A big red trolley amped up the friendly in Richmond, and it didn't hurt that it was running on a Friday during happy hour, too.
On June 15, 25 of our readers, ages 7 to 70, boarded a chartered Richmond Trolley, and our own behatted Harry Kollatz Jr. led the group from the African Burial Ground to St. John's Church and 14 other places in between. It was a trial run for our proposed America's Liberty Trail, which we think should be established in Richmond as a complement to Boston's Freedom Trail. (Visit richmag.com/trail for the June story.)
Waving pedestrians who loved the clang of the bell peppered the path that our managing editor Jack Cooksey and writer Chris Dovi mapped out, and seemingly everyone they met wanted to be a tour guide: A gentleman dropping off Porta-Johns at one stop encouraged the group to head east to learn more about Pocahontas and Capt. John Smith.
With an "awesome" from one 9-year-old guest to a "You all should do a history happy hour with your writers," the tour ended, and Harry's work was done. We sweetened the ending with Dixie Donuts and Albemarle CiderWorks cider from Urban Farmhouse.
With the encouragement voiced at this event and others, look for us to roll out Richmond magazine's Masthead Club next month. Details on how you can join and what insider events you'll be invited to will be revealed!
