Virginia – Geeky Girl Engineer

Shenandoah Flowers and Insects

Posted on July 26, 2020 by geek

Last weekend I went to Shenandoah National Park to take photos of Comet NEOWISE, which of course, can only be seen at night. During the day I did some hiking, driving, and took lots of photos. Across from the northern visitor’s center, there is a small field that while I was there was filled with wildflowers, especially milkweed, bee balm, and thistle, and consequently also flying insects visiting those wildflowers. I spent a great deal of time taking photos of the flowers and the insects visiting them, one of my favorite activities. I am not completely positive about the identity, so comments with any needed corrections are welcome.

Field of wildflowers across from visitor’s center

Sunset over the Shenandoah Valley from Skyline Drive

Virginia State Capitol

Posted on October 13, 2019 by geek

I came to Richmond to tour the Virginia state capitol. I took the tour today, and the tour was so bad that as a resident of Virginia, I was actually embarrassed by it. First, the tour lasted a little over an hour, and well beyond half of it was history of the state, not of the actual capitol (with an “o” meaning the building itself). I find it hard to believe that I am the only person who when going for a tour of a capitol or some other building wants a tour of the building and the history of the building, not of the state or people who used to live there. Second, the tour was completely whitewashed. My tour guide did not say the word “slave” once. In her entire hour long recitation of the history of the colony and state of Virginia, she did not think it important to mention slavery once. If she had barely talked about the history of Virginia, I might be more forgiving of that huge gap. Also, I am going to make an educated guess that slaves were involved in building the capitol.

Third, probably because she spent so much time talking about the history of Virginia, she barely had time to talk about the details of the building. She evidently doesn’t show either of the House or Senate chambers, unless the group wants to see one. We all wanted to see one, so she took us to the House chambers. After that I asked if we could see the Senate, she seemed surprise that someone would want to see both. Is it really that surprising that someone who goes on a tour of a state capitol would want to see both chambers, which generally are the most important rooms in the entire building? She said the two chambers look the same, but possibly because others wanted to see it also, she took us to the Senate chamber also. They are not the same. They are very similar, but there are specific differences. The House has green seats and curtains. The Senate has red seats and curtains. I have visited enough state capitols to make an educated guess that that is based on the British Parliament lower and upper house. [See the California State Capitol and Colorado State Capitol among others.] However I have to guess because the tour guide didn’t bother to point it out. Considering she said they are exactly the same, perhaps she did not even realize it. Further, when we were in the Senate chamber, I asked her about some symbol on the ceiling [see below photo] that I had also noticed in the House. She did at least partially explain what it was, but considering how capitols are generally full of symbolism, I found it bizarre that she didn’t talk about it to initially. Also, she never mentioned that there is place near the stair landing a floor above where we were, where they have clear plastic covering a portion of the interior of the building [see photo below]. Even if she was not going to take us there, she could have mentioned it as something we might want to go see. I discovered it by accident while wandering around after the official tour.

Fourth, perhaps this is a dumb complaint, but one of the reasons I take guided tours of the capitols is because generally the tour guides are fantastic, knowledgable, and can tell you all these details you can’t get by just wandering around. In the rotunda, to the side of the dome, the state seal is painted on the ceiling. Only it is not the official seal. The state seal of Virginia, which among other places is on the flag not to mention numerous places in the capitol, features the goddess Virtue, and one of her breasts, including the nipple is showing. The seal on ceiling has both of Virtue’s breasts covered. I noticed this immediately that it looked wrong. I asked the guide during the tour if that painted version was because of the former Attorney General Cuccinelli who made national news when he changed the seal to cover up Virtue’s breast on things in his office. She said no that is the official seal. After the tour, I showed her an up close photo to point out the difference, and I am not sure she even realized that the painted version differs from the version on the flag and on the floor next to the tour guide desk. She had no explanation for the difference and didn’t seem to be interested in a visitor pointing out to her there is a difference. She said that painting has been there for years. So maybe that version has nothing to do with a recent politician, but why is it different? I am very curious. Also of note, when I told to her after, there was a security guard right there, and he was really interested and wanted to look at my photo. Thus at least one other person finds it interesting that the painted seal is different. I am curious about how old the rotunda painting is and the history of the version of the seal. Internet searches are only giving me the version on the flag.

My complaints are not just about this particular guide. I am quite frankly dumbfounded that a normal tour does not allow a visitor to see both chambers. You can’t get into the chambers at all without a guide. In most of the state capitols I have been to so far, you can just wander in to at least the viewing gallery. In Virginia, that is not possible. As a resident of Virginia this strikes me as wrong. It is supposed to be the people’s house, so let the people see it.

The exterior of the Virginia state capitol. The middle portion is the original version dating back to 1788 and designed by Thomas Jefferson. The two side wings date back to 1906 and hold the two chambers.

The 2007 extension created an underground approach to the capitol. In the photo above is the underground walkway as it approaches the original building. The wall on the right with the windows is the original building.

The original model of the capitol. They painted the model when they painted the building.

The rotunda features a statue of George Washington.

The dome which is not visible from the exterior.

The Virginia state seal as painted on the ceiling in the rotunda to the side of the dome. Notice Virtue’s breasts are both covered, unlike the version on the flag and seemingly everywhere else.

The Senate chambers. The House chambers has a similar ceiling.

Painting on the Senate ceiling. The tour guide said the center is a VA for Virginia. I think she said the circle are tobacco leaves.

Near the stairwell on the floor to the chambers’ viewing galleries (it is on both sides), they have part of the wooden frame from the original east and west entrance to the rotunda viewable. The sign says they were uncovered during the 2004-2007 restoration.

Richmond Canal Walk

Posted on October 12, 2019 by geek

I am continuing my quest to see all the state capitols. I am in Richmond this weekend to see the Virginia state capitol. However, today, I just wandered around. I spent most of the day walking along and near the Richmond canal walk. Richmond has a couple of disjointed canal that were originally part of a large system so that ships could avoid the James River rapids. The canal walk is lovely. The original building of the canal and the restoration of it are impressive engineering projects. They have restored much of the system, and you can even take a boat ride along part of it. [I did, and some of those photos are included.] Railroads and then highways were built alongside and on top of parts of the canal system. My tour guide on the boat ride noted that there is one part where you can see 18th century (the canal), 19th century (the railroad), and 20th century (the highway) transportation systems all in a single frame. I thought that was an interesting and insightful observation. The canal also is both inside and outside the Richmond flood wall, which is another impressive piece of engineering. A canal was built to bypass the James River rapids, and a wall was built to protect against James River floods.

Entrance to the first (most downstream) lock in the canal system.

The first (most downstream) lock in the system. The lock is full and beyond is the James River. The area is now a park.

A pool just beyond the first lock, now part of a park

“The Lowline” is hike and bike trail along an elevated railroad next to the canal.

Part of the canal is inside the Richmond flood wall, which has a gate seen here for boats to pass in and out of the flood wall.

The canal is below railroads and highways in parts.

The turning basin where you can catch a boat ride, see to the left.

Pedestrian walks along the canal. Much of the canal is only a couple of feet deep.

Abandoned buildings are alongside the canal. This one has numerous original murals.

Jamestown Artifacts

Posted on June 17, 2018 by geek

My tour of Jamestown included a behind the scenes tour of the vault, where they keep many of the archeological finds and the laboratory where they process the finds. In the lab, our guide showed us how where they clean and dry the samples. She also explained how all the finds are identified and coded. My favorite part was her describing how they identify, collect, and store all artifacts found at the site, including potato chip bags, CDs, and USB drives. I suppose technically CDs are becoming historical objects.

The vault contains wonderful artifacts, and they are very clear to explain that the artifacts all represent historical trash. Essentially everything they have was found in a historical Jamestown trash hole. Many of the trash holes were water wells that became contaminated with salt water, so they just threw their trash in it for archeologists to dig up and treasure hundreds of years later. [Consider that next time you litter.] They have collected lots of bones from various wild and domesticated animals, pottery, glass, and metal objects. They have many old building material artifacts also. The collection is just amazing. What is even more amazing is what people throw away. Some things never change.

Artifacts being sorted in the lab

Dutch pottery artifacts

Glass and pottery artifacts

Building material artifacts

Animal bones

Pottery

Pottery artifacts

Historic Jamestown

Posted on June 17, 2018 by geek

I took a trip down to historic Jamestown for a tour that included not only the original fort, but also the “suburbs” of it, and a behind the scenes tour of the research area. [Photos from the research are on the next blog entry.] Jamestown is the site of the first permanent English settlement in North America. [Side note: I love all the modifiers. The lost colony of Roanoke NC disappeared and hence was not permanent. St. Augustine FL was Spanish. Let’s not even get started on all the Native American settlements.] The area is a continual archeological dig and is quite fascinating. The fort area is not that big really. Back then, it was big, I guess, and I am sure they men who built it in a very short period of time that it was huge and a huge amount of work. On the west side is the James River, and on the east side is wetlands. The area is beautiful, but back then without proper fresh water or AC, probably generally unpleasant.

In the original fort area, they have reproduced the fence surrounding it as well as a couple of buildings. They have also unearthed the footings of buildings. They have partially rebuilt the walls of the original church. The ruins of a later 17th century church tower remain as well as the sanctuary of a later church built on the grounds of several earlier churches. Archeologists are currently digging inside the newer church. They have placed crosses in the fort area where many of the bodies were found. There does not appear to be a cross for each person though. We saw a National Geographical movie on Jamestown on the way down, which helped me understand the history quite a bit. I can’t quite put into words what I felt visiting the area knowing the number of people who had died there, knowing the fighting with Native Americans that occurred as the English occupied their land, and knowing about the slaves that were later sold in the area. Somber, I guess. In one unearthed area in the original fort area, there is a brick structure visible in the cellar. It was in this area that they found the remains of a girl who had been cannibalized. It was survival cannibalism during the starving period, but still it is gruesome.

Outside the fort area are the brick footing remains of the later built House of Burgesses. On top of those footings is a museum. In another area, are the brick remains of residences and other buildings. The remains of a large residence are near the far end of the suburbs area, and this is where one of the first slaves to be sold on the continent came. Her name was Angela. There was other slaves sold alongside her, but hers is the only name known. They have started offering tours about slaves that were brought there besides just the tours of the fort area. I think it is a great idea as it gives a much better understanding of the full history of the area.