Shockoe Hill
Encyclopedia
Shockoe Hill is one of several hills on which much of the oldest portion of the City of Richmond, Virginia
, U.S., was built. It extends from the downtown area, including where the state capitol complex sits, north almost a mile to a point where the hill falls off sharply to the winding path of Shockoe Creek. Interstate 95
now bisects the hill, separating the highly urbanized downtown portion from the more residential northern portion.
Near the northern edge of Shockoe Hill are two important cemeteries. Shockoe Hill Cemetery
is the burial place of Chief Justice John Marshall
, American Revolutionary War
hero Peter Francisco
, and many other notables. It also is the resting place of many Confederate States of America
soldiers, though hundreds of deceased Union Army POWs were buried in less desirable land across the street before being moved after the war. The Hebrew Cemetery of Richmond
, founded in 1816, contains within it what is reputed to be the largest Jewish military burial ground in the world outside of Tel Aviv
. Next to the cemeteries is the City Alms House building (built 1860), which saw service as an American Civil War
hospital
and which in 1865 briefly served as the home of the Virginia Military Institute
Corps of Cadets.
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...
, U.S., was built. It extends from the downtown area, including where the state capitol complex sits, north almost a mile to a point where the hill falls off sharply to the winding path of Shockoe Creek. Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Virginia
In 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...
now bisects the hill, separating the highly urbanized downtown portion from the more residential northern portion.
Near the northern edge of Shockoe Hill are two important cemeteries. Shockoe Hill Cemetery
Shockoe Hill Cemetery
The Shockoe Hill Cemetery is a historic cemetery located on Shockoe Hill in Richmond, Virginia.-History:Established in 1820, with the initial burial in 1822, Shockoe Hill Cemetery was the first city-owned municipal burial ground in Richmond. The cemetery expanded in 1833, 1850, and 1870, but now is...
is the burial place of Chief Justice John Marshall
John Marshall
John Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches...
, American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
hero Peter Francisco
Peter Francisco
Peter Francisco , known variously as the "Virginia Giant" or the "Giant of the Revolution" , was an American patriot and soldier in the American Revolutionary War. The cover page of a 2006 issue of Military History suggested he may have been the greatest soldier in American history...
, and many other notables. It also is the resting place of many Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
soldiers, though hundreds of deceased Union Army POWs were buried in less desirable land across the street before being moved after the war. The Hebrew Cemetery of Richmond
Hebrew Cemetery of Richmond
The Hebrew Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, also known as Hebrew Burying Ground, dates from 1816. This Jewish cemetery, one of the oldest in the United States, was founded in 1816 as successor to the 1789 Franklin Street Burial Grounds of 1789. Among those interred here are Josephine Cohen Joel,...
, founded in 1816, contains within it what is reputed to be the largest Jewish military burial ground in the world outside of Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. Next to the cemeteries is the City Alms House building (built 1860), which saw service as an American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
and which in 1865 briefly served as the home of the Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
Corps of Cadets.