Seniors Check Out Henrico County

Henrico County, officially the County of Henrico, senior travelers will find in the Commonwealth of Virginia with a population of around 307,000. If you, like me, love history, then Henrico County is the place for you. Henrico County Virginia, like all of Virginia, is rich in history.

In 1611, when Henrico became one of the eight original shires of Virginia, Henrico residents and events began to help shape America’s story and its heritage. In 2011, thousands of visitors helped celebrate its 400th anniversary.

Present-day Henrico County curves around the City of Richmond, surrounding it to the west, the north, and the east. The county is bounded by the Chickahominy River to the north and the James River and Richmond to the south.

 Senior Visitors Walk In History

In Henrico County senior visitors can discover what it was like to work a 19th-century farm or walk the same battlefields as General Robert E. Lee or Ulysses S. Grant. If you prefer a museum, then plan a visit to the Virginia Randolph Museum, a National and State Historic Landmark that pays tribute to one of the greatest educators in America.

If you have a full day to explore, immerse yourself in a few Civil War battle sites in the Richmond National Battlefield Park (Malvern Hill Park and Fort Harrison). During the Civil War, in 1862 Henrico County was the site of seven  battles during the Peninsula Campaign.

Senior hikers, the nearby Virginia Capital Trail is a dedicated, paved pedestrian and bicycle trail that connects the Commonwealth’s past and present capitals of Jamestown and Richmond along the Scenic Route 5 corridor.

Seniors Hike The Virginia Capital Trail

The Trail traverses approximately 52 miles, four jurisdictions, and more than 400 years of history along one of the first inland routes in North America. Ranging between eight and ten feet wide, the Capital Trail accommodates all modes of non-motorized transportation so you won’t have any trouble walking the Capital Trail.

East End Cemetery, a historic African American burial site, is a great place for a little historical research. East End is the final resting place of an estimated 13,000 people, among them some of the most prominent black Richmonders of the turn of the 20th century.

For you sports fans, Henrico hosts more than 140 tournaments annually from lacrosse to Quidditch to flag football. Then there is Three Lakes Park, called by many…a “hidden gem.” This favorite stop for many senior visitors features woods, fishing lakes, wetlands and wildlife along with a nature center.

Old Henrico County Courthouse dates back to 1898 in Richmond.  Senior oenophiles, the 41st Annual Virginia Wine Festival, the oldest wine festival in the state, takes places in September in Run Regional Park in Fairfax. Senior travelers, plan to explore the County of Henrico. It will be such a pleasure.  -jeb