Richmond, Virginia

:This article is about the city in Virginia. For information on other cities with the same name, please see Richmond (disambiguation).

People and culture

Demographics

As of the census{{GR|2}} of 2000, there are 197,790 people, 84,549 households, and 43,627 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,271.3/km² (3,292.6/mi²). There are 92,282 housing units at an average density of 593.1/km² (1,536.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 38.30% White, 57.19% African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.25% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.49% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. 2.57% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Related Topics:
Census - Population density - White - African American - Native American - Asian - Pacific Islander - Other races - Hispanic - Latino

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There are 84,549 households out of which 23.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.1% are married couples living together, 20.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 48.4% are non-families. 37.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.21 and the average family size is 2.95.

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In the city the population is spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 83.5 males.

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The median income for a household in the city is $31,121, and the median income for a family is $38,348. Males have a median income of $30,874 versus $25,880 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,337. 21.4% of the population and 17.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 32.9% of those under the age of 18 and 15.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Related Topics:
Per capita income - Poverty line

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Much of Richmond?s political and social history was influenced by its high society origins. In the 1920s, Ellen Glasgow and James Branch Cabell wrote novels that included thinly veiled mocking of elite institutions like the FFV, the Commonwealth Club, and the Richmond German débutante dance. Even today, Richmonders speak of ?Come-heres? (carpetbaggers) versus ?from-heres.? The stereotypical high society Richmonder attends St Catherine?s or St. Christopher?s prep school, goes to college at Hampden-Sydney College or Longwood University, belongs to the Country Club of Virginia, takes summers off at the family cottage on the ?Rivah,? and finds social outlets by attending charitable balls or serving on the boards for organizations like the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.

Related Topics:
1920s - Ellen Glasgow - James Branch Cabell - FFV - Débutante - Carpetbagger - Prep school - Hampden-Sydney College - Longwood University - Country Club of Virginia - Rivah - Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities

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Annual cultural events and fairs

The city is home to several annual cultural events. As the capital of the commonwealth of Virginia, the state fair is held at the end of September at the state fairgrounds, located in the city near the Richmond International Raceway. In November, the Suntrust Richmond Marathon and 8K Race is held downtown, and the James River Writers Festival also takes place. During the month of December, the Grand Illumination takes place, in which the buildings of the downtown area light up for the Christmas holiday season. This usually takes place the same weekend as the Richmond Christmas Parade, on Broad Street.

Related Topics:
Capital - Virginia - Richmond International Raceway - Christmas

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In April, the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K race is held, as well as the "Easter on Parade" street festival. The James River Film Festival also takes place during this month, and the VCU French Film Festival is also becoming very popular, and features foreign films.

Related Topics:
Ukrop's - VCU French Film Festival

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Other notable events during the year include the 2nd Street Festival and the Carytown Watermelon Festival. The monthly Artwalk takes place on the first friday of every month between september and june, in the downtown gallery district.

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In 2005, 2006, and 2007, Richmond will host the National Folk Festival.

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Museums and historical attractions

Richmond has a significant art community, and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts is consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation. In addition to many art venues associated with the university, there are also several attractions nearby, including the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Richmond Symphony, and the Richmond Ballet. The Byrd Theater in Carytown is a classical movie theater from the 1920s era that still features movies on a regular basis, and has become popular among the college student population, particularly due to its low ticket price of $2.00.

Related Topics:
Virginia Commonwealth University - Byrd Theater - Carytown - 1920

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The Science Museum of Virginia, is also located on Broad Street near the fan district. It is housed in the neoclassical Union Station, designed by Beaux-Arts-trained John Russell Pope in 1919. Adjacent to the Science Museum is the Richmond Children's Museum, a fun-filled museum for children with many hands-on activities.

Related Topics:
Neoclassical - Beaux-Arts - John Russell Pope - 1919

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As the former Capital of the Confederate State of America, Richmond is home to many museums and battlefields of the American Civil War. The Museum of the Confederacy, located near the Virginia State Capitol and the MCV Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, once served as the White House of the Confederacy, and today features a wide variety of objects and material from the era. Near the riverfront is the Tredegar Iron Works and Civil War Battlefields National Park Visitors Center. There is also a Slave Trail along the river as well.

Related Topics:
American Civil War - Museum of the Confederacy - Virginia State Capitol - Tredegar Iron Works - Slave Trail

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Other historical points of interest include St. John's Church, the site of Patrick Henry's famous, "Give me liberty or give me death" speech, and the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, which features many of his writings and other things from his life, particularly when he lived in the city. The John Marshall House, the home of the former Chief Justice of the United States, is also located downtown and features many of his writings and objects from his life. Hollywood Cemetery is also the burial grounds of three U.S. Presidents as well as many other civil war officers and soldiers.

Related Topics:
Patrick Henry's - Give me liberty or give me death - Edgar Allan Poe - John Marshall - Chief Justice of the United States - Hollywood Cemetery - U.S. Presidents

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The city is also home to many monuments, most notably several along Monument Avenue in the fan district. Other monuments of interest in the city include the A.P. Hill monument, the Bill "Bojangles" Robinson monument, the Christopher Columbus monument, and the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument. The Virginia War Memorial is also located on Belvedere near the riverfront, and is a monument to Virginians that fought in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Located near Byrd Park is the famous World War I Memorial Carillon, a 56 bell carillion tower.

Related Topics:
Monument Avenue - A.P. Hill - Bill "Bojangles" Robinson - Christopher Columbus - Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument - Virginia War Memorial - World War II - Korean War - Vietnam War - World War I Memorial Carillon - Carillion

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Richmond has sometimes been called a City of Churches. Early dominant influences were the Episcopalians and Methodists, but congregations of many faiths and denominations are prevalent today. Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was penned in Richmond by Thomas Jefferson.

Related Topics:
Episcopalian - Methodist - Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom - Thomas Jefferson

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Media

The local daily newspaper in Richmond is the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The Richmond Free Press covers the news from a predominantly African American perspective, and is particularly widely read among the liberal crowd.

Related Topics:
Newspaper - Richmond Times-Dispatch - Richmond Free Press - African American

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There are also several weekly and semi-weekly publications, including Style Weekly, Wadi, Slate, and RVA (recently launched in April 2005). Richmond.Com is an online newsmagazine with a wide readership, and is the online presence of the monthly Richmond Magazine. Punchline, now defunct, was a popular alternative weekly newsprint magazine.

Related Topics:
April - 2005 - Alternative weekly

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Richmond is also served by several television and radio stations. Richmond's major network television affiliates include WTVR 6 (CBS), WRIC 8 (ABC), WWBT 12 (NBC), WCVE 23 and WCVW 57 (PBS), WRLH 35 (Fox), and WUPV 65 (UPN), as well as several low power television stations.

Related Topics:
WTVR - CBS - WRIC - ABC - WWBT - NBC - WCVE - WCVW - PBS - WRLH - Fox - WUPV - UPN

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Comcast is the primary cable television provider for the Richmond area. In Richmond city and the northern suburban counties, it is the successor to the franchise originally held by Continental Cablevision, then MediaOne, then AT&T Broadband, before Comcast acquired AT&T Broadband.

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The metropolitan area is also served by a variety of radio stations, serving a wide variety of musical and other interests. On the FM dial, some of the popular music stations include WRVQ-FM 94.5 (Q94, Top 40), WKLR-FM 96.5 (The Planet, classic rock), WWUZ-FM 96.9 (The Rock, classic rock based in Bowling Green, VA), WTVR-FM 98.1 (Lite 98, adult contemporary), WDYL-FM 101.1 (Y101, modern rock), WRXL-FM 102.1 (102.1 the X, modern rock), and WMXB-FM 103.7 (Mix 103-7, soft adult contemporary). Urban contemporary stations include WCDX-FM 92.1 (Power 92), WKJS-FM 99.3/105.7 (Kiss FM), and WBTJ-FM 106.5 (The Beat). Oldies are heard on WBBT-FM 107.3/100.3 (Oldies 107.3). Alternative stations include WDCE-FM 90.5 (University of Richmond student-run station) and WRIR-LPFM 97.3 (low-power Richmond Indie Radio). Country music stations are WKHK-FM 95.3 (K95) and WJZV-FM 93.1 (93.1 The Wolf, country mixed with Southern rock). Variety hits can be heard on WWLB-FM 98.9 (98.9 Liberty). Christian and gospel music can be found on WJYJ-FM 90.5 (Fredericksburg), WPZZ-FM 104.7 (Praise 104.7), and WYFJ-FM 100.1 (BBN affiliate). The NPR public radio station is WCVE-FM 88.9. Other stations in the Richmond area include WAUQ-FM 89.7 (American Family Radio affiliate), WHCE-FM 91.1 (Henrico County student-run station), and WZEZ-FM 101.5 (Standards).

Related Topics:
FM - Urban contemporary - Oldies - Alternative - University of Richmond - WRIR-LPFM - Country music - Variety hits - Christian - Gospel - Fredericksburg - BBN - NPR - American Family Radio - Henrico County

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There are also several AM stations serving a variety of music, talk, and sports topics, including WGGM-AM 820 (Religious), WRNL-AM 910 (Sports), WXGI-AM 950 (ESPN Sports), WLEE-AM 990/1340 (Gospel), WRVA-AM 1140 (50,000 watts, News/Talk), WGCV-AM 1240 (Gospel), WDZY-AM 1290 (Radio Disney), WVNZ-AM 1320 (Spanish "La Selecta"), WVBB-AM 1380 (Religious), WHAN-AM 1430 (Business news), WCLM-AM 1450 (Soul oldies), WTOX-AM 1480 (Hot Talk) WREJ-AM 1540 (Gospel), and WFTH-AM 1590 (Gospel).

Related Topics:
AM - Music - Talk - Sports - Radio Disney

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Radio ownership in Richmond is concentrated in four national companies: Clear Channel (WRVQ-FM, WTVR-FM, WRXL-FM, WBTJ-FM, WRNL-AM, WRVA-AM) Cox Radio (WKHK-FM, WKLR-FM, WDYL-FM, WMXB-FM), Radio One (WCDX-FM, WKJS-FM, WPZZ-FM), and Davidson Media (WLEE-AM, WVNZ-AM, WTOX-AM). A new company, Main Line Broadcasting, owns WBBT-FM, WJZV-FM, and WWLB-FM, having purchased them in September 2005.

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Parks and outdoor recreation

The city operates one of the oldest municipal park systems in the country. The park system began when the city council voted in 1851 to acquire 7.5 acres, now known as Monroe Park. Today, Monroe Park sits adjacent to the Virginia Commonwealth University campus and is one of more than 40 parks comprising a total of more than 1,500 acres.

Related Topics:
1851 - Virginia Commonwealth University

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Several parks are located along the James River, and the James River Parks System bike trails, hiking and nature trails, and many scenic overlooks along the river's route through the city. Richmond has the only urban whitewater rafting in the U.S. Two sections of the James River are runnable all year long. The rapids range from Class II - Class V, depending on the season and water level. Canoes, kayaks, and rafts are seen on the James throughout the year.

Related Topics:
Rafting - Canoe - Kayak - Raft

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There are also parks on two major islands in the river: Belle Isle and Brown's Island. Belle Isle is the larger of the two, and contains many bike trails as well as a small cliff that is used for rock climbing instruction. Brown's Island is a smaller island and a popular venue of a large number of free outdoor concerts and festivals in the spring and summer, such as the weekly Friday Cheers concert series or the James River Beer and Seafood Festival.

Related Topics:
Belle Isle - Rock climbing - Spring - Summer

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Two other major parks in the city are Byrd Park and Maymont Park, located near the fan district of Richmond. Byrd Park features a one mile running track, with exercise stops, a public dog park, and a number of small lakes for small boats, as well as two monuments and an ampitheatre. Prominently featured in the park is the World War I Memorial Carillon, built in 1926 as a memorial to those that died in the war. Maymont Park, located adjacent to Byrd Park, is a 100 acre (400,000 m²) Victorian estate with a museum, formal gardens, native wildlife exhibits, nature center, carriage collection, and children's farm and petting zoo. The Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens are also located in the city.

Related Topics:
Byrd Park - Maymont Park - Dog park - Boats - World War I Memorial Carillon - 1926 - Victorian - Museum - Garden - Carriage - Petting zoo - Lewis Ginter - Botanical Gardens

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Other parks in the city include Bryan Park (with its many azalea gardens), Forest Hill Park (former site of the Forest Hill Amusement Park), Chimborazo Park (site of the National Battlefield Headquarters), among others.

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Sports

Richmond does not have any major league, professional sports teams. However, there are several minor league teams. The city is the home of the Richmond Braves, a minor league baseball team (the farm team of the Atlanta Braves). The Braves play at The Diamond. The Richmond Kickers, a minor league soccer team play at the University of Richmond Stadium. The Richmond Bandits are a minor league football team, and the Richmond RiverDogs represent the city in the United Hockey League.

Related Topics:
Richmond Braves - Minor league baseball - Atlanta Braves - The Diamond - Richmond Kickers - University of Richmond Stadium - Richmond Bandits - Richmond RiverDogs - United Hockey League

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The Richmond Coliseum is also the home of the Richmond RiverDogs hockey team, as well as a large number of concerts, festivals, and trade shows.

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Auto racing is also very popular in the area, and the Richmond International Raceway also hosts two annual NASCAR Nextel Cup races, as well as the Virginia State Fair and other community and sporting events.

Related Topics:
Richmond International Raceway - NASCAR - Nextel Cup

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Colonial Downs, located in nearby New Kent County also features a number of horse racing events, including the Virginia Derby.

Related Topics:
Colonial Downs - New Kent County

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Due to the close proximity to Washington, DC and North Carolina, many Richmonders have a strong identity with professional, major league teams in the Washington area, or Charlotte, North Carolina. Also, with many major colleges in Virginia, there are many fans of the University of Richmond Spiders or the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams, as well as fans of the nearby University of Virginia Cavaliers and Virginia Tech Hokies.

Related Topics:
Washington, DC - North Carolina - Charlotte, North Carolina - Virginia - University of Richmond - Virginia Commonwealth University - University of Virginia - Virginia Tech

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