Place Called Shocquohocan

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The region was inhabited by the Powhatan tribe before 1607. It had a natural beauty and the Native Americans enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing and trading. At times they referred to the place as Shocoquohocan or Shockoe. James I granted a royal charter to the Virginia Company of London to settle colonists in North America. The first permanent English settlement was established in 1607 at Jamestown. Many settlements here failed due to attacks by the Powhatan. Fort Charles was built in 1645 on the highest navigable point of the James River. As new settlers arrived the community grew and turned into a trading post for furs, hides, and tobacco. Finally, the town of Richmond was founded in 1737. It was named after the English town of Richmond. The town became a center of activity during the Revolutionary War. Patrick Henry gave his famous speech “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” at St. John’s Church in Richmond. It became the capital of Virginia in 1780 but the British troops burned it to the ground during Benedict Arnold’s watch. By 1782 Richmond has recovered. It became a slave trade center through which slaves came and then were sent to the Deep South. During the Civil War, it was the capital of the Confederate states. Here you could find the largest foundry in the South and the third-largest antebellum in the U.S. The foundry produced over 2,200 cannons. The tobacco industry helped Richmond through the Great Depression. In 1952, it had the highest production of cigarettes in the city’s history. Today Richmond, the capital of Virginia is among the oldest major cities in the U.S. Visitors can see the famous St. John’s Church, the White House of the Confederacy, the home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis which is now a museum. Who has been to Richmond? Photo of St. John’s church