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[Original text by Rebecca Flemer supplemented by John Zvonar]
In May 2023, the Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation (AHLP) conference explored the rich history of a place which has long been the home of one of the AHLP’s first generation of members, Hugh C. Miller, FAIA Hon ASLA.
The group at Libby Hill Park
Along with Hugh, Tim Keller FASLA, Barbara Wyatt FASLA, and Genevieve Keller, Hon. ASLA, organized the conference. From the homeland of the Powhattan and other tribes, to capital of the Confederacy during the U.S. Civil War and its industrial past, themes for presentations and tours during the conference strove to gain a deeper knowledge of Richmond’s history as seen through its changing landscape.
As is its tradition, the Alliance’s Board met on the first afternoon at the Richmond Public Library. Its comfortable confines were conveniently located across the street from Linden Row, where many of the conference attendees would be staying.
The Linden Row Inn Annabelle the cat
The Board at work
Gathering at the Cole Digges House with Preservation Virginia
The conference proper kicked off Wednesday evening with a welcome reception graciously hosted by Preservation Virginia at their headquarters, the Cole Digges House. The event provided the first connection with Hugh and the organizing committee. We were warmly welcomed by Elizabeth S. Kostelny, CEO, Preservation Virginia, and its Director of Development, Will Glasco.
Welcoming the assembled: Hugh Miller and Elizabeth Kostelny
On the first full day of the conference, those assembled were welcomed by Martin Holland, AHLP President. Martin then handed over the microphone to Tim Keller who provided the meeting overview and an introduction. Tim then introduced Ben Himmelfarb, Library/Community Services Manager, (Main Library, RPL), and Chloe McCormick, Community Memory Fellow.
Martin Holland at the mike and remembering Ian Firth
Martin then took a moment to recognize the passing of longtime Alliance member and frequent Board member, Ian Firth: “Ian was a consummate scholar, teacher, and mentor whose contributions to the field of landscape history, and in particular, the understanding of cultural landscapes are innumerable. He will be greatly missed.”
Genevieve and Barbara questioning Hugh
Then, to set the tone, a conversation was conducted with Hugh Miller by both Barbara Wyatt and Genevieve Keller under the rubric, “Richmond and a Life of Preservation: His Views/Our Questions.”
Two sessions of papers then followed under the themes of: Equity and Social Justice in Urban and Rural Landscapes; and, Racialized and Other Culturally Distinct Contexts of the Historic Landscape. These discussions featured professional and academic projects including scholarship papers supported by the Alliance.
It is worth highlighting the three papers presented by Mona Hamad and Adjoa Kennedy (both of Ball State University), and Zheming Taro Cai (University of Toronto).
On Friday, Bill Martin, Director of the Valentine Museum, led an all-day bus tour of Richmond neighborhoods and landscapes. The day began at Shockoe Bottom, which between the 1830s and the Civil War, was the largest American slave-trading hub outside of New Orleans. Largely erased through urban renewal of the 1960s, the site is overshadowed by the busy Route 95.
Lumpkins Slave Jail site Bill Martin
Marlan Buckner, Executive Director of the Shockoe Bottom Interpretive Center, joined us to help tell its story. Important to the story of enslavement in Richmond, Shockoe Bottom has been recognized as a threatened site by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
At Libby Hill Park with Hugh and Bill
Next, we made our way to Libby Hill Park overlooking the James River and a discussion about “The View That Named Richmond.” It served as the perfect place for a group photo.
At the East End Cemetery
We then visited the East End Cemetery, which was originally incorporated as Greenwood Cemetery in 1891 by a group of prominent African Americans. Recent volunteer efforts have uncovered over 3,000 graves.
Lunch and tour of the Virginia War Memorial
Following a busy morning, the group arrived at the impressive Virginia War Memorial where box lunches were consumed while overlooking the city.
Back on the bus, we continued to Monument Avenue where Confederate figures have recently been removed after protests in 2020. The lone remaining statue is of famous tennis star, Arthur Ashe.
Later on at the Valentine Museum, we were able to witness firsthand the graffiti-ed remains of the Jefferson Davis statue displayed as part of the “This is Richmond, Virginia” exhibit. Organizers encouraged the public to offer feedback on what might be next for the statue.
Bill explaining the Jefferson Davis statue display
We then had a chance to explore the museum and its myriad of exhibits before a cocktail reception was appreciated in the adjacent Valentine Garden.
Finishing the afternoon at the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument
Early on Saturday morning, we were back at the Richmond Public Library for more presentations. The first session on Indigenous Landscapes of Memory, Visibility, Intervention, and Preservation was followed by two concurrent sessions featuring works in progress: Culture and Context: Neighborhoods and Transportation Networks: Roles in Urban Landscape Connections and Contemporary Treatment Issues.
After lunch we were split into two groups for an eye-opening walking tour of Jackson Ward. Our learned and enthusiastic guide was Gary Flowers, a faculty member of the Valentine Museum tourism department and past Board Member of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. The tour highlighted the historic educational, economic, religious, and social institutions that inspired the name “Black Wall Street,” and “The Harlem of the South.” We were also introduced to the prominent statue of the legendary performer, Mr. Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson.
Carrie, Hugh, and Lori on tour with Mr. Gary Flowers
At the Maggie L. Walker House and at the Bojangles statue
And, in anticipation of the evening wind up, Bill Martin led an ‘amble’ to Julep’s Restaurant within easy walking distance of Linden Row.
Among expressions of appreciation to the organizing committee and to those who came to Richmond, the evening program included a Happy Birthday moment for the indefatigable Hugh Miller. Martin Holland then gave us a preview for next year’s conference in Toronto. We will gather in Canada’s largest city from 22-25 May 2024 where the theme will be Dynamism, Conservation and Many Voices in an Historic Urban Landscape.
