A recent visit to the Chesterfield Museum Complex was my first look into some of the history of Chesterfield County that wasn’t a park or Civil War site. It may not sound like a huge leap, but I’m a Richmond/Henrico kinda guy and I’ve been trying to get around to more parts of the Richmond area.

I like the overall complex, especially the monuments and artifacts in the courtyard. The one that struck me the most was the confederate statue, dedicated “in memory of the confederate soldiers of Chesterfield and Manchester.“ I’m no history expert, but to the untrained eye the statue itself is very similar to the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument statue at Libby Hill Park in Richmond and another I’ve recently visited at Blandford Church Cemetery in Petersburg. The statue in Chesterfield has a beautiful granite base and stands high above the courthouse grounds, much the same as the other two statues (though with differing bases). Seeing these makes me think there must be many more similar statues in the area, state or around the South. Anyone know where others may be located?

One disappointment was that the jail and the museum were closed for rennovations. I’ve heard and read the jail was fun for kids, so maybe it will get another visit. We also visited Magnolia Grange (located across Ironbridge Road from the Courthouse), and that will be posted sometime next week.

Phil Riggan
DiscoverRichmond.com

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