Ancarrow’s Landing to the C & O Tunnel.

Sept 24 (Fri) Ancarrow’s Landing to the C & O Tunnel.

Tim Gilbert and Ann Lankey    tim_gilbert@hotmail.com

We will meet at 10:00 AM at the Ancarrow’s Landing parking lot on the south side of the river, east of Interstate 95.  The hike will trace the approximately two-mile route route that newly-arrived Africans followed from the point of disembarkation at Manchester Docks to the slave auction grounds.  Part of the hike will be along the Richmond flood wall with great vistas of the Richmond skyline and sightings of waterfowl. The route will continue west to the Mayo Bridge and up 15th Street to the Main Street Station area.  We will visit the infamous Lumpkin’s Jail, the site of slave auctions, and the African Burial Grounds.

We will continue to 18th Street to the north portal of the C & O Railroad Tunnel (the Church Hill Tunnel) which collapsed on a work train on October 2, 1925.  We will loop around and return to Ancarrow’s Landing.

The hike will be 4.7 miles mostly over paved walkways, bridges, and riverside paths; however, hikers should be able to negotiate uneven surfaces.

To get to Ancarrow’s Landing:  from the intersection of Commerce Road and Maury Street, follow Maury north to where it meets Brander Street (where the road passes under I-95).  Pass through the flood wall gate and proceed east on Brander Street for 0.7 mile keeping the Richmond wastewater plant on your right.  The road turns left as it ends and passes over two railroad tracks into the Ancarrow’s Landing parking lot.  NOTE:  gps directions may not be accurate.