Virginia State Capitol Building and Grounds

Location: 1000 Bank Street, Richmond, VA 23218

Phone: (804) 698-1788

Website: https://virginiacapitol.gov/

Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. Self-Guided tours are available during operating hours each day our Capitol Visitors Brochure will help you get started. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. Guided tours are available from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays, with the last tour commencing at 4:00 pm.

Ticket Price: Free

Homeschool discount? Not applicable

Visited: Saturday, September 3, 2017 2:00 – 4:30

In 1779, the Virginia legislature decided to move the capital from Williamsburg to Richmond. Williamsburg was close to the Chesapeake bay and the James and York rivers, making it easily accessible to the British Navy. Richmond is located further upstream on the James River, where the water is more shallow and unreachable by large boat. Until a new Capitol building could be built, the

General Assembly met in the warehouse district of Richmond at what is now 14^th Street and Cary Street.

The new Capitol building was designed by Thomas Jefferson. A spot on Shockoe Hill was chosen. He modeled the building after an ancient Roman temple in Nimes, France in the Classical building style. The cornerstone of the building was laid in August, 1785. It opened in 1788, when the Virginia General Assembly held its first session.

The building has gone through two major renovations: the wings on each side were added in 1904, and in 2004, a three-year renovation began that restored the interior and exterior of the building, as well as expanded it with an undergound entrance and additional space.

The entrance / underground area houses a few display areas, including an informative one about the visit by Winston Churchill, as well as a gift shop.

An introductory video is available to watch called, “Keepers of the Flame”. In it, Thomas Jefferson accompanies two young congressional pages through the Capitol building and grounds, and they discuss the history of it, Virginia, and our country.

Guided tours begin on each hour and start in the underground area near the gift shop. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining.

At the center of the original building is the Rotunda, open to the upstairs. It has a domed ceiling that is only visible from the inside (it is hidden by the roof line on the outside).

In the center of the room stands a life-sized marble statue of George Washington made by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon.

Around the room you'll find the busts of other Presidents from Virgina: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson. Because so many Virginians have served as President, the state is known as the “Mother of Presidents.” One other bust is found in the room: Marquis de Lafayette.

The room that is the Old Senate Chamber originally served as a courtroom. In the early 1840s, it was converted to be used by the Senate of Virginia. In 1861, it was turned into the “Hall of Congress” for the Confederate House of Representatives for the Confederate States of America. The Virginia Capitol served as the Virginia state Capitol building (housed the State Assembly) as well as housed the Confederate government. After the Civil War, the Virginia Senate moved back in and used the room until 1904 (when the wings were added).

In the Old Senate Chamber, you'll find several historical paintings. One depicts the Arrival of the First Permanent English Settlers, painted by Griffith Baily Coale in 1949. It depicts the 104 settlers who sailed to Virginia and established Jamestown on May 13, 1607. 

Behind the table are two portaits: Captain John Smith and Pocahontas.

Another wall is covered with the largest painting in the room: The Storming of a British Redoubt by American Troops at Yorktown, painted by Eugene-Louis Lami in 1840.

Across the hallway, you'll find The Jefferson Room. There, you'll find a large, full-length portrait of Thomas Jefferson, as well as an enlarged copy of the Declaration of Independence.

There are also two scale models in glass cases: one is the original that Thomas Jefferson sent to the builders from France, depicting what the finished building would look like. The other is the same model, made with modern technology. The back of the original model shows the different colors of exterior paint used throughout the years on the Capitol's exterior.

In the Old Hall of the House of Delegates, you'll find seats and tables arranged in a curved fashion facing the Speaker's chair. The House of Delegates met here from 1788 until 1904, when the wings were added.

Many historic events have occurred in the Old Hall. In December, 1791, the House voted to ratify the proposed U.S. Bill of Rights. Later that month, the first ten amendments to the Constitution were adopted. In 1807, Aaron Burr was tried and acquitted of treason in a trial presided over by Chief Justice John Marshall. The Virginia Secession Convention of 1861 also met there.

The hall is filled with many busts and statues: Robert E. Lee, which stands where he stood on April 23, 1861, when he accepted command of Army of Virginia. You'll also find busts that include George Mason, Patrick Henry, George Wythe, Stonewall Jackson, Cyrus McCormick, John Marshall, Sam Houston, Jefferson Davis, and Alexander Stephens.

At the front of the room, you'll see a gold-plated silver mace that symbolizes the authority of government. When the General Assembly is in session, the mace is placed in the current House Chamber in front of the Clerk's podium.

The new House of Delegates chamber is where the 100 Delegates, who are elected every two years, meet. The desks fill the room, facing the chair of the Speaker of the House (who presides over the House, elected by the members). Each desk has buttons for voting on proposed laws or requesting to speak.

On the other side of the building is the Senate chamber. The Senate is made up of 40 Senators who are elected every four years. The Lieutenant Governor, an elected official, is the President and presiding officer of the Senate.

The Virginia General Assembly convenes on the second Wednesday in January and lasts for 60 days in even numbered years or 46 days in odd numbered years. Sessions can be viewed by the public in the viewing gallery, up a floor from the chambers. The Governor's Office is also located on this floor, but it is not open to the public.

Three booklets are available for schoolkids at the end of the tour: a coloring book and two Virginia General Assembly activity books (one for Grades 4-5 and one for younger kids). Be sure to pick them up for your children to learn more about how their state government works.

The 12 acres surrounding the Capitol building are a public park. There, you'll find fountains, statues, monuments, and a bell tower.

The Governor's Executive Mansion is located behind the Capitol and is open for free tours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10 a.m. - Noon and 2:00 p.m. - 4 p.m.

St. John's Church

Location: 2401 E. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23223

Phone:  (804) 648-5015, 1-877-915-1775 toll free

Website: http://historicstjohnschurch.org/

Reenactments of the “Give me liberty or give me death” speech are performed regularly and are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $5 each in order to avoid the line. Check the events page for upcoming reenactments.

Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Sunday 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Last tour leaves at 3:30 PM each day. Free street parking is available

Ticket Prices:

$8.00 Adults

$7.00 Seniors (ages 62 and over)

$6.00 Students (age 7-18)

Free – Children under 7

Visited: Sunday, 2/19/17, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

We attended a reenactment on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Photos are not allowed during the performance, but it is occasionally filmed. The actors will announce that it is being filmed prior to the performance. On the day we went, a crew was there filming the reenactment to be aired later on Public Television.

We were seated, and noticed the seats are all reserved for the actors. So, if you wanted to, you could pick a seat beside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or any of the others!

Each event opens with singing the fight songs of each branch of the military. Then a brief introduction is made about what led up to the event – Lord Dunmore was in Williamsburg, the 50 miles between Richmond and Williamsburg afforded enough of a buffer for them to have ample warning if soldiers were coming.

The costumed reenactors entered and took the positions where they had originally sat during the Virginia Convention of 1775. The convention debates whether or not to become defensive. The actors sit in the same spots as the men they’re pretending to be, among the audience. The event ends with Patrick Henry giving his impassioned Liberty or Death speech. Since there was no way to record speeches in that era, the speech was documented from memory by those who had attended. 

After the actors exit to the side of the church, the audience can follow and take photos and talk to them about the events of the time.

It's interesting to explore the grounds as well. The graveyard has many old headstones, including the grave of Edgar Alan Poe’s mother.

Be sure to check out the gift shop as well!

Patrick Henry's Scotchtown

Location: 16120 Chiswell Lane, Beaverdam, VA 23015

Phone:  (804) 227-3500

Website: https://preservationvirginia.org/visit/historic-properties/patrick-henrys-scotchtown

Hours: March 3, 2017 through December 2017
    Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
    Saturday: 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
    Sunday: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Ticket Price:

Preservation Virginia Members:	Free
General Admission:	$10
AAA Members, Military and Senior Citizens (60+):	$9
Students:	$7
Children Under 6:	Free

Visited: Friday, 3/3/17, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Scotchtown was built around 1720 by Charles Chiswell. 

The Parson’s Cause trial (1763) made Patrick Henry famous.  He became known as a champion of the common man after that trial. He owned the Scotchtown property from 1771-1778. It is his only remaining original still-standing home.

In March of 1775, he traveled to St. John's Church in Richmond. It was there that he gave his famous and inspiring speech to the Virginia Convention that included the phrase, "Give me liberty or give me death!"

A Guide by Cell tour is available by calling 804-200-4636, then following the prompts on the signs throughout the property. A guided tour of the house is available during operating hours. 

Proceed to the home and enter, the gift shop / tickets are immediately to the right. Kids can pick up a Kids Quiz at the ticket desk. At the end of the tour, the quiz can be turned in to exchange for a prize.

You can also find a few interesting, historical, and funny items for sale in the gift shop.

Scotchtown offers Halloween and Christmas tours. The site has been used to film Turn and also segments for the History Channel.

The tour begins by going outside then entering the cellar from the outside. There is an interior staircase but it’s very narrow and dangerous. It's located just inside the front door.

The cellar is where Sarah Shelton Henry, his first wife, was kept for the last 2 years of her life.

The items in the home are not originals, except for one chair in the bedroom. Most of his items were auctioned after his death, then the home in which he passed away – Red Hill – burned.

He was a sensible man and lived modestly, but he had a large and beautiful home because of Sarah Shelton. However, she suffered from severe depression - some believe it was post partum depression after her last child. She had been his childhood sweetheart. Her health deteriorated to the point where she didn’t recognize her family and was a harm to herself and others, so they made a straightjacket dress for her.

Henry had a small number of slaves. He called them by their first names. A copy of a letter to Henry was on the table inquiring about how he could own slaves after talking about Liberty. His response was that it was an evil of the time.

People thought Sarah was possessed. Patrick Henry’s mother and Sarah’s oldest daughter took care of her. Sometimes now, people see a woman in white walking through the house with a candle. The local deputies have been called out in the middle of the night because the security system’s motion detectors sensed motion. People have sometimes heard chains on the brick floor.

She died in February, 1775. He said he could never stay another night there and he didn’t. He buried her but no one knows where. Superstitions of the time required him to have a secret burial so people did not disturb her grave. Only a couple of weeks after her death, on March 23, he gave his impassioned Give Me Liberty speech.

His family remained at Scotchtown but he did not. He remarried 2 years later to Dorthea Dandridge – Martha Washington’s cousin. He was later Governor of Virginia.

He was a great family man who spent time with his kids and played with them. He was a musician and also wrote poetry.

He didn’t want to be known except as a politician so he burned all his poems and music. He owned a peach satin suit. He had 17 children total between his two marriages. He was a self-taught lawyer and passed the bar without going to college. This is still possible in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Thomas Jefferson didn’t like him and thought he was a country bumpkin. He resented the fact that Patrick Henry had a silver tongue and could make everyone like him, in spite of not having a fancy college education. Henry had George Washington’s ear and they were great friends.

Henry was proud of being a country bumpkin and didn’t powder his wig, which was unusual for that time. His wig was the color of his natural hair – reddish. The powder used for wigs was a taxable item, and anytime you could get away with not paying taxes to the King, you were supporting the revolution.

In 1799, Henry was given mercury for his stomach issues and he died.

On display, you'll find one of the few remaining colonial-era wigs. It's made out of horse hair and human hair.

Scotchtown also has books from Henry’s day but not ones that were owned by him.

At the conclusion of the house tour, a self-guided tour begins of a room dedicated to the idea of Liberty - not just in Henry's day, but how his legacy has inspired others throughout history.

The grounds can be toured on your own. The out buildings aren't original but have been set up to appear how they would have in Henry's day.

The kitchen building is used for special events and demonstrations.

A small herd of Hog Island sheep live on the property.