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Monument Avenue Memories: Growing Up on Richmond's Grand Avenue
Originally a tribute to Robert E. Lee, Richmond's Monument Avenue grew to its zenith in the early twentieth century as a place of wealth and privilege. Richmond native and child of Monument Avenue Patricia Hass has collected the loving memories of those who shared a childhood among the River City's elite. These pages are filled with recollections of warm afternoons playing in the shadows of the monuments and visits to neighborhood institutions such as Reuben's Deli and the Capitol Theatre. While the children played, their families entertained famous houseguests such as David Niven, Lord and Lady Astor and Winston Churchill. Enter each historic home along the avenue and travel back to a time now lost to memory.
115 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2013
10 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Cecil Hass
10 books3 followersPatricia Hass is the author of four middle grade books for 8-12 year-olds: Kata, Son of Red Fang, Swampfire, Windsong Summer, and the latest: The Shockoe Slip Gang: A Mystery.
She has worked as well in television and film, writing the pilot script for the PBS series Ranger Rick, also the script for "The Magic Garbage Can," an environmental film for the Boy Scouts of America made by Explorer Scouts in New York City. In addition, she wrote the National Geographic book, How Things Are Made, and wrote the educational film series "Life Cycles" for schools and libraries.
She also wrote and produced the 30 minute film, "Read Your Way Up," for the District of Columbia's Public Library System reading campaign, starring Redskins MVP running back Larry Brown and members of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team, which was picked up by the District's public school system and used in Middle School reading classes.
Patricia feels that middle grade is the age when children can understand the value of responsibility and commitment, and of relying on their own brains, courage, and initiative; in other words, learning to think for themselves and act responsibly on that knowledge.
She lives in Princeton, NJ where she speaks frequently at middle school and library reading events for children, as well as in many other parts of the country.
She has worked as well in television and film, writing the pilot script for the PBS series Ranger Rick, also the script for "The Magic Garbage Can," an environmental film for the Boy Scouts of America made by Explorer Scouts in New York City. In addition, she wrote the National Geographic book, How Things Are Made, and wrote the educational film series "Life Cycles" for schools and libraries.
She also wrote and produced the 30 minute film, "Read Your Way Up," for the District of Columbia's Public Library System reading campaign, starring Redskins MVP running back Larry Brown and members of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team, which was picked up by the District's public school system and used in Middle School reading classes.
Patricia feels that middle grade is the age when children can understand the value of responsibility and commitment, and of relying on their own brains, courage, and initiative; in other words, learning to think for themselves and act responsibly on that knowledge.
She lives in Princeton, NJ where she speaks frequently at middle school and library reading events for children, as well as in many other parts of the country.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 7, 2025
An excellent account and it made me long for the more simple times but life moves on..thank you Susan!
June 1, 2025
The author, Patricia Cecil Hass was a Richmond (Virginia) native and a child who grew up and lived on Monument Avenue, a gorgeous tree-lined grassy mall dividing the eastbound and westbound traffic. Only the very privileged and wealthy could live in these mansions built between 1900 -1925. Churches and apartment buildings were also built.
We have lived in Richmond for almost 5 years. Monument Avenue is a very famous street and visitors who visit Richmond make a point of driving up and down it, especially at Christmas time to see the lights and homes decorated because it is most impressive. Every mansion is different and each mansion is gorgeous!
The street was originally named for its emblematic complex of structures honoring those who fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. The first memorial monument was Robert E. Lee built in 1890 and four other bronze statues representing J. E. B. Stuart, Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis and Matthew Fontaine Maury followed. They have since been removed in July 2020 and September 2021. The only remaining statue is the Arthur Ashe Monument, memorializing the Great African-American tennis champion, dedicated in 1996. (He also has a park dedicated to him in another area of Richmond.)
There are 12 chapters written by 12 friends who lived in around the same area, including a chapter written by the author of their memories living on Monument Avenue. Each house they lived in, I had to Zillow it to see what their outside of house looked like. I never knew Winston Churchill visited Richmond and was chauffeured down Monument Avenue waving to all his adoring fans!
It was an interesting read.
We have lived in Richmond for almost 5 years. Monument Avenue is a very famous street and visitors who visit Richmond make a point of driving up and down it, especially at Christmas time to see the lights and homes decorated because it is most impressive. Every mansion is different and each mansion is gorgeous!
The street was originally named for its emblematic complex of structures honoring those who fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. The first memorial monument was Robert E. Lee built in 1890 and four other bronze statues representing J. E. B. Stuart, Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis and Matthew Fontaine Maury followed. They have since been removed in July 2020 and September 2021. The only remaining statue is the Arthur Ashe Monument, memorializing the Great African-American tennis champion, dedicated in 1996. (He also has a park dedicated to him in another area of Richmond.)
There are 12 chapters written by 12 friends who lived in around the same area, including a chapter written by the author of their memories living on Monument Avenue. Each house they lived in, I had to Zillow it to see what their outside of house looked like. I never knew Winston Churchill visited Richmond and was chauffeured down Monument Avenue waving to all his adoring fans!
It was an interesting read.
January 21, 2022
Wonderful story
I have lived in Richmond all my life and really enjoyed this book on Monument Avenue. It is awesome that the history has been recorded for the future.
I have lived in Richmond all my life and really enjoyed this book on Monument Avenue. It is awesome that the history has been recorded for the future.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews