At points earlier today, the Oregon Hill neighborhood experienced gridlock traffic due to visitors and detours from the Richmond Marathon. Both Cherry and Pine streets were backed up several blocks.
James Blunt, Sr. died on this day in 1922 at 226 S. Cherry Street. From the Times Dispatch for Nov. 14 of that year:
Dumb drug humor aside (and I mean no disrespect to Mr. Blunt or his descendants), a lot of Oregon Hill residents enjoy learning the history of their houses, including what ghosts may be present.
From email today:
Dear President Rao,
At the October meeting of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA), a resolution was passed to request that VCU preserve the facade of the historic Branch Baths building on the site of the Gladdings Residence dormitory on Main Street. We also resolved to express our appreciation for the work of Tito Luna who has done an admirable job in keeping the neighborhood informed regarding the new residence dormitory. According to Mr. Luna, the contractor for the project has been selected. But, unfortunately, the RFP for the replacement dormitory made no mention of preserving the facade of the Branch Baths building.
Attached to this e-mail is an article on the construction of the second Branch Baths on Main Street from the May 15, 1912 edition of the Times Dispatch. The article notes that no expense was spared by architect Mitchell in constructing the baths with an elegant facade of Indiana limestone.
Also attached is a summary of the Branch Bath #2 annual reports from 1915 – 1918. In 1918, the report indicates that 47,433 bathers used the facility in the previous calendar year. This remarkable figure is an indication of the bath’s importance historically in the life of Oregon Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods, whose residents relied upon the public baths before private indoor-plumbing was ubiquitous.
Also attached is the a 2006 photograph of the Branch Baths from the Valentine Collection. The facade of the Branch Baths #2 should be preserved because of its historical and architectural value to the city of Richmond.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Hancock
President
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
According to Hollywood Cemetery officials, there will be rifle fire this Saturday at about 2:30 – 3:00 PM in the Confederate Soldiers Section.
Editor’s note: Maybe that will scare some of the suburban joggers into picking up their pace.
This Wednesday is a red Wednesday, which means trash and recycling pickup. It’s regular collection for recycling with Veteran’s Day.
Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.
If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
Check it out, at the Main Richmond Public Library.
Monday, November 9
5:30 – 7 p.m.
ESTATE PLANNING BASICS
RPL community Law Program taught by local Attorney Thomas Neal “Tom” Jamerson. For details call: 646-7223
(Meanwhile at the Broad Rock branch, Homework Buddies from 3:30-5:30 pm
Students from Open High School will be available to help with homework! Free!)
Tuesday, November 10
12 noon – 1 p.m.
LUNCH BOX BOOK CLUB
Join us for a book discussion of Dead Wake by Eric Larsen. For details call: 646-7223
2 – 4 p.m.
TECH TUESDAYS
Computer, cell and all tech questions, call the Computer Lab: 646-2551, to reserve a 30 min sessions
2 – 4 p.m.
COMMUNITY LAW SERIES: Free and open to the public
For details call: 646-7223 “Love shouldn’t Hurt….The Crime of Domestic Violence” Helivi L. Holland, City Attorney of the City of Suffolk, VA
4 p.m.
STEM TUESDAYS
Explore, Learn and Create through STEM centers. Build exciting circuits, explore with magnets, computer gaming and more. ages 5 and up with an adult. For details call: 646-4768
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Closed for Veteran’s Day
Thursday, Nov. 12
10:30 – 12:00
Introduction To Finding Nonprofit Grants
Free. Seating limited. General Collections Training Lab. Call 646-7223 to register.
I found this family history site, which includes individual pages on great-grandparents. One of those is on Richard W. Robertson, who lived at 302 Laurel Street.
Here is an excerpt:
A death certificate shows that Richard W. Robertson died at age 87, on October 16, 1918, while at Grace Hospital in Richmond. The certificate shows that he was born in July 1831, in Virginia. His father was listed as Alex Robertson and his mother as Sallie Williams, both born in Virginia.
At death, he lived at 302 Laurel St., Richmond. Apparently, from the certificate, the cause of death was an injury from a street accident involving a car. Whether he was a pedestrian, hit by a car, or a car’s occupant during the accident is unclear. The certificate informant was C. H.
Robertson, one of Richard’s sons, who lived at 2218 Hanover Dr. Richard W. was buried at Hollywood Cemetery. The death certificate information is very consistent with other information provided here, in my family history.The 302 Laurel Street address, which is very near the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, was almost certainly the address of Mary A. Owen, Richard and Mary Robertson’s daughter. From the 1860s until Richard and Mary’s death, one pattern that emerges is the frequent changes in their addresses. This, along with the fact that they were living with their daughter at the time of death and that they are buried at Hollywood Cemetery without head stone markers, is consistent with the conclusion that Richard and Mary were likely very poor much of the time. Frequent
moving suggests they always rented their residences, and did not have a lot of stability in their living arrangements. And, having no head stone at their burial site, which was known at Hollywood Cemetery in the late 1800s, very early 1900s, to mean a lack of funds for purchasing one, also suggests the Robertsons were poor.Richard and Mary Robertson is just one example of finding throughout my family ancestral history, from the 1860s into the 1900s, many poor economic situations. And, I believe, because these families were all southern families that their poor economic status was in large measure a
consequence of the Civil War.
The Times Dispatch has news of three new overlook river viewing areas planned for Hollywood Cemetery.
Excerpt from article:
“It’s going to be a beautiful spot where you can really come and sit and enjoy the spectacular view,” said Kelly Jones Wilbanks, the executive director of Friends of Hollywood Cemetery.
She said construction of the first overlook is scheduled to begin with a groundbreaking Friday, and work should be complete this spring.
The structure will include landscaping and “ample seating,” she said. It’s being designed by Van Yahres Studio of BCWH Architects.