Richmond Population 2010: 204,214, #105 in U.S., #5 in Virginia 1950: 230,310, #46 in U.S. 2010
Metropolitan Area: 1,258,251, #43 in U.S. 1950 Metropolitan Area: 328,050, #57 in U.S. Setting Richmond,
located at the highest navigable point on the James River, was first settled in
1645 and was incorporated as a town in 1737. Today, there are parks along the
river, and a pedestrian bridge to Belle Isle Park. The Kanawha Canal has
a Canal Walk and boat cruises. Virginia Commonweath University is on the western edge of downtown. Buildings Tallest building: James Monroe State Office Building, 449 feet (1981) List of tallest buildings The two-story State Capitol was built in 1792. Stores Richmond has no downtown department stores. Trains Amtrak's Northeast Regional trains go east to Newport News and north to Washington D.C., New York City, and Boston. The Palmetto goes south to Savannah, Georgia. The Silver Star and Silver Meteor go south to Miami. Amtrak uses the downtown Main Street Station (1901) for Northeast Regional service only, and the Staples Mill Road Station (1975), about five miles north of downtown, for all trains. The Broad Street Station, or Union Station (1917), west of downtown, now houses the Science Museum of Virginia. | Richmond and James River Museums The American Civil War Museum and the Valentine history museum are downtown. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Science Museum of Richmond are just west of downtown. Theaters Downtown
Richmond has no first-run movie theaters. The Altria Theater (originally the Shriners' Mosque, 1926) has concerts and touring Broadway musicals. The Richmond Symphony and Virginia Opera play at the Carpenter Theatre (originally Loew's, 1928, renovated 2009). The Firehouse Theatre and Virginia Repertory Theater are also in the downtown area. Sports The Richmond Flying Squirrels, Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, play at The Diamond (1985), northwest of downtown. The Richmond Coliseum (1971) closed in 2019. Convention and Visitors Bureau |