Forest Hill Park

Stone House at Forest Hill Park (c. 1890)

Stone House at Forest Hill Park (c. 2016)

Site Name

            Forest Hill Park (Originally Boscobel)

Date of Construction

            1843

Reason for Construction

            Private Estate

Site History

            An estate was constructed in 1843 by a man named Holden Rhodes.  The land changed hands several times before and after the construction of the manor, named “Boscobel” (Italian for Beautiful Woods).  The area was purchased in 1890 by the Richmond & Manchester Railway Company for the purpose of a trolley stop.  An amusement park was also constructed by the railway company.  Boscobel, known today as the Stone House, was used as the trolley stop.  Penny Arcades, roller coasters, and fun houses were some of the many attractions built upon the grounds.  The Great Depression amusement park was to be sold again in 1932, and by 1933 the land was controlled by City of Richmond.

            The structures of the amusement park were demolished, and the land was turned into what is known today as Forest Hill Park.  The park is 105 acres, with over 4 miles of paved and unpaved trails.  It hosts a large Farmer’s Market and many other events.

Area History

            Richmond was one of the leaders in trolley transportation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Richmond streetcar business began in January of 1888. As such, the Richmond & Manchester Railway Company purchased the land for a trolley terminus. Three of these trolley terminuses had an amusement park connected with it, and one of them being Forest Hill Park. This was to generate traffic and sales of property in the area.

What about the Site has Changed?

            Ownership has changed several times, originally belonging to William Byrd III and being sold at least 9 times before become the park it is today.  The site was quarried, and the stone from the quarry was used to construct Boscobel.  After being a personal residence for 29 years, the land was empty for 28 years, until the Railway Company started development

            The land was quickly developed, and lost much of its flora.  After the area was turned into a park, many changes were made to recreate the natural feeling.  Acres of local plantlife were sown, the lake was dredged, and a wetland was created.

What about the Surrounding Area has Changed?

            As the Forest Hill Park was purchased for a trolley stop, when the car was made affordable to the average Richmonder, which lowered the appeal of Forest Hill Park. Additionally, as Richmond moved more towards automobiles and away from trolleys, people would be able to travel greater distances which also lowered the appeal of the amusement park inside Forest Hill Park. Before all of this however, the attractions and the trolley terminus helped develop the surrounding area such as Forest Hill, Westover Hills, and Woodland Heights.

Reflection

            In this project I learned how the area now known as Forest Hill Park has shaped my neighborhood.  I live a block away from Boscobel Street and three blocks from Rhodes Street (which I am a firm believer in renames Rhodes Road).  I learned that the estates changed hands MANY times in the 19th and 20th centuries, that the trolley lines tanked soon after purchasing the Park, and that a lot of work has been done to repair the ecosystem of the park.

Sources

"Forest Hill History." Forest Hill Neighborhood Association. Accessed March 15,

    2016. http://foresthillneighborhood.com/about/forest-hill-history/.

"Forest Hill Park." Richmond City Government. Accessed March 15, 2016.

    http://www.richmondgov.com/parks/parkForestHill.aspx.

"Richmond Past: Forest Hill Amusement Park." Hills and Heights. Last modified

    January 27, 2009. Accessed March 15, 2016. http://hillsandheights.org/2009/

    01/27/richmond-past-forest-hill-amusement-park/. 

Authors

Harrison Vaughan & Jacob Maxfield