Two important places in my heart

The town I grew up in.

Richmond on the James

I remember as a girl riding downtown in our family station wagon and anticipating the moment when the car's tires would hit cobblestone. It was like entering in to history. Once on Monument Avenue, I always scanned for the statue of Jeb Stuart; because in my girlish, non-historical mind, he embodied the spirit of cavalier romance - dashing and brave with long strawberry blond curls. I thought there was a way to discover whether each rider had died in battle or not by observing the direction the statue faced or the activity of the horse, but I couldn't find anything on the internet to substantiate this memory, so.... Isn't it funny the things you pick up in childhood and don't know how or where from.

General J.E.B. Stuart Monument Avenue

I suppose I am the truest kind of Richmond native (even though I moved away over 15 years ago). I was the only one in my family actually born in the heart of the city at the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) hospital (in the ancient days before it aligned with the VCU campus). I love the old buildings and renovated downtown areas aesthetically and for their remembrance of bygone eras. But, though I currently live in a city of around 3.2 million, I'm not really a city girl. Parallel parking, fast pace life and business dress, and knowing the latest restaurants and night spots; in general, isn't me.

Maymont Mansion former home of James and Sallie Dooley

One of the coolest parks in Richmond is Maymont. We took yearly field trips there in elementary school. And it always seemed so strange to me to find all kinds of birds and other indigenous wildlife within the borders of this regular, quiet, botanical city park. We had picnic lunches and petting zoos, but I don't think we ever entered the mansion.

My favorite place growing up was the University of Richmond campus. Both of my parents attended there when it was Richmond and Westhampton Colleges (the boys and girls separated by the lake). My first experience with ice skating was on that frozen lake one winter. And my first true kiss almost happened there, but he chickened out I guess. I imagined and played there while my Dad jogged the lake's winding, wooded paths. Beside the lake at the Robins Center, from my childhood through my teens, I sat up close in alumni seating and cheered the Spiders in their basketball contests (that is if I wasn't wandering the arena corridors hoping to run in to boys). I took my future husband to the lake when I was showing him my world; and we brought our boys there as preschoolers to run, explore, and throw bread crumbs to the ducks. So much of who I am and my memories, are tied up with this beautiful campus.

Westhampton Lake

One final Richmond image that I want to leave you with is the old Main Street (train) Station clock tower. We used to pass it multiple times during holidays and summer vacation, crossing the James River via I-95 on the way to visit my cousins. Every time I saw it, I grieved its forsaken and neglected state. I called it "Big Ben" and cherished it as such a forlorn, romantic spot. For years and years it remained ignored and unkept while businesses and buildings grew up around it, much like "The Little House" in Virginia Lee Burton's storybook. But then finally in 2004 the city completed renovation of this gorgeous Renaissance Revival style building and it has moved forward to become a vibrant part of railroad and downtown life.

The Main Street Station aka Big Ben

The town I adopted by marriage.

I love this city tucked away in the mountains of Virginia with its community feel and sense of, particularly, railroad heritage. But I think because of my earlier verboseness and the beauty of this dear place, I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

The Star City of the South - Mill Mountain Star

View of Downtown Roanoke from Mill Mountain

The Hotel Roanoke

Icons of downtown

I couldn't not show you the Dr. Pepper sign.... Remember have one 3 times a day 10 2 and 4.

The Farmer's Market

Southwest Virginia Morning

McAfee's Knob Appalachian Trail

The Blue Ridge Parkway - My husband's grandfather was one of the hardworking engineers who designed this amazing and picturesque roadway.

Rocky Knob Sunrise

Attribution:

Many of the images I posted came from Jimmy Joe's (Jim Clark) Flickr photostream. He has taken some wonderful city photos in the states and Europe . You should check it out. I am grateful to him for:
The pink Dogwoods (state flower of Virginia)
Maymont Park Mansion
Maymont Park Bison
The Mill Mountain (Roanoke) Star

Other beautiful images came from these great photographers:

The Richmond Skyline by JeepDawg
The image of the Jeb Stuart monument by Hal Jespersen
Westhampton Lake image by suzymcg
Mainstreet Station (Infrastructure) image by taberandrew (Taber Andrew Bain)
(photostream has more cool Virginia pictures)
View of Downtown Roanoke at night from Mill Mountain by Ben Schumin
The Hotel Roanoke image by Dstewart2
H&C Coffee Sign image by theamericanroadside (Ron)
Dr. Pepper and H&C Coffee image by Cavalier92 (Chris Pesotski)
The Farmer's Market and the Southwest Virginia Morning images by Weaselmcfee (J.E. Fee)
(photostream has more gorgeous SW VA pictures)
McAfee's Knob image by Seuss
Blue Ridge Parkway image by str_collection
Rocky Knob Sunrise image by Michael Vadala

I am linking up to Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday. Links to rare and precious "R" posts can be found here.