In 1892, Major Lewis Günter decided to build the finest hotel in America, in Richmond. Some would say he succeeded, considering its impressive guest list, which included Teddy Roosevelt, Bette Davis, Henry Ford, Gertrude Stein, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John D.…
On November 20, 1909, the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia voted itself into existence. It was the first women’s voting rights organization in Richmond and it had just eighteen members, including Adele Clark, Nora Houston, the novelist Ellen Glasgow, and…
Like over 46 million other Americans who plan to travel fifty miles or more over Thanksgiving, the Thompsons are hitting the road for the holiday this year. And not to be outdone by those fifty-milers, we’re going all in, all…
When 5-year-old twins, Trevor and Lucy, along with their older brother Jordan, lay down at night, there are smiles on their faces and a shared feeling of comfort that they haven’t had in a long time. Life hasn’t been easy…
In 1874, an international order of Roman Catholic nuns came to Richmond. Founded in 1839 by a French woman who welcomed a blind, starving wanderer into her home, the Little Sisters of the Poor were dedicated to serving the indigent elderly throughout…
In 1646, two now-Virginia tribes signed a peace treaty with the British powers, ending the Third Anglo-Powhatan War. With this, the first reservations (the legal designation for an area of land managed by a Native American tribe rather than the…
I only remember reading three books with my parents when I was a child (my dad, specifically – I’m sure Mom was busy preparing us a healthy meal during this time). One of them, The Story About Ping, is now…
Your child, who just yesterday seemed to be learning to read, going on playdates, and talking about what he wanted to be when he grows up, is suddenly a senior in high school. Peers are making plans. There is talk…
At age nine, Michael was desperate for a new hope. He was living in atrocious conditions – a home littered with garbage, without reliable electricity or heat, and often without enough food to eat. His father severely abused and…
After what I hope was a fantastic summer, the time has come to pack those swimsuits away and put the kiddos on the bus back to school. It’s a bittersweet time for kids and parents alike, and the feelings around…
