Every city has its list — you know, the stuff you gotta do and gotta see before you can truly call yourself a local. And yet it's amazing how many of those things don't get done and don't get seen in the busy rush of our everyday lives. (Our own mayor had never been to Maymont until recently. Don't believe us? Check out our profile of him .) The 75 items on our list run the gamut, from frivolous fun to thought-provoking events — but all of them are uniquely Richmond. So hop to it and start checking things off.
A YOUTUBE TOUR OF RICHMOND | RITES OF PASSAGE | GET A READ ON RICHMOND | OBJECTS OF MEMORY
1
Get dressed up for a good cause.
There are a wealth of events around town that allow you to put on the dog (sometimes literally; check out the picture at left from the Richmond SPCA's Fur Ball) in order to support below worthy cause or cultural institution (often both). Theatre IV's Fairy Tale Ball, the Richmond Heart Ball, the International Hospital for Children's Treasures in Paradise Fashion Show and Auction, the list goes on and on. richmondspca.org ; theatreiv.com ; richmondvaheartball.org ; healachild.org
2
Bodysurf the James.
Just when you thought you'd explored our mighty river to its fullest, some nutjob straps on fins and bodyboards straight through town, reminding us that the James River will always continue to surprise us. Riverboarding is an emerging sport that involves navigating the rapids with little more than a small floatation device and protective gear (helmet, shinguards and elbow pads). Riverside Outfitters offers four-hour rentals ($35) for an extreme whitewater experience. 560-0068 or riversideoutfitters.net
3
See the city at race pace.
It's possible to train for a race on the treadmill, but you can learn more about your town by running with a group. One notable day with the Marathon Training Team involved a route through the Dabney Road industrial district — not most people's regular stomping grounds. Various YMCAs hold Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K training programs, and Sports Backers has MTT and a half-marathon training group. sportsbackers.org ; ymcarichmond.org .
4
Find the honey holes.
Ask one of Richmond's fishing guides to show you the local honey holes. Mike Ostrander of James River Fishing School ( 938-2350 ) and Tee Clarkson ( 687-1869 ) of Virginia Fishing Adventures both offer guided excursions that plop lucky anglers down in the best hidden spots for smallmouth bass and flathead catfish, some more than 25 pounds. Another resource is Fly Fishers of Virginia ( flyfishersofvirginia.org ), a 150-member club devoted to the pursuit.
5
Experience train overload.
Start off at the Science Museum of Virginia's photographic history of the building's past as Broad Street Station and view actual trains out back. Then head to Ashland, and consider lunch at the Iron Horse Restaurant, where locomotives go by about every half-hour. And don't miss Train Town Toy & Hobby. ironhorserestaurant.com ; smv.org ; traintowntoyandhobby.com
6
Learn from Ralph White.
If you want to learn a little something about the rare jewel that is the James River, there's no better way to do so than by listening to James River Park manager Ralph White. His Frog's Eye Tour ($5), held in July and August, offers a chance to explore the shoreline in life jackets while checking out shady pools, islands and otter slides. 646-8911.
7
Ride a bike at Southside Speedway.
The speedway's not just for cars — Carytown Bicycle Company hosts the Go Fast, Turn Left races for track cyclists from beginners to advanced riders. This year's activities took place Tuesday nights March through May, and the same is expected for 2010, although the dates are still being finalized. Bike-store staff say that anyone can come out; you just need a racing license (one-day or annual) and some wheels. Check the store's Web site around the first of the year for details. carytownbicyclecompany.com .
8
Try three kinds of Sunday brunch.
The fancy brunch: The Jefferson can't be beat, and neither can that huge platter of chilled shrimp waiting for you in the rotunda. The perpetually popular brunch: Go to Millie's, wait in line. Your patience will be rewarded with great food. The drag brunch: Hit Godfrey's, not necessarily for the food but for the show! You will need a reservation, doll. jeffersonhotel.com ; milliesdinner.com ; godfreysva.com .
A YOUTUBE TOUR OF RICHMOND | RITES OF PASSAGE | GET A READ ON RICHMOND | OBJECTS OF MEMORY
A YouTube TOUR OF RICHMOND
We liked the "River City" rap, too, but there are other worthwhile Richmond videos on YouTube.
No. 9 "Ashe Connors Wimbledon 1975" The clip is just 25 seconds, but it's worth it to see Richmond native Arthur Ashe in perhaps his greatest moment of athletic triumph. Jimmy Connors was the baddest man on the tennis planet when Ashe defeated him in the Wimbledon final by using his greatest asset — his intellect — to win.
No. 10 "Elliott Yamin - Richmond" Try to pretend like you didn't root for this hometown boy as he made his way to the top three on American Idol — we know the truth. Bonus points for the moment at 3:11 when his mother, Claudette, is overcome by emotion at the city's enthusiastic welcome home for her son.
No. 11 "Red Eye On FOX News - 2nd Appearance by GWAR Frontman Oderus Urungus" We have no words, except one: awesome.
No. 12 "Maynor winning shot vs. Duke" VCU point guard Eric Maynor hits the big one in the 2007 NCAAs. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski's shell-shocked expression 29 seconds in is priceless.
No. 13 "Bill Robinson in Harlem Is Heaven (1932)" Born in Richmond in 1878, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson is a conflicted figure for some, but he sure could dance. Here, with nothing but a set of stairs and a pair of tap shoes, he's transcendent.
No. 14 "iBook Madness" For a while there, Richmond only made national news when something like this occurred. Oh, the humanity!
—Chad Anderson
15
Get tongued by a giraffe.
We've mentioned this a lot over the years, but some folks are still surprised to hear that Richmond has a zoo. Here's the deal: While paying your admission ($8.75 to $10.75) to the Metro Richmond Zoo, go ahead and spring for a $2 cup of dried-alfalfa pellets (there are coin-operated dispensers, too), and the zoo's giraffes will be more than happy to eat them out of your hands using 18- to 20-inch tongues that feel like wet sandpaper. 739-5666 or metrorichmondzoo.com
16
Debate the issues at a local blog.
You'll get the occasional flare-ups at Hills and Heights or North Richmond News, particularly when crime, schools or politics are touched on, but Church Hill People's News is where the real action's at — folks wrestling with their neighbors over neighborhood issues. rvanews.com/community-news-sites
17
Attend a local film festival.
It's fashionable to say that movies are a tad slow getting here, but that's not exactly true. To wit: VCU and UR's French Film Festival in March, which brings Gallic rarities (plus actors and directors) to the Byrd Theatre, and the James River Film Festival, which takes independent cinema to its extremes. This April festival screens short films, locally made movies, and this past spring, an adaptation of Raiders of the Lost Ark made by three teenagers in their backyards. frenchfilm.vcu.edu ; rmicweb.org
18
Watch a sunset.
Recommended to make you weep in awe: 1. Bull and Bear Club, 21st floor, James Center; 2. Any bridge crossing the James River, but it's safer to stand on the Huguenot or Boulevard bridges, which have pedestrian walks; 3. The Boathouse at Sunday Park or at Rocketts Landing; 4. The Chickahominy Wildlife Management Area, accessible from state Route 5 east of Charles City Courthouse; 5. Libby Hill Park. bullandbearclub.com ; boathouserichmond.com
19
Play music for the masses.
Live out your DJ dreams at a couple of local outlets. At community radio station WRIR, if they accept your application, you'll get a few weeks of training and then you're on the air. When we talked with program director Janet Lundy, the station had three slots open. Meanwhile, over at UR's station WDCE, nonstudents are welcome to apply. There were 20 slots open when we checked with general manager Ben Russell, with overnight and Saturday shifts having the most availability. Radio on! wrir.org or beadj@wrir.org ; wdcefm.org or ben.russell@richmond.edu
20
Become a West End maven.
Or pretend. Check out Impulse at Tuckahoe Shopping Center for gently used furnishings that most likely came from a genteel West End home. The Tuckahoe Woman's Club is open to the public during its juried art show and sale (April 11-15, 2010), and the Country Club of Virginia hosts events that nonmembers can attend — we recommend the James River Writers' croquet soirée. And it doesn't hurt to lunch at Mosaic Café. impulselive.com ; theccv.org ; thetuckahoe.org ; mosaicedibles.com
21
Visit Carytown's second story.
Most of us have strolled Richmond's quirky retail district, but have you shopped it from the second floor? True, some shops (Carytown Dolls & Bears, for example) have two floors, but there are also businesses entirely on Cary Street's second story: Yoga Source (above Schwarzschild Jewelers in Cary Court), Premiere Costumes near Freeman Street, and Marbles, a kids' clothing store above It's Hip To Be Round. carytownrva.org
A YOUTUBE TOUR OF RICHMOND | RITES OF PASSAGE | GET A READ ON RICHMOND | OBJECTS OF MEMORY
RITES OF PASSAGE
These are just a few of the markers along the road to adulthood for a child growing up in Richmond.
No. 22 Visiting Legendary Santa. For many, he'll always be the Santa, whether we visited him downtown at Miller & Rhoads, or at his new digs, the Children's Museum of Richmond. c-mor.org/legendary-santa
No. 23 Going to cotillion. Miss Donnan and her shoes with the light-up heels are retired, but her influence is everlasting. Generations of Richmond children still get sent to cotillion starting in sixth grade to learn ballroom dancing and how not to be horrified by the opposite sex. juniorassemblycotillion.com
No. 24 Watching a local pro team implode. Saying goodbye to a team whose games you saw with your parents is an unfortunate fact of life here. May our new baseball and indoor-football squads achieve the Kickers' relative stability.
No. 25 Sledding in the snow. It doesn't happen every winter, so Richmond kids have to take advantage, whether they're gathering at Forest Hill Park or pulling a Flexible Flyer up the nearest hill.
No. 26 Attending summer camp. Whether it's a sleepaway camp elsewhere (Nature Camp, perhaps?) or close to home (Camp Hanover or Passages Adventure Camp?), or it's a day camp, even the preschoolers going to programs at the JCC, the YMCA or any of a number of local private schools are taking a big step toward independence. naturecamp.net ; camphanover.org ; peakexperiences.com/passages ; ymcarichmond.org ; weinsteinjcc.org
No. 27 Having Ukrop's birthday cake. For those of us old enough to remember, we know that the recipe originally came from Dot's Bakery on Patterson and that it still tastes exactly the same. ukrops.com
—Chad Anderson and Brandon Fox
28
Golf under the big lights.
Seven nights a week, from March through October, Windy Hill Sports Complex lights its par-3 course, staying open as late as 10:30 p.m. during the summer months, when rising temperatures make night golf sound like a very good idea indeed. $10 for nine holes. 794-0010 or windyhillsports.com
29
Marvel at the Mighty Wurlitzer.
At $1.99 a movie, the Byrd Theatre has always been one of the best deals in town, but on Saturday nights it becomes an absolute steal, when house organist Bob Gulledge plays before both showings. If you haven't been, you should go, and if you have been, you need to go again. byrdtheatre.com
30
Fight in the Civil War.
Re-enactment can be quite a commitment, but there's an option for adults and kids who are interested but a little less hard-core: Civil War Adventure Camp at Pamplin Historical Park. Pick your side, Union or Confederate, and settle in for 18 hours of life as a soldier and all that entailed, from firing muskets to falling asleep in authentic accommodations. (Day camps are also available.) 861-2408 or civilwaradventurecamp.org
31
Watch Patrick Henry risk death.
St. John's Episcopal Church is where, on March 23, 1775, a Hanover County lawyer named Patrick Henry proclaimed, "Give me liberty or give me death!" The speech is vigorously reenacted on weekends from Labor Day to Memorial Day and on the Sunday in March that's closest to the actual date when it was delivered. 648-5015 or historicstjohnschurch.org
32
See the sequel to Jamestown.
The actual location of the 1611-1622 Citie of Henricus, the first permanent English base after Jamestown, is lost. Henricus Historical Park re-creates the milieu, peopled by historical interpreters, and offers a glimpse at those long-ago times. Built to avoid Spanish invaders but attacked by the native Powhatans, the 1611-1622 Citie of Henricus was the location of the first hospital in British North America, Mount Malady, reconstructed here. 748-1613 or henricus.org
33
Join a sports league.
Pick your poison, and Richmond's got it. Soccer and tennis? Check. Volleyball and flag football? And how. Kickball? Sure. Ultimate? You bet your sweetest huck. Basketball and softball? Don't make us laugh. Heck, we've even got a cricket league. Check with your local parks and rec department, or try: cvsasoccer.org ; grul-ultimate@yahoogroups.com ; kickball.com ; richmondcricket.com ; richmondflagfootball.com ; richmondtennis.org ; rivercityssc.com ; rvc.net ; vailsports.net
34
Go to the cathedral's Christmas concert.
This year's free concert and carol festival at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart — one of Richmond's most stunning houses of worship — features the Cathedral Choir, the VCU Trombone Choir, vocal soloists and other musicians on Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Other concerts through the year emphasize the wealth of music at nearby Virginia Commonwealth University. 359-5651 or richmondcathedral.org
A YOUTUBE TOUR OF RICHMOND | RITES OF PASSAGE | GET A READ ON RICHMOND | OBJECTS OF MEMORY
GET A READ ON RICHMOND
Obviously this list could be a lot longer, but these books will provide an overview of the city, its history and its people.
No. 35 Richmond: The Story of A City, by Virginius Dabney . A just-the-facts-ma'am tome by the late Pulitzer Prize-winning Richmond Times-Dispatch editor, this is the standard text about Richmond, though his closeness to later subjects kept him from too much analysis.
No. 36 At the Falls: Richmond, Virginia, and Its People, by Marie Tyler McGraw. This 1994 effort can be viewed as a kind of answer to Dabney's book, as it delves more into the whys and wherefores of the city's various cultural movements.
No. 37 Nonesuch Place: A History of the Richmond Landscape, by Tyler Potterfield. This recent release describes the topographical, cultural and economic factors behind Richmond's development.
No. 38 The Unboxing of Henry Brown, by Jeffrey Ruggles. An amazing true story about a slave's escape to freedom, achieved by mailing himself to Philadelphia.
No. 39 Richmond in By-Gone Days, by Samuel Mordecai. The official 19th-century word-train of a title is Virginia, Especially Richmond, in By-gone Days: With a Glance at the Present, Being Reminiscences and Last Words of an Old Citizen . Mordecai is The Most Interesting Man in the Room, and he'll chat with you a long while about Richmond.
No. 40 Experiment in Rebellion, by Clifford Dowdey. A Richmond novelist and historian who learned his craft in pulp fiction, Dowdey wrote page-turners. This 1946 narrative history is a Southern West Wing focused on the difficulties of trying to govern a civil war. It features a colorful cast of characters, plus Richmond as herself.
No. 41 The Nightmare Has Triplets: Smirt, by Branch Cabell . Late in his career, Richmond fabulist James Branch Cabell dropped his first name and sought to write a Lewis Carroll dream story in James Joyce fashion, of which 1934's Smirt was the first installment. Partially set in a twilight fantastic "Richmond-in-Virginia," Smirt begins with a talking wooden dog.
No. 42 Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, by Tom Robbins. Robbins came to his creative realization in Richmond before leaving for Seattle. In this 1976 novel, big-thumbed teenager Sissy Hankshaw hitchhikes on a Monument Avenue "so dotted with enshrined cannon and heroic statuary that it is known throughout the geography of the dead as a banana belt for stuffed generals."
No. 43 Built by Blacks: African-American Architecture and Neighborhoods in Richmond, Virginia, by Selden Richardson. This 2008 assessment of houses and commercial structures is also a history of black life in the city, from slavery to the city's first black architect, the early 20th century's Charles T. Russell, and beyond.
—Harry Kollatz Jr.
44
Get lit for Christmas.
We're going to be honest: If you plan on doing your house up right, it's probably too late for this year. The heavyweight contenders string up tens of thousands of lights, and they start working on getting everything up long before December. So start planning for next year, and instead think about hiring a driver to take you on your own personal tacky-lights tour. James River Bus Lines, 342-7300 or onetransportationsolution.com/tacky_tour.html ; TNT Limousine, 965-0990 or tntlimousine.com
45
Pedal a boat at Fountain Lake with your sweetheart.
The romantic staple gets even better this spring, when the eight pedal boats return and a new concession stand — The Landing at Fountain Lake — opens for business. It'll be equipped with WiFi, but laptops and love don't always go together, particularly when lakes are involved. richmondgov.com/parks
46
Join a bike gang.
You've seen the scooters buzzing around — from modern four-strokes to vintage Vespas, some even tricked out with a sidecar — so why not join them? Link up with 7 Hills Scooter Club ( 7hillsscooterclub.com ) weekly at Cous Cous at 7:30 p.m. If old-school mopeds are more your speed, the Hell's Satans ( hellssatans.com ) hold an annual rally (this year in summer) featuring general tomfoolery that lives up to their motto: "Live Fast, Ride Slow."
47
Have your midday meal at a drugstore lunch counter.
Richmond is lucky to have a healthy number of these still serving up limeades and such, at the Midlothian Apothecary ( 794-5592 or midloapothecary.com ), the Near West End's Westwood Pharmacy ( 282-4828 or westwoodpharmacy.com ) and Westbury Pharmacy ( 282-7141 or www.westburypharmacy.com ) in the West End.
48
Become the T-D's "Correspondent of the Day."
Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial pages editor Todd Culbertson provided us with some tips for landing the coveted spot. The golden rule? Check your grammar. "If it takes a lot of editing, it's not going to be a Correspondent of the Day," he explains. Beyond that, keep it to 300 words, present a novel argument and maybe show that you did a little research. timesdispatch.com
49
Go to Hollywood.
The tale behind this simple Gaelic cross is a poignant one: During the "Spanish Influenza" epidemic that ravaged Richmond in the winter of 1918, some 800 people died. John Marshall High School was a temporary hospital, and 15-year-old Boy Scout Jack Williams volunteered there until the disease took him, too. Amid such sadness, there is also beauty — Hollywood Cemetery's view of the James. 648-8501 or hollywoodcemetery.org
50
Ride along with the police.
And, no, you don't have to get arrested first. Richmond's police department has an online ride-along application available to community members 18 or older. In Henrico, it's a similar process, but you must fill out paperwork in person ( 7721 E. Parham Road, 501-5194 ) to be approved for a ride-along. Your experience may not reach the level of excitement of a Cops episode, but you will see your community from a different angle. ci.richmond.va.us/forms/rpdRideAlong.aspx
51
Take a look from atop City Hall
A visitor may walk into a City Hall elevator, press "OD" if the weather is cooperating, and then exit into an astonishing 360-degree panorama of Richmond and its immediate vicinity. The spires of Old City Hall, the State Capitol and all of the city are visible, though no interpretive plaques help a visitor to identify a multitude of landmarks. We will tell you, however, that the imposing ridges rising in the east are the landfill. 900 E. Broad St., 646-6639
52
Get together with your Best Friends.
In 2010, it will be the ninth year for Best Friends Day, which started out as a gathering of 40 or so pals at Hadad's Lake and has grown into a multiday celebration that this year drew about 2,300 to the local water park, not to mention the throngs that packed Plaza Bowl, Alley Katz and the Bike Lot for the bands, bike jumps and beer. Next year's roster of venues and activities is in the planning stages (there will, of course, be a scavenger hunt, and the centerpiece of the whole weekend, Hadad's Lake, is scheduled for Aug. 21), so keep checking the Web site for information. bestfriendsday.net
53
Crash some clunkers.
We're guessing that most of you don't have a garden capable of producing 1,057-pound pumpkins, but there's another way to compete at the State Fair of Virginia. Pay a fee ($55 last year), make some required modifications to your car (glass is a no-no), and you can compete for glory (and a purse of a couple grand) in the demolition derby, learning skills that will come in handy during the coming zombie apocalypse. 994-2800 or statefair.com/competitions
54
Tour a hooch distillery.
Who says premium handcrafted vodka has to be imported? These days it's hatched right here in River City. Go find out what all the fuss is about — let Cirrus Vodka's master distiller Paul McCann guide you around his artisan vodka distillery. Call before Dec. 1, and meet him in a 1930s warehouse in Old Manchester, or contact McCann in late January after his move to a new space. 231-3000 or cirrusvodka.com
55
See the twinkly lights.
The lighted reindeer at the James Center are well known (they're lit at the Dec. 4 Grand Illumination), as is Lewis Ginter's GardenFest of Lights. To the east, the Jingle on the James lighted boat parade (Dec. 12 from 5:30 to 6 p.m.) is a newer tradition. There's a view from above at Libby Hill, but Rocketts Landing and Osborne Park are closer to the action. thejamescenter.com ; check Facebook for info on Jingle on the James; lewisginter.org
56
Fill a need.
Richmond has oodles of volunteering opportunities, HandsOn Greater Richmond and ConnectRichmond both maintain databases of activities, from one-shot deals to ongoing volunteering options. The Virginia Department of Social Services' Office on Volunteerism and Community Service offers a similar database that extends statewide; all you have to do is plug in your ZIP code or your city, and opportunities pop up. connectrichmond.org ; handsongreaterrichmond.org ; vaservice.org
57
Visit the crypt.
For a different — and slightly spooky — twist on touring Richmond's most historic digs, follow the steps down to the crypt located beneath the sanctuary at Monumental Church, the site of the Richmond Theatre fire of 1811. A movie documenting the fire, which claimed the lives of 72 people, including the governor of Virginia, is shown next to the crypt for added effect. Call to arrange a tour, 643-7407.
58
Be an extra.
Casting calls for student and short films, movies and TV shows can be found at the "hotline" section of the Virginia Film Office's Web site, while larger projects sometimes run ads in the newspaper looking for extras. Finally, if you're determined to pursue extra work, contact a local talent agent. film.virginia.org
59
Shake a governor's hand.
Hanging around Capitol Square — or checking the governor's public schedule online — can help you track the current guv (Bob McDonnell arrives next month), but you also can shake Tim Kaine's hand at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church on Sundays and meet Linwood Holton at his namesake elementary school's 5K race in March. governor.virginia.gov/mediarelations/govSchedule.cfm
60
Walk the Slave Trail.
With talk of a national slavery museum coming to Shockoe Bottom, it's a good time to see where slaves entered Virginia at Manchester Docks and others were sold from Lumpkin's Slave Jail. E l e gba Folklore Society conducts tours featuring living-history interpreters, including a torchlit walk at night, the time when slaves were unloaded from ships. To arrange a tour, call 644-3900.
61
See the mayor do his other job.
If you visit First Baptist Church of South Richmond often enough, you may catch the city's mayor, the Rev. Dwight C. Jones, at the pulpit giving a sermon. 233-7679 or fbctoday.org
62
Spend the day with the NCAA.
We've had a bit of a college-sports renaissance in the past few years — from UR's national championship in football to VCU's March Madness success, as well as the always-reliable pleasures of the Freedom Classic, a b-ball showdown between VUU and VSU, plus the chance to catch up with local talent on Randolph-Macon College's men's baseball team. richmondspiders.com ; rmc.edu/athletics ; vcuathletics.com ; vsu.edu/pages/102.asp ; vuusports.vuu.edu
63
Visit the Virginia Capitol.
Outside of the Virginia Capitol's sheer beauty, there is so much history to contemplate, notes Alice Lynch, executive director of the Virginia Capitol Foundation: It was there that Aaron Burr's 1807 treason trial was held, the Bill of Rights was ratified and public schools were instituted. While you're visiting, look down: There are fossils embedded in the limestone-and-marble floor on the first story. virginiacapitol.gov
64
Go to worship, with a twist.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, like a lot of churches, hosts midweek activities — including Prayer Yoga at 5 p.m. Wednesdays. Leader Suzanne McWilliams offers prayers while participants at all levels take up gentle positions (think lotus); church member Lewis Holley says the relaxed atmosphere helps him enter a state of contemplative prayer. Bring a mat and wear yoga clothes. 643-3589 or stpaulsepiscopal.org
A YOUTUBE TOUR OF RICHMOND | RITES OF PASSAGE | GET A READ ON RICHMOND | OBJECTS OF MEMORY
OBJECTS OF MEMORY
Here are items from local museums that highlight aspects of Richmond's story. Visit them.
No. 65 Henry "Harry" Heth's gold pocket watch, Museum and White House of the Confederacy. A member of a Chesterfield County coal-mining family, Confederate Maj. Gen. Harry Heth (1829-1895) had this watch at Gettysburg, where he sparked the battle when encountering Federal cavalry. 649-1861 or moc.org
No. 66 Statute for Religious Freedom, Library of Virginia. This 1786 document assures Virginians that they may practice any religion, or none, without compulsion or persecution.Viewing is limited to groups expressing interest. 692-3500 or lva.virginia.gov
No. 67 James Branch Cabell's library and typewriter, Virginia Commonwealth University Special Collections & Archives. Writer James Branch Cabell's large personal library is exhibited, including signed first editions by Mark Twain, H.L. Mencken and F. Scott Fitzgerald. The 1915 Oliver typewriter on which the lifelong Richmonder composed many of his books is also on view. 828-1108 or library.vcu.edu
No. 68 Marcel Coard sofa, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Jasper Johns' Between the Clock and the Bed topped this Art Deco sofa in the home of Richmond collectors Sidney and Frances Lewis. The renovated VMFA re-opens on May 1, and the couch, along with other treasures from the Lewises' donated collection, will be there. 340-1400 or vmfa.state.va.us
No. 69 Swan bed, Maymont. This surreal piece from Mrs. Dooley's bedroom was part of a similarly themed suite originally used at the Dooleys' mountain house, Swannanoa. 1700 Hampton St., 358-7166 or maymont.org
No. 70 Torah pointer, Beth Ahabah Museum & Archives. This tool for reading a Torah scroll was crafted by 19th-century Richmond silversmith Lewis Hyman for Beth Shalome, Richmond's first Jewish congregation (est. 1789). 353-2668 or bethahabah.org/bama/index.htm
No. 71 Junior Partners cigarettes, Virginia Historical Society (pictured above). So important was tobacco to the local economy that you occasionally wound up with strange marketing gimmicks like this, which goes on display in June, along with other odd bits of Virginiana. 358-4901 or vahistorical.org
No. 72 Edgar Allan Poe's silk vest, Poe Museum. When departing Richmond for the final time, Poe left behind a trunk that passed to relatives who would on occasion show off the items inside. 648-5523 or poemuseum.org
No. 73 The Old General Store , Chesterfield County Museum. Before Chesterfield was dotted with strip malls, general stores served rural residents. This one's based on Winterpock's Brooks Store. 796-1479 or chesterfieldtourism.com
No. 74 Maggie Walker's safe, The Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site. In August, furnishings belonging to African-American trailblazer Maggie Walker returned to her preserved residence, filling three rooms with original pieces not seen before by the public. 771-2017 or nps.gov/malw/home.htm
No. 75 The Miller & Rhoads Clock, Valentine Richmond History Center. Countless people met beneath this 1924 clock, which was suspended over the now shuttered downtown store's information desk. 639-0711 or richmondhistorycenter.com
—Harry Kollatz Jr.
