JAMES RIVER PARK SYSTEM ABOUT THIS TOUR: • Scenic and accessible, this one mile riverside tour runs on the southside of river from the Manchester Bridge Overlook at Semmes Ave. and 7th St. to the Mayo Bridge Overlook at First and Hull Sts. and on to the I -95 overpass at Maury Street. Parking is available at all three locations. • From the Manchester Bridge Parking Lot, follow what used to be an old railroad grade across the lawn and under the Manchester Bridge to a foot bridge. Cross over the railroad tracks and follow the path to the right to the overlook. • The best views of rapids, A Walk on the Wall historic structures, and wildlife are during the first An Interpretive Guide to the Richmond Floodwall half of the walk. Most of this section is wheelchair acces- THE RICHMOND FLOODWALL PROTECTS 750 ACRES of low- lying sible with assistance. (There industrial land from flood impact. Several times a year, the James is a steep asphalt section River swells and overflows. Mountains in western Virginia trap clouds below the Manchester Over- that dump rain into headwater streams. Since the James River drains look and the rest is packed 25% of the state, moderate floods are estimated to occur every 3 1⁄2 gravel.) A set of stairs three- quarters of the way to the years. The Richmond Floodwall is a joint city and federal project that Mayo Bridge blocks com- cost $143 million. In Richmond, the clean up for the Hurricane Agnes plete wheelchair passage. flood in 1972 alone cost $112 million.W hile there are environmental The second half, east of the costs to the floodwall, like the destruction of some wildlife habitat Mayo Bridge, is asphalt and and the movement of flood impact further downstream, the benefits parallels the flatwater. There is a moderate hill at the end to Richmond include enhanced economic development, increased near the I- 95 overpass. land values, and an improved tax base. An Interpretive Guide to the Richmond Floodwall JAMES RIVER PARK SYSTEM From the Manchester Bridge over show the power of the floods. the James River Park System. It is the Parking Lot, follow what used These once supported a railroad site of an infamous Civil War prison to be an old railroad grade bridge built in 1902. camp and has the remains of early iron and quarry industries. Today it across the lawn and under the To the left of the pillars is a long, low, is a popular place to view whitewater bridge. Cross over the railroad bridge-li ke structure with handrails rapids, jog, climb, and fish. tracks and follow the path to and narrow tracks. Metal spac- the right and the overlook. ers were wheeled out and dropped On the horizon and slightly to your left is the white mansion-li ke 1 The Manchester Overlook between the supports to create an ad- justable dam called the Vepco Levee, structure of Ethyl Corporation, the You are standing on one of the also called the Brown’s Island Dam. company that invented high octane abutments for the Richmond & The pilings now form the supports Petersburg Railroad Bridge built in for the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial 1838. This bridge provided a major Bridge. The dam funneled water to north south rail connection and was the Haxall Canal on the north bank. burned by retreating Confederate This fed the now abandoned steam troops during the Civil War. The and hydroelectric power plant identi- granite remains of several piers fied by the 3 tall brick smokestacks to extend across the river before you. Today, the rough texture and jointed your right. The canal now marks the surfaces make this a popular boul- perimeter of Brown’s Island Park. R&P Railroad Bridge (pre-civil dering site for skilled climbers. The Further to the left, among the trees, war). Photo courtesy of the Virginia shorter cement pillars that have fallen is the eastern tip of Belle Isle, part of State Library. An Interpretive Guide to the Richmond Floodwall JAMES RIVER PARK SYSTEM gasoline. The old brick buildings below Ethyl comprise the famed Timeline of Richmond History Tredegar Iron Works, once the largest 1600s Powhatan Indians harvested 8 and 9 foot sturgeon from the iron foundry in the South. It manu- James River. factured cannons during the Civil 1607 –1700 Captain John Smith purchased the land of the Falls from War and produced the armor plates Chief Powhatan. for the confederate iron-c lad Vir- ginia, better known as the Merrimac. Early colonists sent sailing ships up the James as far as the Today these buildings are the hub of Falls at the Mayo Bridge. the American Civil War Museum. 1700 The River was lined with floating fish traps. The rapids in front of you and to the 1730 Earliest industry on the James begun by William Byrd. far right provide excellent habitat 1742 William Byrd operated two flour mills in Manchester. for fish and other wildlife. 1771 The Great Flood crested around 40 feet. In the spring, 1772 Bateaux shoot the rapids. shad, herring, 1785 James River Company incorporated to build Canal System. and rockfish migrate upriver 1800 Hollywood Paper Mill established along north bank to spawn. Fish- serviced by a canal in 1887 and became a hydroelectric plant Great Blue Heron eating birds, like from 1940–1972. great blue her- 1801 Flour mill established at Tredegar Iron Works site, became ons, cormorants, an armory in 1802 and Tredegar Iron Works in 1837. and fish crows, 1804 Manchester Mill Canal formed. line the shore and islands, 1834 Gallego Mills established on the north bank. while anglers 1865 14th Street Bridge destroyed by retreating Confederate Cormorant crowd the Mayo soldiers after setting fire to Richmond. Stone and brick Bridge to your sewers installed by the city. far right. At 1958 Primary treatment of wastewater entering the river begins. any time, keep a lookout for 1969 Hurricane Camille crested at 28.6 feet. rafts, kayaks, and 1972 Hurricane Agnes crested at 36.5 feet. canoes shooting Fish Crow 1973 Secondary treatment of wastewater begins. the rapids. 1985 Tropical Storm Juan crested at 30.76 feet. The jagged rocks and islands to your right were once part of a granite 1990s Fish passage at William’s Dam. quarrying operation and were con- Floodwall protects 759 acres of the city. nected by bridges to the larger Mayo New CSO plan to carry combined sewer overflow closer to Island downstream. Mayo Island sewage plant and out of James River Park. marks the lower edge of the Fall Line Bosher’s Dam fishway provides migrating fish a passageway and the beginning of the flat tidewa- through Richmond. ter area. The Fall Line in Richmond Renovation of the Kanawha and Haxall Canals. is a 7-mi le wide band of granite that An Interpretive Guide to the Richmond Floodwall JAMES RIVER PARK SYSTEM created river rapids, which begin north side of the river. The Devil’s west of here at Bosher’s Dam near the The Old Dominion Railway Kitchen Rapids are hidden among Willey Bridge. The length of granite Museum is located at Hull the islands in between. actually extends about 1,000 miles and 1st Streets and is at the 5 Set of Stairs Rising Over from New Jersey to Georgia. Most midpoint of the walk. Swinging Gate large eastern cities were located along Below these stairs is a floodwall it because early ships could not sail Looking toward the railroad is a closure that allows Norfolk Southern up through the rapids. The energy large, open, earthen area without rail- trains to cross through the wall. No- of the rapids was then harnessed to road tracks. It was the site of the Nor- tice how it can be swung closed like power early industry. folk Southern Roundhouse, where a door in the event of a flood. Most Turn around and follow the steam locomotives were turned other closers slide shut. around and repaired. Today, you may path down the hill. It leads The walkway follows the under the footbridge and see railcars on the tracks loaded with pulpwood, a commodity you would canal to Hull Street and is along the railroad to the paved from this point to I -95. underside of the Manchester have also seen a hundred years ago. Bridge. The lovely grass strip is maintained 6 Mayo Bridge Overlook to prevent tree roots from undermin- A large sliding closure that seals off 2 Curving Arches Under the ing the wall. Manchester Bridge the wall during floods is hidden in 4 Machinery Site Regulates Canal the thick concrete wall under you. The earthen levee you are walking on Flow On your right are the grain storage marks the start of the floodwall. The The pipes and machinery around you towers of Southern States Coopera- squared -off rocks on your right are adjust the flow of water through the tive and to the left is the Richmond salvaged materials from the Kanawha wall and into the Manchester Canal Paperboard Company. Canal in a restoration project. The behind you. This millrace supplied Ahead of you are Mayo Island, Mayo open area beyond is the switchyard water to power early flour, textile, Bridge, and the end of the fall line, and repair station for the Norfolk and corn mills. William Byrd blasted where rapids cease and the flatwater Southern Railroad. Ahead of you out the first part in the 1730s. Paper begins. The Mayo Bridge, the first along the path you can see the top of mills and a hydroelectric power plant and most famous bridge in Rich- the cement portion of the floodwall.