The New Student's Reference Work/Richmond, Va.

Richmond, Va., capital of Virginia and county-seat of Henrico County, is situated on the left bank of James River, about 150 miles from its mouth and 115 from Washington. The James supplies immense water-power; and the city contains nearly 1,000 manufacturing establishments, with a capital amounting to many million dollars. The chief of these are tobacco-factories, rolling-mills, iron-foundries, wagon and carriage works, lumber-mills and a railroad-car factory. In 1861 Richmond was selected as the capital of the southern Confederacy, and throughout the war was the objective point for all the aggressive movements of the eastern army of the Union, until the seizure of its lines of supply by General Grant compelled evacuation by General Lee on the night of April 2, 1865. A portion of the city was burned by the retreating Confederates; but the city has more than recovered her former beauty and prosperity. Her capitol was built after a model procured by Jefferson when in France, which was patterned after an ancient Roman temple. In its rotunda is a marble statue of Washington, taken from life. The city has an admirable public-school system and institutions of learning among them Virginia Mechanics' Institute, Richmond Female Seminary (P. E.), Hartshorn Memorial College (Baptist) for colored girls, St. Peter's Academy and Visitation Academy (R. C.), the Medical College of Virginia and University College of Medicine. Richmond has five public libraries, numerous beautiful churches, charitable institutions and hospitals. Population 127,628.