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James River (Virginia)
Encyclopedia
The James River is a river in the U.S. state
of Virginia
. It is 348 miles (560.1 km) long, extending to 444 miles (714.5 km) if one includes the Jackson River
, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment
comprising 10432 square miles (27,018.8 km²). The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million people (2000). It is the 12th longest river in the United States
that remains entirely within a single state. A song was recorded by Country and Western music singer Lefty Frizzell
about the river, called "James River", released on the "Saginaw, Michigan" album.
, near Iron Gate
on the border between Alleghany
and Botetourt
counties, from the confluence
of the Cowpasture
and Jackson
rivers, and flows into the Chesapeake Bay
at Hampton Roads
. Tidal waters extend west to Richmond
, the capital of Virginia, at the river's fall line
(the head of navigation). Larger tributaries draining to the tidal portion include the Appomattox River
, Chickahominy River
, Warwick River
, Pagan River
, and the Nansemond River
.
At its mouth near Newport News Point, the Elizabeth River
and the Nansemond River
join the James River to form the harbor area known as Hampton Roads
. Between the tip of the Virginia Peninsula
near Old Point Comfort
and the Willoughby Spit
area of Norfolk
in South Hampton Roads
, a channel leads from Hampton Roads into the southern portion of the Chesapeake Bay
and out to the Atlantic Ocean
a few miles further east. Many boats pass through this river to import and export Virginia products.
who populated the area east of the fall line
in the late 16th and early 17th centuries called the James River the Powhatan River, named for the chief of the Powhatan Confederacy which extended over most of the Tidewater region of Virginia
. The English colonists named it "James" after King James I of England
, as they also constructed the first permanent English settlement in the Americas in 1607 at Jamestown
along the banks of the James River about 35 miles (56.3 km) upstream from the Chesapeake Bay
.
The navigable portion of the river was the major highway of the Colony of Virginia during its first 15 years, facilitating supply ships delivering supplies and more people from England. However, for the first five years, despite many hopes of gold and riches, these ships sent little of monetary value back to the sponsors. In 1612, businessman John Rolfe
successfully cultivated a non-native strain of tobacco
which proved popular in England. Soon, the river became the primary means of exporting the large hogshead
s of this cash crop
from an ever-growing number of plantation
s with wharfs along its banks. This development made the proprietary efforts of the Virginia Company of London successful financially, spurring even more development, investments and immigration. Below the falls at Richmond, many James River plantations
had their own wharfs, and additional ports and/or early railheads were located at Warwick
, Bermuda Hundred
, City Point
, Claremont
, Scotland
, and Smithfield
, and, during the 17th century, the capital of the Colony at Jamestown.
Navigation of the James River played an important role in early Virginia commerce and the settlement of the interior, although growth of the colony was primarily in the Tidewater region
during the first 75 years. The upper reaches of the river above the head of navigation at the fall line were explored by fur trading parties sent by Abraham Wood
during the late 17th century.
Although ocean-going ships could not navigate past present-day Richmond
, portage of products and navigation with smaller craft to transport crops other than tobacco was feasible. Produce from the Piedmont
and Great Valley
regions traveled down the river to seaports at Richmond and Manchester
through such port towns as Lynchburg
, Scottsville
, Columbia
and Buchanan
.
was built for this purpose, to provide a navigable portion of the Kanawha River
, a tributary of the Ohio River
. For the most mountainous section between the two points, the James River and Kanawha Turnpike
was built to provide a portage link via wagons and stagecoaches. However, before the canal could be fully completed, in the mid-19th century, railroads emerged as a more practical technology and eclipsed canal
s for economical transportation. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
(C&O) was completed between Richmond and the Ohio River at the new city of Huntington, West Virginia
by 1873, dooming the canal's economic prospects. In the 1880s, the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad was laid along the eastern portion of the canal's towpath, and became part of the C&O within 10 years. In modern times, this rail line serves as a water-level route of CSX Transportation
, used primarily in transporting West Virginia
coal to export coal pier
s at Newport News
.
The James River contains numerous parks and other recreational attractions. Canoeing, fishing, kayaking, hiking, and swimming are some of the activities that people enjoy along the river during the summer. From the river's start in the Blue Ridge mountains
to Richmond
, numerous rapids and pools offer fishing and whitewater rafting. The most intense whitewater stretch is a 2 miles (3 km) segment that ends in downtown Richmond where the river goes over the fall line. This is the only place in the country where extensive class III (class IV with above average river levels) whitewater conditions exist within sight of skyscrapers. Below the fall line
east of Richmond, the river is better suited for water skiing and other large boat recreation. Here the river is known for its blue catfish
, reaching average sizes of 20 to 30 lb (9.1 to 13.6 ), with frequent catches exceeding 50 pounds (22.7 kg). In the Chesapeake watershed, the James River is the last confirmed holdout for the nearly extirpated Atlantic sturgeon
. In May 2007 a survey identified 175 sturgeon remaining in the entire river, with 15 specimens exceeding 5 feet (1.5 m).
area, the river is as much as 5 miles (8 km) wide at points. Due to ocean-going shipping upriver as far as the Port of Richmond, a combination of ferryboats, high bridge
s and bridge-tunnel
s are used for highway traffic. Crossings east to west include:
The SR 895 high-level crossing is the last bridge east of the Deepwater Port of Richmond and head of ocean-going navigation at the fall line
of the James River. West of this point, potential flooding is more of an engineering concern than clearance for watercraft.
prohibits bicycles, but bicyclists may take the Jamestown Ferry
. After a fatal accident on the Boulevard Bridge
, the City of Richmond requires bicycles to travel on the sidewalk for the length of the bridge.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. It is 348 miles (560.1 km) long, extending to 444 miles (714.5 km) if one includes the Jackson River
Jackson River (Virginia)
The Jackson River is a major tributary of the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia, flowing . The James River is formed by the confluence of the Jackson River and the Cowpasture River.-Course:...
, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
comprising 10432 square miles (27,018.8 km²). The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million people (2000). It is the 12th longest river in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that remains entirely within a single state. A song was recorded by Country and Western music singer Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell , born William Orville Frizzell, was an American country music singer and songwriter of the 1950s, and a proponent of honky tonk music. His relaxed style of singing was an influence on later stars Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, George Jones and John Fogerty...
about the river, called "James River", released on the "Saginaw, Michigan" album.
Course
The James River forms in the Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
, near Iron Gate
Iron Gate, Virginia
Iron Gate is a town in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States. The population was 388 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Iron Gate is located at ....
on the border between Alleghany
Alleghany County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,926 people, 5,149 households, and 3,866 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 5,812 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
and Botetourt
Botetourt County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,496 people, 11,700 households, and 9,114 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile . There were 12,571 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...
counties, from the confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
of the Cowpasture
Cowpasture River
The Cowpasture River is a chief tributary of the James River in western Virginia in the United States. It is long.-Course:The Cowpasture rises in northeastern Highland County and flows generally southwestwardly, initially between Bullpasture Mountain and Shaws Ridge through a narrow valley floor...
and Jackson
Jackson River (Virginia)
The Jackson River is a major tributary of the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia, flowing . The James River is formed by the confluence of the Jackson River and the Cowpasture River.-Course:...
rivers, and flows into the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
at Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
. Tidal waters extend west to Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, the capital of Virginia, at the river's fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
(the head of navigation). Larger tributaries draining to the tidal portion include the Appomattox River
Appomattox River
The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately long, in central and eastern Virginia in the United States, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century...
, Chickahominy River
Chickahominy River
The Chickahominy is an river in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Virginia. The river rises about northwest of Richmond and flows southeast and south to the James River...
, Warwick River
Warwick River (Virginia)
The Warwick River is a tidal estuary which empties into the James River a few miles from Hampton Roads at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States...
, Pagan River
Pagan River
The Pagan River is a tributary of the James River located in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. The historic town of Smithfield is located on the banks of this river....
, and the Nansemond River
Nansemond River
The Nansemond River is a tributary of the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia. The Nansemond River Bridge crosses the river near its mouth. Both it and the former State Route 125 bridge, demolished in 2008, were once toll bridges. The river begins at the outlet of Lake Meade north of...
.
At its mouth near Newport News Point, the Elizabeth River
Elizabeth River (Virginia)
The Elizabeth River is a tidal estuary forming an arm of Hampton Roads harbor at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States. It is located along the southern side of the mouth of the James River, between the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk...
and the Nansemond River
Nansemond River
The Nansemond River is a tributary of the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia. The Nansemond River Bridge crosses the river near its mouth. Both it and the former State Route 125 bridge, demolished in 2008, were once toll bridges. The river begins at the outlet of Lake Meade north of...
join the James River to form the harbor area known as Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
. Between the tip of the Virginia Peninsula
Virginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay.Hampton Roads is the common name for the metropolitan area that surrounds the body of water of the same name...
near Old Point Comfort
Old Point Comfort
Old Point Comfort is a point of land located in the independent city of Hampton. It lies at the extreme tip of the Virginia Peninsula at the mouth of Hampton Roads in the United States....
and the Willoughby Spit
Willoughby Spit
Willoughby Spit is a peninsula of land in the independent city of Norfolk, Virginia in the United States. It is bordered by water on three sides: the Chesapeake Bay to the north, Hampton Roads to the west, and Willoughby Bay to the south.- History :...
area of Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
in South Hampton Roads
South Hampton Roads
South Hampton Roads is a region located in the extreme southeastern portion of Virginia in the United States, and is part of the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA with a population about 1.7 million....
, a channel leads from Hampton Roads into the southern portion of the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
and out to the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
a few miles further east. Many boats pass through this river to import and export Virginia products.
History
The Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
who populated the area east of the fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
in the late 16th and early 17th centuries called the James River the Powhatan River, named for the chief of the Powhatan Confederacy which extended over most of the Tidewater region of Virginia
Tidewater region of Virginia
The Tidewater region of Virginia is the eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia formally known as Hampton Roads. The term tidewater may be correctly applied to all portions of any area, including Virginia, where the water level is affected by the tides...
. The English colonists named it "James" after King James I of England
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, as they also constructed the first permanent English settlement in the Americas in 1607 at Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
along the banks of the James River about 35 miles (56.3 km) upstream from the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
.
The navigable portion of the river was the major highway of the Colony of Virginia during its first 15 years, facilitating supply ships delivering supplies and more people from England. However, for the first five years, despite many hopes of gold and riches, these ships sent little of monetary value back to the sponsors. In 1612, businessman John Rolfe
John Rolfe
John Rolfe was one of the early English settlers of North America. He is credited with the first successful cultivation of tobacco as an export crop in the Colony of Virginia and is known as the husband of Pocahontas, daughter of the chief of the Powhatan Confederacy.In 1961, the Jamestown...
successfully cultivated a non-native strain of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
which proved popular in England. Soon, the river became the primary means of exporting the large hogshead
Hogshead
A hogshead is a large cask of liquid . More specifically, it refers to a specified volume, measured in either Imperial units or U.S. customary units, primarily applied to alcoholic beverages such as wine, ale, or cider....
s of this cash crop
Cash crop
In agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for profit.The term is used to differentiate from subsistence crops, which are those fed to the producer's own livestock or grown as food for the producer's family...
from an ever-growing number of plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s with wharfs along its banks. This development made the proprietary efforts of the Virginia Company of London successful financially, spurring even more development, investments and immigration. Below the falls at Richmond, many James River plantations
James River plantations
James River plantations were established in the Virginia Colony along the James River between the mouth at Hampton Roads and the head of navigation at the fall line where Richmond is today.- History :...
had their own wharfs, and additional ports and/or early railheads were located at Warwick
Warwick, Virginia (Chesterfield County)
Warwick was an unincorporated town and port in Chesterfield County, Virginia, located on the navigable portion of the James River about 5 miles south of downtown Richmond, Virginia...
, Bermuda Hundred
Bermuda Hundred, Virginia
Bermuda Hundred was the first incorporated town in the English colony of Virginia. It was founded by Sir Thomas Dale in 1613, six years after Jamestown. At the southwestern edge of the confluence of the Appomattox and James Rivers opposite City Point, annexed to Hopewell, Virginia in 1923, ...
, City Point
City Point, Virginia
City Point was a town in Prince George County, Virginia that was annexed by the independent city of Hopewell in 1923. It served as headquarters of the Union Army during the Siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War.- History :...
, Claremont
Claremont, Virginia
Claremont is an incorporated town in Surry County, Virginia, United States. The population was 343 at the 2000 census.- History :A granite marker in a circle in the center of town commemorates the landing here on May 5, 1607, of English settlers...
, Scotland
Scotland, Virginia
Scotland is a census-designated place in Surry County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 203. It is located on State Route 31...
, and Smithfield
Smithfield, Virginia
Smithfield is a town in Isle of Wight County, in the South Hampton Roads subregion of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia in the United States. The population was 8,089 at the 2010 census....
, and, during the 17th century, the capital of the Colony at Jamestown.
Navigation of the James River played an important role in early Virginia commerce and the settlement of the interior, although growth of the colony was primarily in the Tidewater region
Tidewater region of Virginia
The Tidewater region of Virginia is the eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia formally known as Hampton Roads. The term tidewater may be correctly applied to all portions of any area, including Virginia, where the water level is affected by the tides...
during the first 75 years. The upper reaches of the river above the head of navigation at the fall line were explored by fur trading parties sent by Abraham Wood
Abraham Wood
Abraham Wood , sometimes referred to as "General" or "Colonel" Wood, was an English fur trader and explorer of 17th century colonial Virginia...
during the late 17th century.
Although ocean-going ships could not navigate past present-day Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, portage of products and navigation with smaller craft to transport crops other than tobacco was feasible. Produce from the Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
and Great Valley
Great Appalachian Valley
The Great Valley, also called the Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. It is a gigantic trough — a chain of valley lowlands — and the central feature of the Appalachian Mountain system...
regions traveled down the river to seaports at Richmond and Manchester
Manchester, Virginia
Manchester, Virginia is a former independent city in Virginia in the United States. Prior to receiving independent status, it served as the county seat of Chesterfield County, between 1870 and 1876...
through such port towns as Lynchburg
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
, Scottsville
Scottsville, Virginia
Scottsville is a town in Albemarle and Fluvanna counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 555 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Charlottesville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Columbia
Columbia, Virginia
Columbia is a town in Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States, at the confluence of the James and Rivanna Rivers. The population was 49 at the 2000 census, making it Virginia's smallest incorporated town...
and Buchanan
Buchanan, Virginia
Buchanan is a town in Botetourt County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Buchanan is located at ....
.
James River and Kanawha Canal
The James River was considered as a route for transport of produce from the Ohio Valley. The James River and Kanawha CanalJames River and Kanawha Canal
The James River and Kanawha Canal was a canal in Virginia, which was built to facilitate shipments of passengers and freight by water between the western counties of Virginia and the coast....
was built for this purpose, to provide a navigable portion of the Kanawha River
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
, a tributary of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. For the most mountainous section between the two points, the James River and Kanawha Turnpike
James River and Kanawha Turnpike
The James River and Kanawha Turnpike was built to facilitate portage of shipments of passengers and freight by water between the western reaches of the James River via the James River and Kanawha Canal and the eastern reaches of the Kanawha River....
was built to provide a portage link via wagons and stagecoaches. However, before the canal could be fully completed, in the mid-19th century, railroads emerged as a more practical technology and eclipsed canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s for economical transportation. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
(C&O) was completed between Richmond and the Ohio River at the new city of Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
by 1873, dooming the canal's economic prospects. In the 1880s, the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad was laid along the eastern portion of the canal's towpath, and became part of the C&O within 10 years. In modern times, this rail line serves as a water-level route of CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
, used primarily in transporting West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
coal to export coal pier
Coal pier
A coal pier is a transloading facility designed for the transfer of coal between rail and ship.The typical facility for loading ships consists of a holding area and a system of conveyors for transferring the coal to dockside and loading it into the ship's cargo holds...
s at Newport News
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
.
Recreation
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
to Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, numerous rapids and pools offer fishing and whitewater rafting. The most intense whitewater stretch is a 2 miles (3 km) segment that ends in downtown Richmond where the river goes over the fall line. This is the only place in the country where extensive class III (class IV with above average river levels) whitewater conditions exist within sight of skyscrapers. Below the fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
east of Richmond, the river is better suited for water skiing and other large boat recreation. Here the river is known for its blue catfish
Blue catfish
The blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, is one of the largest species of North American catfish. Blue catfish are distributed primarily in the Mississippi River drainage including the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas rivers...
, reaching average sizes of 20 to 30 lb (9.1 to 13.6 ), with frequent catches exceeding 50 pounds (22.7 kg). In the Chesapeake watershed, the James River is the last confirmed holdout for the nearly extirpated Atlantic sturgeon
Atlantic sturgeon
The Atlantic sturgeon is a member of the Acipenseridae family and is among one of the oldest fish species in the world. Its range extends from New Brunswick, Canada to the eastern coast of Florida. It was in great abundance when the first settlers came to America, but has since declined due to...
. In May 2007 a survey identified 175 sturgeon remaining in the entire river, with 15 specimens exceeding 5 feet (1.5 m).
Bridges
Highway bridges below Richmond
In the Hampton RoadsHampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
area, the river is as much as 5 miles (8 km) wide at points. Due to ocean-going shipping upriver as far as the Port of Richmond, a combination of ferryboats, high bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s and bridge-tunnel
Bridge-tunnel
A fixed link, fixed crossing, or bridge-tunnel is a persistent, unbroken road or rail connection across water that uses some combination of bridges, tunnels, and causeways and does not involve intermittent connections such as drawbridges or ferries.The Confederation Bridge was commonly referred to...
s are used for highway traffic. Crossings east to west include:
- The Hampton Roads Bridge-TunnelHampton Roads Bridge-TunnelThe Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel is the -long Hampton Roads crossing for Interstate 64 and U.S. Route 60. It is a four-lane facility comprising bridges, trestles, man-made islands, and tunnels under the main shipping channels for Hampton Roads harbor in the southeastern portion of Virginia in the...
(I-64Interstate 64 in VirginiaIn the U.S. state of Virginia, Interstate 64 runs east–west through the middle of the state from West Virginia to the Hampton Roads region, a total of . It is notable for crossing the mouth of the harbor of Hampton Roads on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, the first bridge-tunnel to...
) - The Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-TunnelMonitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-TunnelMonitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel is the 4.6 mile-long Hampton Roads crossing for Interstate 664 in the southeastern portion of Virginia in the United States...
(I-664Interstate 664Interstate 664 is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The Interstate runs from I-64 and I-264 in Chesapeake north to I-64 in Hampton. I-664 forms the west side of the Hampton Roads Beltway, a circumferential highway serving the Hampton Roads metropolitan area...
) - The James River BridgeJames River BridgeThe James River Bridge is a four-lane divided highway lift bridge across the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia. Owned and operated by the Virginia Department of Transportation, it carries U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 258, and State Route 32 across the river near its mouth at Hampton Roads...
(US 17U.S. Route 17U.S. Route 17 or U.S. Highway 17 is a north–south United States highway. The highway spans the southeastern United States and is close to the Atlantic Coast for much of its length. The highway's southern terminus is at Punta Gorda, Florida, at an intersection with U.S. Route 41...
/ US 258/ VA 32Virginia State Route 32Virginia State Route 32 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from the North Carolina state line in Suffolk north to U.S. Route 17, US 258, and SR 143 in Newport News. The southernmost part of SR 32 connects Suffolk with the Albemarle Region of North...
) - The Jamestown FerryJamestown FerryThe Jamestown Ferry is a free automobile and bus ferry service across a navigable portion of the James River in Virginia...
(VA 31Virginia State Route 31Virginia State Route 31 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 460 in Wakefield north to SR 5 and SR 199 in Williamsburg. SR 31 is the primary north–south highway of Surry County, where the highway serves the towns of Surry and...
) (toll-free) - The Benjamin Harrison Memorial BridgeBenjamin Harrison Memorial BridgeThe Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge is a vertical-lift bridge that spans the James River between Jordan's Point in Prince George County and Charles City County near Hopewell, Virginia. The bridge carries vehicle traffic of State Route 156, and is owned by the Virginia Department of Transportation...
near HopewellHopewell, VirginiaHopewell is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 22,591 at the 2010 Census . It is in Tri-Cities area of the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. This is a drawbridgeDrawbridgeA drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
on State Route 156 which replaced ferry service in 1966. It was the site of a major collision of a ship in 1977. - The Varina-Enon Bridge is a high cable-stayed bridgeCable-stayed bridgeA cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
carrying I-295Interstate 295 (Virginia)Interstate 295 is an eastern and northern bypass of the cities of Richmond and Petersburg in the U.S. state of Virginia. The southern terminus is a junction with Interstate 95 southeast of Petersburg...
which was the second of its type in the U.S. when it was completed. - The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge carries the Pocahontas Parkway (State Route 895) via a high-level bridge to connect to State Route 150 at Interstate 95Interstate 95 in VirginiaIn the Commonwealth of Virginia, Interstate 95 runs through the state. It runs concurrently for with Interstate 64 in Richmond, and meets the northern terminus of Interstate 85 in Petersburg. Though Interstate 95 was originally planned to go straight through Washington, D.C., it was instead...
.
The SR 895 high-level crossing is the last bridge east of the Deepwater Port of Richmond and head of ocean-going navigation at the fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
of the James River. West of this point, potential flooding is more of an engineering concern than clearance for watercraft.
Highway bridges at Richmond
The following is a list of extant highway bridges across the James River with one or both ends within the City of Richmond.- Interstate 95 James River Bridge (I-95Interstate 95 in VirginiaIn the Commonwealth of Virginia, Interstate 95 runs through the state. It runs concurrently for with Interstate 64 in Richmond, and meets the northern terminus of Interstate 85 in Petersburg. Though Interstate 95 was originally planned to go straight through Washington, D.C., it was instead...
) - Mayo Bridge (US-360U.S. Route 360U.S. Route 360 is a spur of US 60 in the U.S. state of Virginia. The U.S. Highway runs from US 58 Business, Virginia State Route 293, and SR 360 in Danville east to SR 644 in Reedville. US 360 connects Danville, South Boston, and Keysville in Southside Virginia with the state capital of...
) - Manchester Bridge (US-60U.S. Route 60 in VirginiaU.S. Route 60 in Virginia runs west to east through the central part of the state, generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor, except for the crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and in the South Hampton Roads area....
) - Robert E. Lee Memorial BridgeRobert E. Lee Memorial BridgeThe Robert E. Lee Memorial Bridge in Richmond, Virginia carries U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 301 across the James River at the fall line.The city acquired the original bridge from Richmond Bridge Corp in 1933, and it was named the James River Bridge but was later renamed for the Confederate general....
(US-1U.S. Route 1 in VirginiaU.S. Route 1 in the U.S. state of Virginia runs north–south through South Hill, Petersburg, Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Alexandria on its way from North Carolina to the 14th Street Bridge into the District of Columbia...
and US-301U.S. Route 301 in VirginiaU.S. Route 301 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Sarasota, Florida to Glasgow, Delaware. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the North Carolina state line near Skippers north to the Maryland state line at the Potomac River near Dahlgren. US 301 forms the local complement...
) - Boulevard BridgeBoulevard Bridge-External links:*...
(VA-161Virginia State Route 161State Route 161 is a primary state highway in and near Richmond, Virginia, United States. It extends from an interchange with Interstate 95 in the independent city of Richmond north to an intersection with U.S...
) (toll bridge, restricted weights) - Powhite Parkway BridgePowhite Parkway BridgePowhite Parkway Bridge crosses the James River in the independent city of Richmond, Virginia. It carries the Powhite Parkway, also known as Virginia State Route 76. The bridge is owned and maintained by the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, and was funded with revenue bonds which are repaid from...
(Powhite Parkway and VA-76Virginia State Route 76Virginia State Route 76 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Powhite Parkway , the state highway runs from SR 652 near Midlothian north to Interstate 195 in Richmond. SR 76 is a toll freeway that connects SR 288, U.S...
) (toll bridge) - Huguenot Memorial BridgeHuguenot Memorial BridgeHuguenot Memorial Bridge is located in Henrico County and the independent city of Richmond, Virginia. It carries State Route 147 across the former Chesapeake and Ohio Railway , the James River and Kanawha Canal, and the James River in the fall line region above the head of navigation at...
(VA-147Virginia State Route 147Virginia State Route 147 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 60 in Midlothian east to US 60 in Richmond. SR 147 connects Midlothian with the West End of Richmond via the Huguenot Memorial Bridge across the James River...
) - Edward E. Willey BridgeEdward E. Willey BridgeEdward E. Willey Bridge is a highway bridge which crosses the upper James River in the western portion of Henrico County, Virginia. It carries Chippenham Parkway between Parham Road in Henrico and the southwestern portion of the independent city of Richmond. It was named in honor of Edward E...
(VA-150Virginia State Route 150Virginia State Route 150 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Chippenham Parkway, the state highway runs from Interstate 95 and SR 895 in Bensley north to Parham Road and River Road near Tuckahoe in Henrico County...
)
Highway bridges west of Richmond
The following is a partial, incomplete list of extant highway bridges across the James River west of Richmond.- World War II Veterans Memorial Bridge (VA-288Virginia State Route 288State Route 288 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is a freeway-standard partial beltway around the southwest side of Richmond...
) - U.S. Route 522U.S. Route 522U.S. Route 522 is a spur route of U.S. Route 22 in the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 60 in Powhatan, Virginia. The northern terminus is at U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 15 in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. US 522 passes through the states of Virginia, West...
near MaidensMaidens, VirginiaMaidens is a small unincorporated community in Goochland County, Virginia, United States. Sited on the north side of the James River, it is currently located on Maidens Rd. just south of the intersection of State Route 6.... - State Route 45Virginia State Route 45Virginia State Route 45 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from the junction of U.S. Route 15 Business and US 460 Business in Farmville north to SR 6 at Georges Tavern...
near CartersvilleCartersville, Cumberland County, VirginiaCartersville is an unincorporated community in Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.A number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places are located in and around Cartersville; among these are the plantation house Ampthill, the Cartersville Bridge, Hamilton High School,... - Columbia Road (Route 690) near ColumbiaColumbia, VirginiaColumbia is a town in Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States, at the confluence of the James and Rivanna Rivers. The population was 49 at the 2000 census, making it Virginia's smallest incorporated town...
- U.S. Route 15U.S. Route 15U.S. Route 15 is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Carolina to Interstate 86 and NY 17 in Painted Post, New York.US...
near Bremo BluffBremo Bluff, VirginiaBremo Bluff is an unincorporated community located on the northern bank of the James River in Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States. The locale was established by the Cocke family in 1636. During the American Civil War, the family of General Robert E. Lee sought refuge in the community... - State Route 602 at HowardsvilleHowardsville, Albemarle County, VirginiaHowardsville is an unincorporated community in Albemarle County, Virginia....
- State Route 20Virginia State Route 20Virginia State Route 20 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 15 in Dillwyn north to SR 3 in Wilderness. SR 20 is a C-shaped route that connects Charlottesville with Farmville in Southside Virginia...
near ScottsvilleScottsville, VirginiaScottsville is a town in Albemarle and Fluvanna counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 555 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Charlottesville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:... - State Route 56Virginia State Route 56Virginia State Route 56 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 11 at Steeles Tavern east to US 60 near Buckingham. SR 56 is the main east–west highway of Nelson County...
near WinginaWingina, VirginiaWingina is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States.-References:*... - U.S. Route 60U.S. Route 60U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
at Bent CreekBent Creek, VirginiaBent Creek is an unincorporated community in Appomattox County, Virginia, United States.-References:*... - Monacan Bridge (U.S. Route 29U.S. Route 29U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...
east of LynchburgLynchburg, VirginiaLynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
) - Carter Glass Memorial BridgeCarter Glass Memorial BridgeCarter Glass Memorial Bridge crosses the James River between the independent city of Lynchburg and Amherst County, Virginia. It carries the Lynchburg Bypass of U.S. Route 29, a major north-south arterial highway in the region. The bridge was named in 1949 in honor of former U.S. Senator Carter...
(U.S. Route 29 Business at Lynchburg) - John Lynch Memorial BridgeJohn Lynch Memorial BridgeThe John Lynch Memorial Bridge crosses the James River as a link between Madison Heights, Virginia and downtown Lynchburg, Virginia. Prior to the construction of the Carter Glass Memorial Bridge, the John Lynch Memorial Bridge was the only bridge connecting the two areas....
(Lynchburg) - Blue Ridge ParkwayBlue Ridge ParkwayThe Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
near Big IslandBig Island, VirginiaBig Island is a census-designated place in far northern Bedford County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 Census was 303. The small community is located by the James River north of Lynchburg; it is not on an island, but is named for an uninhabited island in the river upstream from it. It is... - U.S. Route 501U.S. Route 501-North Carolina business loops:-Virginia business loop:-External links:*...
at Snowden - State Route 759 at Natural Bridge Station
- State Route 614 at ArcadiaArcadia, Botetourt County, VirginiaArcadia is an unincorporated community in Botetourt County, Virginia, United States....
- U.S. Route 11U.S. Route 11U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
at BuchananBuchanan, VirginiaBuchanan is a town in Botetourt County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Buchanan is located at .... - Interstate 81Interstate 81Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
at Buchanan - State Route 630 at SpringwoodSpringwood, VirginiaSpringwood is an unincorporated community in Botetourt County, Virginia, United States....
- James Street at Eagle RockEagle Rock, VirginiaEagle Rock is an unincorporated community in Botetourt County, Virginia, United States, located on the James River between Iron Gate and Buchanan, Virginia.-Geography:Eagle Rock is located at . Its elevation is .-History:...
connecting U.S. Route 220U.S. Route 220U.S. Route 220 is a long U.S. Route in the eastern United States.US 220 is a spur route of U.S. Route 20 but at present, the two routes do not intersect nor do they connect via other spurs of US 20. The former U. S. Route 120, which was signed in Pennsylvania between 1926 and 1967, intersected...
and Virginia State Route 43Virginia State Route 43Virginia State Route 43 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway consists of two disjoint segments that have a total length of . The southern portion of the state highway runs from U.S. Route 29 Business in Altavista north to the Blue Ridge Parkway at Peaks... - U.S. Route 220U.S. Route 220U.S. Route 220 is a long U.S. Route in the eastern United States.US 220 is a spur route of U.S. Route 20 but at present, the two routes do not intersect nor do they connect via other spurs of US 20. The former U. S. Route 120, which was signed in Pennsylvania between 1926 and 1967, intersected...
near Eagle Rock - Bridge Street at Glen WiltonGlen Wilton, VirginiaGlen Wilton is an unincorporated community in Botetourt County, Virginia, United States....
- U.S. Route 220U.S. Route 220U.S. Route 220 is a long U.S. Route in the eastern United States.US 220 is a spur route of U.S. Route 20 but at present, the two routes do not intersect nor do they connect via other spurs of US 20. The former U. S. Route 120, which was signed in Pennsylvania between 1926 and 1967, intersected...
near Iron GateIron Gate, VirginiaIron Gate is a town in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States. The population was 388 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Iron Gate is located at ....
Bicycles
The Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-TunnelMonitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel
Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel is the 4.6 mile-long Hampton Roads crossing for Interstate 664 in the southeastern portion of Virginia in the United States...
prohibits bicycles, but bicyclists may take the Jamestown Ferry
Jamestown Ferry
The Jamestown Ferry is a free automobile and bus ferry service across a navigable portion of the James River in Virginia...
. After a fatal accident on the Boulevard Bridge
Boulevard Bridge
-External links:*...
, the City of Richmond requires bicycles to travel on the sidewalk for the length of the bridge.
See also
- List of Virginia rivers
- James River bateauJames River BateauThe James River Bateau was a shallow draft river craft used during the period from 1775 to 1840 to transport tobacco and other cargo on the James river and its tributaries in the state of Virginia. It was flat bottomed and pointed at both ends. The length of the bateau varied greatly, 58 feet ...
- James River SquadronJames River SquadronThe James River Squadron was formed shortly after the secession of the State of Virginia as part of the Virginia State Navy. The squadron is most notable for its role in patrolling the James River, which was the main water approach to the Confederate capital, Richmond...
- Army of the JamesArmy of the JamesThe Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.-History:...
- National Defense Reserve FleetNational Defense Reserve FleetThe National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
External links
- Chesapeake Bay Program Watershed Profile: James River
- Heritage of the James River, talk by Ann Woodlief at James River Symposium, 1995
- James River Association
- James River During the Civil War in Encyclopedia Virginia