Forest Hill Park
Forest Hill Park, Forest Hill Avenue and 42nd Street. More than 100 acres, the park has two miles of nature trails, a lake, scenic stream (Reedy Creek), open parkland, woodlands, tot-lot, tennis courts, picnic shelters and grill pits. The park was acquired by the City of Richmond in 1933. In February 2006, Forest Hill Park planted about 450 trees donated by the Virginia Department of Forestry. The city's Recreation and Parks Foundation started the tree-planting project in 2005 at Byrd Park to repair the damage caused by Hurricane Isabel in 2003 and the remnants of Tropical Storm Gaston in 2004. BIKING & HIKING TRAILS HISTORY The house has changed hands a number of times. It was deeded to the city of Richmond by Virginia Power in the 1930s. In 1935, the house was renovated and rededicated as a community center. Forest Hill Park celebrated it's 160th anniversary in 2002 and was named a historic landmark by both the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. The park was once a large country estate until development brought a trolley line to the area from downtown Richmond. The park became a terminus for the trolley, drawing new residents to the South Side. Then, in the early 1900s, an amusement park was established there by the Virginia Passenger and Power company. Forest Hill Park had different attractions, including the best roller coaster in the area (referred to locally as the "dips"), a swimming lake with bathhouse, a House of Enchantment, a Laughing Gallery, and a penny arcade, along with the customary carrousel, bowling alley, and dance pavilion (women attended free on Wednesdays). Motion pictures were shown after dark, with the projector mounted in a tree; later, a railroad car with its end removed served as a theater. Waning popularity caused the amusement park to close in 1932, partially due to the Great Depression. Info: 646-7000 Also: foresthillpark.rrpfoundation.org Originally published July 2008 in "Discover Richmond."
The two-mile network of trails are accessible from the Reedy Creek entrance to the park on Riverside Drive (which is near the Buttermilk Trail, part of the Main Section of the James River Park System). The park has many difficult to climb hills, quick turns and well-maintained paths, both single track and some paved. The park can be easily be added on as part of a ride through the James River Park trails network, or is likely challenging enough for most riders on its own. See our four-part tour of the trails, starting from the Riverside Drive entrance and running counter-clockwise through Forest Hill Park (links at right).
Start with the Stone House. The house was built sometime between 1836 and 1843 by Holden Rhodes, a lawyer who came to Manchester to tutor the sons of Samuel Taylor, a lawyer and statesman. The 97-acre estate was known as Boscobel. The house is made of granite quarried from around Reedy Creek and likely taken uphill to the building site by mules or oxen. The home was likely built by slaves.
[Credit: Times-Dispatch archives, Friends of Forest Hill Park]
ci.richmond.va.us/departments/parks/
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