Illustration by Jamie Douglas
Drive south along Interstate 95, and you will come across Exit 61, which leads westbound travelers down state Route 10 to Chester in Chesterfield County. It’s a historic community that’s gotten a remake in the past few years. The original downtown, a stop on the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad and the Clover Hill Railroad in the 1900s, has transformed into a vibrant community that’s rich in history and primed for growth. Chester is a mix of family-owned businesses, traditional suburbs, and new residential living areas that offer urban amenities and lifestyle opportunities. For recreation, head further west to Pocahontas State Park, or go east to check out a re-creation of one of the earliest European settlements in North America at Henricus Historical Park.
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She Chester at Chester Village Green (Photo by Jay Paul)
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The Lazy Daisy Gift Store (Photo by Pam Barham)
Live, Eat, Shop
Illustration by Jamie Douglas
Chester has a typical mix of old and new suburban development, but there’s a planned community at its heart, Chester Village Green. "It’s like city living in the suburbs,” says Megan Nunnally, a resident there for 10 years. "There are sidewalks throughout the community and you can walk to restaurants and shops. I also like the fact that it is well lit at night and I never worry about safety."
Chester Village Green Apartments is a recent addition to the community. Amenities include two pools and a 24-hour fitness center. And for those over age 62, there’s the Chester Village Senior Living Community. It offers transportation to local events, malls and grocery stores.
Long & Foster Real Estate agent Rae Nunnally says Chester is a place where everyone can find a home, with prices ranging from $150,000 to $400,000. Nunnally cites Stoney Glen and Stoney Glen West as popular, affordable developments.
The retail mix in Chester includes several shops and dining outlets within walking distance. The Lazy Daisy Gift Store on West Hundred Road is where home decor furniture meets antiques. Across the highway, there’s She Chester, a family-owned retail store on Chester Village Drive, offering customizable gifts and complimentary gift wrapping since 2007. “She Chester is definitely, we like to say, an experience,” says Bridget Schindel, the store’s marketing director. “We want you to come in and feel like family and feel like you can talk to us openly about who you are buying for and if we can help you in any way.”
Nearby restaurant and bistro offerings include Don Papa Grande Mexican Restaurant. You’ll find American favorites such as fried deviled eggs and stuffed chicken at Howlett’s Restaurant & Tavern on Festival Park Plaza, and liver and onions, meatloaf and other comfort food fare at Mr. B’s on Chester Village Drive. The soft-serve ice cream at Wally’s Sweet Spot on Celebration Avenue is a nice finish to the day.
Learn from reenactors at Henricus Historical Park. (Photo by Jim Byrd)
Henricus Historical Park
You can explore the early days of European settlement at this living history museum in Chester.
It offers a look at life in the Citie of Henricus at its founding in 1611, with 12 re-created structures and interpreters in period dress. Families and visitors interact with the interpreters and assist with cooking, blacksmithing, planting or harvesting. There’s also a re-creation of a Native American village that represents the culture of the Arrohateck people of the Powhatan Indian chiefdom. Visitors can see interpreters crafting a canoe or cultivating corn and tobacco in the village. Henricus Historical Park is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $9 for adults and $7 for ages 3 to 12.
Riding a trail at Pocahontas State Park (Photo by Woody Carr)
Alfresco Entertainment
Hidden away along the winding Beach Road, adventurers and nature enthusiasts can find Pocahontas State Park, Virginia’s largest state park. Built on farmland and timbered forest in the late 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the park operated as the Swift Creek Recreational Demonstration Area by the National Park Service. Virginia acquired the park in 1946. Nancy Roberts, a student at Thomas Dale High School, submitted the winning entry in a contest to name the park.
The 7,950-acre park offers more than 100 miles of trails, three lakes and an aquatic center.
“With the large number of trails, you can come out and actually visit the park and maybe at times not even encounter two or three other people by using our trails,” says park manager Joshua Ellington. “You can come and enjoy the park and have that moment in nature while not being disturbed.”
The wide range of activities offered at the park attracts about 1,000 visitors a day during the off-season and more than 4,000 people a day from during the prime season. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, visitors can rent boats, paddle boards, paddle boats, canoes and kayaks by the hour or spend the day hiking the trails.
A Taste of the Vineyard
Illustration by Jamie Douglas
You’ll find Ashton Creek Vineyard, a winery and event venue, off Jefferson Davis Highway. It was started by the Thibault family in 2011.
“My sister actually got married and we had such a hard time finding an event venue. At that time my father was making wine in the garage at home, believe it or not. That's how it kind of all started,” says Rachel Thibault, events manager for Ashton Creek.
Since opening, the vineyard has seen a change in Chester, with a rise in development in the area. “I think it's gonna continue to develop,” Thibault says. “I have lots of people still coming in every day who are from the other side of the river that haven't visited us but have found out about us and it's giving them a reason to visit Chester. I think that's exciting.”
Open Wednesday through Sunday, the vineyard offers walk-in wine and cider tastings for $15 as well as a small tap menu. “We're not a full-service restaurant, but it is more set up like a brewery would be as to where you would place your order with one of our wine stewards and then you could find seating we have on the patio,” Thibault says.
People are also able to get a bottle of wine, a glass of wine or a carafe or growler. A growler seems an appropriate way to check out the pet-friendly vineyard’s two wines named after their pet dogs, Bailey’s Bold, a red, and Willie’s White. The venue donates $4 from each sale of Bailey’s or Willie’s wines to a local rescue or shelter, says owner Lori Thibault.
