Friday, February 15, 2008

Places to Go - Belle Island - The River and the City



Belle Island sets in the middle of the James River. Some visionary was crazy enough to propose building a footbrige to the island that is suspended beneath the Lee Bridge. Just getting there is a thrill as you walk 50 feet over the water on a suspended concrete walkway. It is actually quite safe, there are 4 foot railings on both sides to make you feel secure.


I took this picture on my birthday 3 years ago. It was taken at sunrise looking back towards the city from the footpath that circles the island. The light was perfect.








The walk takes you from the edge of downtown to a semi wild and desolate place full of ghosts. In it's time it has played host to an Indian settlement, a horse track, a civil war POW camp where thousands suffered, a powerplant with two dams and a steel mill, the remains of which are shown in here.


Today it is a public park and quick escape from the urban rat race. There are turbulent rapids on both sides. Whitewater rafters and kayaks are a common sight. When I first saw it I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a sunny warm day in January and many people turned out to take advantage of this brief reprieve from winter. It was a day to make you smile and most people did. I was new in town and reveled in the friendly vibe. I felt sure I had made the right decision in coming to Richmond.

Brandy and I were frequent visitors.

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2 comments:

Bill Garnett said...

I couldn't help, seeing your photo of the Belle Island footbridge, noticing that it reminded me of this other bridge,

I do appreciate your promoting of Richmond's oft unnoticed and secluded public places.

Paul Hammond said...

That was great. I think the news would be better if it came with a soundtrack.

I had a similar experience on this very bridge. We were having one of those fundraiser pledge walks and part of it went over the Belle Isle footbridge. I don't think it was designed to have hundred of people walking over it at once and it started to sway back and forth. Naturally people countered the sway by leaning and lurching back and forth which only made the bridge sway more. I had visions of our own Tacoma Narrows and I was never so glad to be off of something.