Monument Avenue — Last Confederate Secret

Your quest for the last Confederate secret begins at Capitol Square, the heart of Richmond, established in 1788 around the Virginia State Capitol. This neoclassical edifice, with its dome rising 28 meters, was the scene of the signing of the Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776 and numerous debates on slavery in the 19th century. It is here that you will uncover the first enigma, hidden among the statues of George Washington (erected in 1858) and other historical figures, which have witnessed generations of Virginians. The Carrara white marble architecture of the Capitol, inspired by the Maison Carrée, symbolizes the republican ideal against the tensions that tore the nation.

Continue to the Virginia Governor's Mansion, the official residence of Virginia's governors. Built between 1813 and 1816 in a neoclassical Regency style, this 20-room mansion, with its red brick facade and white columns, has been in continuous use since 1813. Close to the Capitol, it has been a privileged witness to the decisions that shaped the history of Virginia and the Confederacy. Your research will then lead you to Richmond's Old City Hall, a Gothic edifice from 1894 on Broad Street, whose 44-meter clock tower long dominated the skyline, housing the municipal government.

The route takes you along the famous Monument Avenue, a historic avenue built between 1890 and 1920, 1.5 km long. Lined with Confederate monuments, it was home to the five original equestrian statues of Robert E. Lee (1890), J.E.B. Stuart (1907), Jefferson Davis (1907), Thomas J. Jackson (1899), and Matthew Fontaine Maury (1929). The statues of Lee and Davis, removed in 2020 following protests, recall the evolving memorial landscape of the city. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, this avenue is a living page of Confederate history in Virginia.

Your investigation then leads you to Monumental Church, an Episcopal church built in 1814. Its neoclassical architecture and unique 60-foot-diameter octagonal dome in Virginia conceal a tragic history: it was built on the site of an 1811 theater fire that killed 72 people. Finally, St. John's Episcopal Church, Richmond's oldest church, built in 1741 in a Georgian colonial style, is a crucial stop. It was here, during the Second Virginia Convention in 1775, that Patrick Henry delivered his famous 'Give me liberty or give me death' speech, a resounding call for freedom.

By completing this thematic circuit through the monuments of Richmond, from the elegance of the Virginia State Capitol to the solemnity of St. John's Episcopal Church, you will not only have uncovered the last Confederate secret but also explored the rich heritage of Virginia. Each stop, from the Shockoe Bottom Historic District with its cobblestone streets and the Black History Museum, to the neoclassical residences, will have offered you a unique interactive visit. This outdoor scavenger hunt in Richmond is a deep immersion into the city's history, an exploration of the narratives that shaped this historic capital of Virginia.