Cape Charles Lighthouse, Smith Island and Chesapeake Bay, circa 1890
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses. They serve as beacons for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, and rocks, and allow for access to safe entries into harbors. Lighthouses have been used for thousands of years and the oldest one still standing dates to the 1st century C.E. Known as the Tower of Hercules, it is located at La Coruna harbor, in northern Spain, and has a cornerstone indicating that it was built using an ancient Phoenician design and was built to honor the Roman God, Mars.
Lighthouses, like the Cape Charles Lighthouse, have a long history of being used to guide mariners along the coastal waterways up and down the east coast of the United States. Three lighthouses have provided sailors safe entrance to the southernmost harbor on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The first lighthouse at Cape Charles was a 55-foot masonry tower that was in use by 1828. Shortly after going into operation, the lighthouse was deemed too low in height and had poor visibility from the Chesapeake Bay. As the location is important to mariners and has shallow areas which could easily set a boat aground, it was decided a new lighthouse would be needed. Erosion also took a toll on the 1828 structure, and it became unsafe for regular use. In 1864, the second lighthouse was built. Located about a mile southwest from the original lighthouse, it was built 600 feet from the shoreline and tidal areas to help prevent erosion damage to the structure. The 150-foot-tall tower also had better visibility and was painted white with a brown lantern room to make it stand out from its surroundings. In 1892, a 25-foot red band was painted 60 feet from the base and around the middle of the tower to make it more visible during the day as shipping traffic increased. By the late 1890s, the lighthouse was under threat from tidal erosion. Jetties of sand and other materials were built into the bay, but the jetties failed and the lighthouse ended up 300 feet from the water with the shoreline eroding at a rate of 37 feet per year. After having served as an observation tower during World War I the second Cape Charles Lighthouse finally toppled into the ocean on July 2, 1927.
In 1895, the current Cape Charles lighthouse wss built on a marsh three-quarters of a mile inland. The design was dramatically different. The tower consists of a central iron tube surrounded by eight massive legs. A central spiral staircase of 216 steps leads to the generator room. Above the generator room is the watch room. The tower is painted white while the upper rooms are painted black. During World War II, three cement observation towers were constructed near the lighthouse to look for any German U-boats that might approach the Virginia coastline.
A brush fire on July 13, 2000, burned down the 1895 head keeper's dwelling, a wood outbuilding, and a storage shed. The two assistant keepers' dwellings were torn down about 1960, prior to automation of the lighthouse, but the head keeper's house, along with an oil house and generator building, were taken over by The Nature Conservancy in 1995. Although the Cape Charles lighthouse is visible from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, its remote location on a marshy barrier island makes it inaccessible except by shallow draft boat. It sits on land that is part of a nature preserve and is not open to the public. No longer maintained by the Coast Guard, the lighthouse is in poor condition. The number of operational lighthouses in the United States has declined as a result of maintenance expenses and with the advent of cheaper, more sophisticated and effective electronic navigational systems.
Citation: Cape Charles Light, 1890. Eastern Shore Public Library (Accomack, VA.). Eastern Shore Virginia Room.
Image is available through the Library of Viriginia online catalog.
Social Studies: VS.1, VS.8, VS.10, USII.3, VUS.8, CE.1, COVT.1
Earth Science: ES.1, ES.10
Physics: PH.1, PH. 4
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph, why might a lighthouse be necessary? What function do they serve?
Post Activities
STEM STAT: The Cape Charles lighthouse was rebuilt twice due to erosion issues. What factors might have been considered when it was built? How would have modern technology made the risk assessment easier and more accurate. Provide an example.
Current Connection: The abundance of natural resources found in the Eastern Shore region is still a factor in economic and public policy decisions today. Identify three competing interests from the perspectives of an environmentalist who wants to protect natural resources and from those in industries seeking to use the natural resources.
STEM STAT: The current Cape Charles Lighthouse is not easily accessed and lies within a nature preserve. How does the limited accessibility help preserve the environment? Why is important to protect watershed areas such as the low-lying marsh areas found along the Eastern Shore?
Cocoonry Building, Photograph, Prince William County, circa 1900
Silk has been produced and sold as a consumer good for thousands of years. The origin of silk production was in China and the earliest known examples date to 3000 B.C.E. For centuries, the trade routes known as the Silk Road stretched beween Europe and East Asia. The Chinese kept their manufacturing process a closely guarded secret, but eventually silkworm cocoons and seeds for mulberry trees (the food source for silkworms) were smuggled to other parts of Asia and to Europe, where manufacturers in areas of France and Italy became the leading producers of silk in Europe. Later, large groups of skilled Flemish and French weavers fled to England as a result of religious persecution, and an industrial complex for silk weaving developed in the 1620s at Spitalfields near London.
Producing silk is complex and requires specialized skills. The silkworm moth (Bombyx mori) has been domesticated for centuries. The result is a creature which is bred and raised on farms with wings too weak to fly and legs unable to crawl more than a foot or so. Silkworms are totally reliant on humans and are very labor-intensive, as they require specific dietary and habitat conditions to thrive. Silkworm larvae begin eating as soon as they emerge. They molt or shed their skin four times and become larger each time they molt. The larvae will grow up to 10,000 times their weight as they eat mulberry leaves almost continually soon after they hatch. Once the silkworms stop eating, their human caretakers build specially constructed frames which provide support and protection for the valuable cocoons. The cocoons are produced when the worm’s silk glands are fully developed, and they begin to secrete a sticky substance called sericin along with the silk threads. The silk threads harden in the air as the larva moves its head in a figure eight pattern. After the larva creates a support for a cocoon, it spins a cocoon from a single, continuous thread of silk which can be over a mile long. The process of spinning a cocoon can take two days to complete. The worm then enters its pupa stage, which, if allowed to continue, will result in an adult moth in about three weeks. Most of the insects, however, are killed with heat in the pupae stage, as they damage the cocoon when they emerge as adults and the heat does not damage the silk.
Given the popularity of silk in England and the development of silk production in Europe, King James I and others encouraged silk production in Virginia in the 17th century. The specialized labor force required, the limited diet of the silkworm (the larvae did not like the native mulberry trees), and the development of tobacco as a more successful cash crop ensured sericulture's failure in the colony. However, small scale silk manufacturing had a resurgence in the 19th century and early in the 20th century in Virginia. The cocoonry building seen in the photograph is an example of the silk industry in Prince William County. The building likely dates back to an earlier time period and was probably no longer used to raise silkworms when the photograph was taken. However, it is one of the few remaining structures attributed to the silk industry in Virginia. Today, most silk is produced in China, Japan, or Korea, with small quantities harvested in Russia and other countries.
Citation: Cocoonry, Mountain View, 1900, Virginia W.P.A Historical Inventory Project, Library of Virginia.
History: VS.1, VS.2 VS.3, VS.4, USI.1, USI.2, USI.3, USI.4, WHII.4, VUS.1, VUS.2, VUS.3
Science: 3.5, 4.5, BIO.7, BIO.8, ES.6, ES.8
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph, what might the building have been used for? Why do you think this?
Post Activities
STEM STAT: English colonists at Jamestown attempted to raise silkworms but found the silkworms to be demanding as they required Asian mulberries and special living conditions to thrive. They also did not handle the heat and humidity of the Tidewater region well. How did the attempts at raising silkworms change the environment? Why might the environment and technological advancements in building design allowed for more success with silkworms in northern Virginia in the 19th century?
Think About It: Consider the challenges in raising silkworms and producing silk. Why do you think the English persisted in their quest to raise silkworms despite the odds?
Another Perspective: Silk was an expensive and popular material in England. Although there was a means to produce silk products in England and Europe, why would the English want to attempt to produce it in the New World? Consider the challenges of raising silkworms and the climate in England.
Second Baptist Church was built at the corner of Franklin and Adams Streets in 1906. The building was designed by Wiliam C. Noland, one of the best-known architects of the period and founder of the firm Noland and Baskervill (still operating in Richmond as Baskervill). Noland designed several other religious buildings on Franklin Street, including Beth Ahabah Synagogue and St. James Episcopal Church. Second Baptist Church is considered one of the best still-standing examples of a neoclassical style temple with a peristyle columned portico, a continuous line of columns around the building, and the use of simple geometric forms.
In 1977, Second Baptist became part of the Franklin Street City Old & Historic District. In 1987, the historic district was expanded to protect many important historic civic buildings and residences in the area. Second Baptist is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a federally run program administered by the National Park Service with the goal of identifying, preserving, and protecting historic sited throughout the country.
Second Street Baptist was sold in 1990 to the owners of The Jefferson Hotel, which is also located of Franklin Street. Less than two years later, the hotel owners sought permission from the city to demolish the historic sanctuary, as well as the education building next door to the church to create a parking lot. In 1992, the Richmond City Commission of Architectural Review prevented the demolition, but the Richmond City Council gave permission for the demolition to move forward. In the end, the sanctuary building was saved through a community effort which included preservationists and concerned residents. The education building was torn down and is now used as a surface parking lot for hotel guests.
The former church was used as a storage area for many years, and in 2021 the hotel owners requested permission to demolish the building as a result of structural probblems and a lack of economically viable uses for the building. The efforts to preserve Second Baptist Church are part of an ongoing effort in in the local community and national historic preservation communities.
Citation: Postcard of Second Baptist Church, Visual Studies Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
History: CE.1, CE.3, GOVT.1, GOVT.8, GOVT.9
Art: 5.14, 7.12, AI.3, AI.6
Science: PH.1, PH.4
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the image on the postcard. What makes this style building stand out? Why would the architect chosen to use this style when designing the building?
Post Activities
STEM STAT: You are working with historic preservationists to find alternative uses for the sanctuary of Second Baptist Church. What would you suggest based on the design and structure of the building? How would you go about redesigning the structure to accommodate 21st century needs? What resources would be needed to achieve the desired outcome?
Be the Journalist: You are writing an article about the issues surrounding Second Baptist Church. Create on outline for your article in which you describe who you would interview for your article, why you would interview these individuals, and what information you hope the potential interviewees will share.
Social Media Spin: Create a social media post in which describe the situation with Second Baptist Church. Be sure to include any information you feel is relevant to understanding the ongoing debate.
In May 1861, the Union Army held control of Fort Monroe located long the Chesapeake Bay in Hampton, Virginia. Major General Benjamin Butler decreed that escaping enslaved people who reached Union lines would not be returned. Many enslaved people flowed towards Fort Monroe in their quest for freedom. A refugee camp was built to house the newly freed people and it became the first self- contained African American community in the Untied States. To provide those living in camp with an education, Mary Peake, a free woman of color, was asked to teach despite a law enacted in 1831 which forbade the education of enslaved people, free Blacks, and those of mixed races. Mary held her first class on September 17, 1861, under an oak tree. The tree would become known as the Emancipation Oak as it was the location of the first reading in the South of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. The Emancipation Oak can still be found on the Hampton University campus today.
Hampton Institute was founded in 1866 as Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute by Brigadier General Samuel Chapman Armstrong, to train Black teachers. The Freedman’s Bureau was instrumental in providing financial support. The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Land (Record Group 150), also known as the Freedman’s Bureau, was established by an act of Congress in 1865. The Bureau supervised and managed all matters related to refugees, freedmen, and lands abandoned or seized during the Civil War. Documentation was a primary goal of the Bureau, but they were also known to provide support for educational institutions and organizations with monetary donations.
The primary goal of Hampton Institute was to educate Black students as leaders and teachers in their communities. The school became well-known across the South for training educators like Booker T. Washington. In 1878, Hampton's mission expanded with the admission of Indigenous students. The growth of the school and increasing enrollment numbers created a financial strain. The school became more dependent on benefactors. As the school grew and more attention was given to the successes of the students, there was push back and threats made by white people who did not support the mission of the school. The photograph taken in 1907, shows several young men who were attending classes. Many of the classes taught would have been related to trades such as farming, carpentry, harness making, printing, tailoring, clocksmithing, blacksmithing, painting, and wheelwrighting.
Despite many challenges and push back from certain members of the white community, the school became recognized as a college in the 1920s and achieved university status in 1984.
Citation: Students at Hampton Institute, Prints & Photographs, Special Collections, Library of Virginia, Richmond.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look carefully at the photo of the four men at Hampton. What aspects of photograph stand out to you? Why?
Post Activities
Think About It: Why do you thin Mary Peake was asked to teach classes even though there was a law stating that former enslaved people could not receive an education? What risks did she take in teaching those classes?
Be the Journalist: Imagine you are a journalist in 1907 and plan to interview the men in the photograph. What questions would you ask? Why would you ask those questions? Explain.
Late in the 19th century, some Virginians became interested in preserving historic buildings and landscapes that documented the state's illustrious past. White women led the effort to establish the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (now known as Preservation Virginia) to preserve 18th century buildings in Williamsburg and the site of the first English settlement at Jamestown. A portion of the land on which Jamestown once stood was donated to the APVA and included the ruins of a church tower constructed in the 17th century. A seawall was built to protect the remnants of the original fort from 1607.
In 1907, Virginia honored the 300th anniversary of the English settlement at Jamestown with an exposition held at Sewell’s Point in Norfolk. Modeled after many national fairs of the era, the Jamestown Ter-centennial Exhibition contained exhibitions, representative buildings of the various state houses, government buildings, restaurants, and an event arcade. African Americans constructed a large building with exhibitions highlighting their contributions to America's past and present. Virginia Indians participated by constructing a village with the intent of reminding the public that they still resided in Virginia, but exposition managers instead required them to re-enact Pocahontas's reputed rescue of Captain John Smith. The exposition was a huge undertaking and considered very costly at the time. In addition to the tourists who attended, the exposition was visited by dignitaries such as President Theodore Roosevelt and author Mark Twain.
After the 1907 celebrations, the site of Jamestown continued to be the subject of academic and archeological investigation. The area came to national prominence in the 1930s with the creation of Colonial National Historical Park. The site was the center of activity as the United States National Park Service and the Commonwealth of Virginia opened tourist operations in 1957 to coincide with the completion of the Colonial Parkway linking the “historic triangle” locations of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. In 2007, the 400th Anniversary was celebrated at the remodeled and reimagined Jamestown Settlement Living History Museum. Queen Elizabeth II attended the celebrations in both 1957 and 2007 to honor the first English settlement at Jamestown.
Citation: The officers and directors of the Jamestown Exposition request the honor of your presence..., Jamestown, Va., 1907. Broadside 1907 .J3 BOX, Special Collections, Library of Virginia.Social Studies: VS.3, VS.4, USI.5, VUS.1, VUS.2, VUS.3, VUS.13 GOVT.7
Earth Science: ES.11, ES.12
Art: 4.1, 5.1
Preview Activity
Scan It: Scan the document. What is the purpose of the document? What is it celebrating?
Post Activity
STEM STAT: A seawall was constructed to protect the Jamestown site in the early 1900s, but recently the site has been deemed to be one of the most endangered historic sites in the United States as erosion, weather, and various building projects along the James River have taken a toll on the local environment. What you suggest the park do to mitigate the ongoing flooding issues at the original Jamestown site? If the flooding issues cannot be resolved, what would you suggest could be done to preserve the historic artifacts yet to be found on the site?
Think About It: The 1907 exposition was held in Norfolk and not at the historic site. Why would this have necessary given the lack of development and location of the area? Consider the available forms of transportation and technology available in 1907.
Artistic Exploration: Look at the invitation to the Exposition. What do you notice about the invitation's wording, capitalization, and use of color? To what extent does this invitation reflect the 17th century, and not the 20th? Why do you think that was a choice for the invitation designers?
The New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage (NYSAOWS) was one of the most active anti-suffrage groups in the state of New York. There were several auxiliaries of the group throughout New York. NYSAOWS would receive requests for information, advice or assistance from women in other states, including Virginia, where a group of Richmond women established the Virginia Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage in 1912. Other anti-suffrage groups around the country would use material published by NYSAOWS to rally women in their states around the ideals of the anti-suffrage movement.
Formed in April 1895, the New York association consisted of prominent women who opposed women's right to vote. They gave speeches, handed out materials, distributed pamphlets, and also published a journal. NYSAOWS members believed that women participating in politics would be "disruptive of everything pertaining to home life." They considered that women's roles as mothers and caregivers meant they did not have to do "further service" as citizens. The members also believed that a majority of people were on their side and all they had to do was advocate for women to “recognize the vital need for a division of the world's work between men and women.” In 1896, NYSAOWS believed that only 10% of women actually wanted the vote. NYSAOWS also used tactics such as associating women's suffrage with "support for socialist causes.” Although not based in Virginia, materials published by this organization were widely circulated throughout the commonwealth.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the title. What does it tell you about the group who wrote the broadside? List three ideas you have about the women who may be the topic(s) of this broadside.
Post Activities
Analyze: Look at the title. What does it tell you about the group who wrote the broadside? Why do you think this title was chosen? How is the title reflected in the arguments expressed in the broadside?
Up for Debate: In small groups, prepare a brief statement in which you take a side and present why your group is in favor of or is opposed to the suffrage movement.
Social Media Spin: Using hashtags and memes, convert the messages of this broadside into short, social media-style messages that may have been used had the technology existed at the time.
Artistic Exploration: Create a placard that an anti-suffragist may have carried, sharing the views from the "Economical Woman."
Circulated in Staunton, Virginia, the broadside dates to sometime between 1900 and 1919. In it, the women of Staunton asked the men in their community to vote in favor of prohibition or the legal elimination of alcohol consumption and sale. The women, who could not vote at that time, pleaded with the male voters appealing to the traditional masculine “duty” to care for the women and their families. In stating their case, the women used their positions as wives, mothers, and protectors of the domestic sphere to give them authority. As the broadside stated, their “boys” were those supporting the liquor business and partaking in alcohol consumption. The women expressed that their sons were “too precious to be sacrificed upon the altar of the saloon.” The broadside demonstrates the common concern at the time about alcoholism and the potential effects that excessive drinking had on society. The women of Staunton argued that men who spent their time and money drinking in the saloons neglected to care for their families, thereby shirking their familial responsibilities as men.For much of the late nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century, women reformers dominated the prohibition movement which was considered an appropriate cause for women to champion. Women were bore the responsibility of educating their children in morality and maintaining the homefront.
The Staunton women may have been inspired by the work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), which was founded in 1874 in Ohio. The organization was in favor of prohibition and was active in promoting their beliefs to the public. Many of its members were also involved in other reform movements, such as women's voting rights, which may have been the case in Staunton as well. The broadside may indicate that Staunton women may have had suffrage in mind when expressed emphatically “PROTECT OUR OWN HOMES AND OUR OWN BOYS.” Without the vote, women were dependent on male voters to protect home and society.
Citation: Appeal of the women of Staunton, Staunton, Va. s.n., between 1900 and 1919. Broadside 1900 .A7 BOX, Lab #08_0785_10, Manuscripts & Special Collections, Library of Virginia
Preview Activity
Take a Look: Look at the broadside. Notice words and phrases that are in bold typeface or otherwise emphasized. If you had to guess, what is the context for this broadside? What do you think is the appeal of the women of Staunton?
Post Activities
Artistic Exploration: How would you redesign this broadside for a more artistic and bold appeal? Design a poster or sign to replace the broadside. As an extra challenge, research popular artistic styles of the time period and incorporate their distinguishing characteristics into your work.
Analyze: Why do you think this group of women from Staunton supported prohibition? What does their appeal tell you about their concerns?
Another Perspective: Do you think all women in that area would have felt the same way about prohibition? Why or why not? Women in the period could support prohibition and suffrage. Why might this be the case?
For a significant portion of American history, women were not allowed to vote. Although they were considered citizens with rights equal to men, voting was considered a privilege and not a right and thus not extended to women. In the 1910s, women became extremely vocal about their lack of ability to vote, but not all women supported the fight for suffrage.
The broadside enumerates the concerns of women who opposed legislation allowing women to vote. They believed that in giving women the right to voter that the home and traditional roles of women would change in a negative way which might prove detrimental to society. Women were granted the right to vote when the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution was passed by congress in 1919 and ratified on August 18, 1920. In an interesting twist, Virginia delayed its ratification until 1952. However, women had been voting and taking positions in elected office for over 30 years.
Citation: Anti-Suffrage Arguments Broadside, 1910s. Library of Virginia Manuscripts & Special Collections Broadside Collection 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA.
Preview Activity
Scan It: Scan the broadside and list any words or phrases that stand out to you. Why did they stand out? What impact might those words have on a person taking a quick or passing glance at the broadside?
Post Activities
Analyze: What arguments are made in favor of women not having the vote? In your opinion, which, if any, of these are justified by historical fact? Be specific.
Social Media Spin: Imagine you are a member of an anti-suffrage organization, then create a catchy hashtag, motto, or tweet to spread the message.
Current Connections: What arguments were made during past presidential and/ or state elections regarding why a woman should not be elected to the office?
The Equal Suffrage League of Virginia (ESL) was founded in 1909 in Richmond when about twenty women met at the home of Anne Clay Crenshaw. The league sought to win women the right to vote. Although the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and the first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were passed in 1791, women were still not considered equal citizens under the law nearly a century and a half later. The ESL believed that denying women the right to vote was equivalent to the pre-Revolution days of taxation without representation. While many women supported the suffrage movement, others opposed the idea of women's voting rights.
The ESL faced organized resistance in the form of the Virginia Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage, founded in 1912. Much of the anti-suffragist rhetoric was based on the arguments that a women’s proper role was within the home and that separate spheres existed for women and men. Anti-suffragists argued that men were to be involved in public sphere activities, such as politics, whereas women belonged in the private sphere of the home. Many people believed that if women stepped outside of their role in the home, the family unit would ultimately suffer.
This broadside highlights the efforts of the Virginia Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage to tie the suffrage movement directly to socialism, a political ideology that was gaining some momentum at the time as labor reform efforts increased. Socialism was highly controversial at the time as many Americans viewed it as a challenge to democracy and free enterprise.
Citation: Virginia Association Opposed to Woman's Suffrage, Anti-suffrage arguments: Danger!: Woman’s suffrage, the vanguard of socialism. Richmond, Va.: The Association, 191-. Broadside 191- .A684 FF, Lab #15_0233_026, Manuscripts & Special Collections, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Scan It: Scan the broadside. List the words which are repeated more than twice or which are purposely in large typeface. Why would the creator of this document choose to use words repeatedly? What impact might the repetition and size of the type have on a reader?
Post Activities
Social Media Spin: Using hashtags and memes, convert the messages of this broadside into short, social media-style messages that may have been used had the technology existed at the time.
Analyze: Why would women be opposed to the idea women having the right to vote? What does their opposition tell you about the prevailing culture and values in the early 1900’s?
Another Perspective: There are countries around the world today in which women do not have the same rights as men or where women do not feel that women are considered equal to men. How and why does culture impact the decisions made to give or not give women rights in the 21st century?
Coal is amongst Virginia’s most valuable natural resources. The first coal mines in Virginia were developed in the 1790’s as exploration of the land led to the discovery of coal in central Virginia. Coal was carried from the mines along the Triassic Basin near present day Midlothian in Chesterfield County to manufacturing facilities along the James River. The Chesterfield Railroad was the first Virginia railroad and the second commercial railroad in the United States. Train cars loaded with coal were moved by gravity downhill to the docks on the James River. In places where the line ran uphill, mules helped the train cars climb steep slopes. The empty train cars were hauled back by the mules to the mine, to be reloaded again.
The role of coal has been critical in shaping the growth of Virginia, particularly in Southwest Virginia. The demand for coal surged in the 1880s, when the development of railroads made it possible to ship the bulky product to the commercial marketplaces from the more mountainous regions of the state. In the 1980s, the demand for coal dropped due to the Clean Air Act requirements for low-sulfur coal. However, mines continue to operate in the southwestern part of the state and coal continues to be an important natural resource in Virginia.
Citation: Coal Piers. Mann Photograph Collection, Prints and Photographs, Special Collections, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph. Why might a company build a new pier to transport coal in 1913? Where might the coal might be going?
Post Activities
STEM STAT: Virginia was and still is rich in minerals and other natural resources. What makes Virginia a prime location for natural resources? Use your knowledge of Earth Science, geography, and topography when answering this question.
Current Connection: The abundance of natural resources in Southwest Virginia is still a factor in economic and public policy decisions today. Identify three competing interests from the perspectives of an environmentalist who wants to protect natural resources and from those in industries seeking to use the natural resources.
STEM STAT: Consider the available technology to move material in 1923 and the often-challenging terrain in Virginia. Why was gravity used to bring the coal train cars downhill to ports along the James River? What mechanical advantage would there be to using gravity to move heavy coal loaded train cars? Use your knowledge of Earth Science, geography, physics when answering this question.