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| Henrico County Historical Commission | |
|---|---|
| Name | Henrico County Historical Commission |
| Established | 1969 |
| Headquarters | Henrico County, Virginia |
| Leader title | Chair |
Henrico County Historical Commission
The Henrico County Historical Commission is a county-level appointed body in Henrico County, Virginia, charged with identifying, preserving, and interpreting historic resources within the jurisdiction of Henrico County, Virginia. The commission operates amid a regional network that includes Virginia Department of Historic Resources, National Register of Historic Places, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Virginia Historical Society, and nearby municipal bodies such as City of Richmond and Chesterfield County, Virginia to coordinate preservation planning, heritage tourism, and archival stewardship.
The commission traces its roots to mid-20th century preservation impulses influenced by national events such as the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the establishment of the National Register of Historic Places, with local precedents linked to early preservation efforts around Berkeley Plantation, Drewry's Bluff, Bremo Plantation, Belle Isle (Richmond, Virginia), and the Battle of Cold Harbor. Early commissioners often included members associated with Virginia Museum of History & Culture, University of Virginia, College of William & Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, and private foundations like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Over ensuing decades, the commission engaged with state and federal programs such as the Historic American Buildings Survey, the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission, and the Richmond Battlefield Study to assess battlefield boundaries, plantation complexes, and industrial heritage linked to James River (Virginia), Pocahontas Island Historic District, and transportation corridors including the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.
The commission’s mandate aligns with statutory frameworks under the Code of Virginia and state preservation guidelines from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Its responsibilities encompass survey and inventory work for landmarks like Staples Mill Road Historic District, evaluation for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, stewardship of archaeological sites tied to Powhatan Confederacy, Tuckahoe Plantation, and advisory reviews for county planning entities including the Henrico County Board of Supervisors. The commission collaborates with federal agencies such as the National Park Service and regional entities like the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission to integrate heritage considerations into transportation projects involving Interstate 95, U.S. Route 1, and local zoning decisions.
The commission is typically constituted of volunteer members appointed by the Henrico County Board of Supervisors representing fields such as historic preservation, archaeology, architecture, and history, often drawn from institutions like Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts, University of Richmond, John Tyler Community College, American Institute of Architects, and professional societies such as the Association for Preservation Technology International and the Society for American Archaeology. Liaisons and ex officio participants may include staff from the Henrico County Division of Recreation and Parks, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Library of Virginia, and representatives from preservation organizations including the Historic Richmond Foundation and the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.
Programs administered or supported by the commission encompass historic site surveys referencing methodologies from the Historic American Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record, marker programs akin to those of the Virginia Historical Marker Program, and collaboration on heritage tourism initiatives with partners like Visit Richmond Virginia, Richmond Region Tourism, and the James River Association. Activities include grant application support for federal programs such as the Save America's Treasures grants, technical assistance for tax credit projects under the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (United States), coordination with battlefield preservationists from groups including the Civil War Trust (now part of the American Battlefield Trust), and participation in statewide efforts such as the Virginia Main Street Program.
The commission evaluates properties for local landmark status, often consulting inventories that reference the National Register of Historic Places listings in Henrico County, Virginia, significant properties such as Dorey Park, Colosseum (Richmond, Virginia), Three Chopt Road Historic District, and resources associated with figures like Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, and John Marshall when applicable to the county’s fabric. Preservation strategies align with guidance from the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and coordination with entities like the Virginia Board of Historic Resources, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and local nonprofit stewards to implement easements, covenants, and rehabilitation projects.
The commission produces or contributes to survey reports, nomination forms for the National Register of Historic Places, and interpretive materials collaborating with academic partners at Virginia Commonwealth University Department of History, University of Virginia Department of Architectural History, and archival institutions such as the Library of Virginia and the Virginia Historical Society. Research topics often cover the colonial era including Henricus (Virginia) settlements, Revolutionary War sites connected to Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, Civil War campaigns like the Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days Battles, African American history including Freedom's Hill narratives, and industrial archaeology tied to the James River and Kanawha Canal.
Educational outreach integrates school programs aligned with Virginia Standards of Learning, partnerships with local schools such as Henrico County Public Schools, and collaboration with cultural organizations including the Institute for Public History and the Richmond Museum of History. The commission supports public events like walking tours, lectures featuring historians from Virginia Historical Society and American Historical Association networks, commemorative observances for events such as Juneteenth and anniversaries of Civil War battles, and volunteer archaeology projects coordinated with groups like the Archaeological Society of Virginia to engage civic groups, neighborhood associations, and heritage volunteers.
Category:Henrico County, Virginia Category:Historic preservation in Virginia Category:Historical societies in the United States