Transforming the James River in Richmond

by Ralph Hambrick, Bill Street - CEO James River Association (Foreword by)

Overview

The James River is the centerpiece of Richmond, but by the mid-twentieth century it had been abused and neglected. Eagles and sturgeon had nearly disappeared, water-powered industry was abandoning it and the river was a sewer. Today, the river draws visitors to its wooded shorelines, restored canal and feisty rapids. At the local level, this transformation was the result of citizen action, public-private partnerships, difficult decisions by governmental leaders and the hard work of thousands of passionate advocates and volunteers. Local author and lifelong river watcher Ralph Hambrick chronicles the events, projects and controversies that brought about the dramatic change and lends a critical eye to the results.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467145350
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	04/06/2020
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	1,077,265
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Ralph Hambrick is a member and former chair of the Falls of the James Scenic River Advisory Committee and a member and former co-chair of the James River Advisory Council. He earned a BA from Dartmouth College and a PhD from Syracuse University and is professor emeritus in public policy and administration at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a former whitewater canoe instructor, raft guide and an all-around river enjoyer who does his writing from a home office overlooking the James River.

Table of Contents

Foreword William H. Street 9

Preface 11

Acknowledgements 13

1 Transformation: Introducing an Urban River 15

2 A Sewer No More: Cleaning Up the River 30

3 The Expressway Not Built: An Emerging Appreciation of the River 48

4 Public Access: Building the James River Park System 60

5 Dams, Fish, Eagles, Geese and More 84

6 Recreation: A Little Conflict Mixed with the Fun 105

7 Riverfront: A Vision that Links the Future to the Past 123

8 Riverfront: Floods and a Wall 138

9 Riverfront: Bringing the Vision to Life 152

10 Views: The River as Aesthetic Experience 171

11 Showcase for History: Riverfront as Outdoor Museum 188

12 A New River Ethos and a Hopeful Future 207

Notes 219

Selected Bibliography 231

Index 233

About the Author 239