, a telegraph operator. The family lived in a rented frame house in the working-class neighborhood of Oregon Hill, on South Cherry Street near Hollywood Cemetery, just down the street from the first free circulating library in Richmond.

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(Go to top link for full entry)

Assault on Tredegar Street

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I have a report of an aggravated assault on the 400 block of Tredegar Street that took place about 6:30 yesterday. One male attacking another. No other info yet. Technically this did not happen in Oregon Hill, but close by, below the Virignia War Memorial.

Hopefully, crime reporting will be a topic of conversation when the new sector police leader, Lt. Baltz, meets with the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association this coming Tuesday night.

Cox’s Op Ed On Stadium Proposal in Style

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Oregon Hill resident Caroline Cox has written a back page opinion piece for Style magazine, entitled “Missing the Bag“. Its about the opportunity costs of taxpayer money.

“Most of the ongoing debate about the proposed $318 million ballpark-anchored development in Shockoe Bottom has centered on the best place to put a new baseball stadium. But it’s not about the ballpark. It’s about opportunity cost. It’s about resource management, public goods and democracy.”

New Sector Lt.

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Effective this past Saturday, May 16th, I was reassigned within 4th Precinct to the Executive Officer’s position. Lieutenant Yvonne Baltz will be taking over Sector 413.

I wanted to take a minute to thank each one of you for your assistance and continued support over the past couple of years. I have very much enjoyed working with all of you to fight crime in Sector 413! Lt. Baltz has over 25 years of experience and has worked in 4th Precinct before so she is well aware of the issues we face. She will do a great job! She can be contacted at Yvonne.Baltz@richmond.gov or at 646-4105.

Thanks again for all that you do!

Lisa Drew

Valentine Museum Chronicles Architecture & People Of Oregon Hill

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Valentine History Center:
Opening May 14th : Disciples of Vulcan: Examining the Oregon Hill Community

“Bordered by Cary and Belvidere Streets to the north and east and Oregon Hill Parkway and Hollywood Cemetery to the south and west, Oregon Hill was settled in the 1840s by Irish and Welsh ironworkers and continues to thrive as a tight-knit working class neighborhood. Using images from the History Center photograph collection, the exhibition will trace the development of the neighborhood’s residents, businesses, institutions and preservation challenges.”

photograph of 614-618 China Street.

photograph of 614-618 China Street.