When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Richmond Virginia James River Illustrated History Limited Edition Signed Book
Richmond on the James by Louise Ellyson, illustrations by Carter B. Alsop is a finely produced historical portrait of Richmond, Virginia, tracing the city’s development along the banks of the James River from its colonial origins through its emergence as a political, commercial, and cultural center of the Upper South. Written with a strong sense of place and illustrated throughout with evocative drawings by Carter B. Alsop, the book presents Richmond not simply as a city, but as a landscape shaped by geography, architecture, and the powerful currents of American history.
The narrative explores Richmond’s founding as a trading post at the fall line of the James River, its rise as Virginia’s capital, and its strategic importance in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Particular attention is given to the river itself as the city’s defining force—fueling commerce, industry, and transportation while shaping neighborhoods, institutions, and daily life. The James River appears not only as a physical setting but as a central character in Richmond’s story.
Ellyson’s text is complemented by Alsop’s detailed illustrations depicting historic streetscapes, early dwellings, public buildings, bridges, churches, and river views. These images capture Richmond’s architectural evolution, from colonial-era structures to nineteenth-century civic and industrial landmarks, and help visualize key moments in the city’s past. The book addresses Richmond’s role during the American Civil War, including its position as the capital of the Confederacy, while also examining the broader civic, economic, and social forces that shaped the lives of its residents.
The volume reflects mid-twentieth-century historical writing and illustration, offering a reflective and interpretive view of Richmond’s identity, traditions, and continuity. It is especially appealing to collectors of Virginia history, James River studies, regional Americana, and illustrated local histories.
This copy is from a limited Richmond edition of 1,000 copies and is numbered 86. It is additionally signed and inscribed by the author and the owner, enhancing its desirability as a collectible association copy.
Publisher: The Press of the Territorial, Santa Fe and Richmond
Date of publication: 1970
Format: hardcover
Pagination: approximately 65 pages
Condition: tight and square binding; clean pages with no readily visible underlining or writing; a very clean example of a scarce book
ISBN: not stated
