New Book Releases

Using rarely seen images to illustrate the most interesting features of the city, this book showcases the events that molded Petersburg's history. Petersburg Virginia has the largest amount of 18th, 19th and 20th-century structures in the state of Virginia. Most of these buildings, homes and streets have been in constant use. There are thirteen neighborhoods on the national register of historic places.

Crack open these pages to learn that Virginia is truly for History Lovers.

Begun in the seventeenth century as a small settlement nestled along the Elizabeth River, Norfolk grew into a vibrant port city by the Revolutionary War. The city spread out from its earliest neighborhoods like the Freemason District into 19th century enclaves like Ghent on the Hague. 20th century Norfolk was marked by its development into a bustling Navy town. Journey through the vibrant past of this multifaceted locale, guided by expert authors from local museums, historical organizations, and city institutions. Walk the city's most historic neighborhoods and learn the history of its beachside communities. End with suggestions of places to eat and play that evoke traces of Norfolk's past.

Anyone strolling through James Madison University's bucolic Bluestone area, which is grounded by the iconic Wilson Hall, will feel the educational journeys of past students resonating through the air. Founded in 1908 as a women's college, James Madison University was originally called the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg and had an opening enrollment of 150 students. Since then, James Madison University has undergone several name changes and has a current enrollment of over 20,000 students. "The Madison Experience" is one that involves a commitment to learning and a fun and open spirit. This retelling of campus history seeks to capture some of the defining moments and cherished memories that have shaped so many Dukes.

For over two centuries, Arlington County has been a steadfast center for government institutions and a vibrant part of the Washington, D.C., community.

Many notable figures made their home in the area, like Supreme Court chief justice Warren Burger, General George "Blood 'n' Guts" Patton and a beauty queen who almost married crooner Dean Martin. The drama of Virginia's first school integration unfolded in Arlington beginning in the late 1950s. In the 1960s, two motorcycle gangs clashed in public at a suburban shopping center. Local author, historian and "Our Man in Arlington" Charlie Clark uncovers the vivid, and hidden, history of a capital community.

Local author Kristin Thrower Stowe guides a series of expeditions through the River City's past.

Best known as the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond's history encompasses much more than the Civil War. Visit the state capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson and tour Shockoe Bottom, one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. Follow the route that enslaved people took from the ships to the auction block on the Richmond Slave Trail. Go back to Gilded Age Richmond at the Jefferson Hotel and learn the history of the statues that once lined the famed Monument Avenue. See less-visited sites like the Maggie Walker Home and the Black History Museum in the historically African American Jackson Ward neighborhood.