Henricus Historical Park

This was our first visit to the park, and we weren't sure what to expect. It is a reconstruction of the fort originally established in 1611 as the beginning of what was intended to be Virginia's new capital city. The reconstructed church, parsonage, and hospital are the most interesting buildings. The church is both simple and beautiful. The fort is worth visiting, but the interpreters, especially Randall, brought the place to life. Randall is a wealth of information, and his passion for the place and its part in Virginia's story is amazing. We'll definitely visit again.

I’ve been traveling up and down I-95 most of my adult life, first from NY to FL to visit my parents, and more lately, going from SC to NJ to see my daughter and family. I was always mystified by the historical road sign that said “Citie of Henricus” near Chester VA. On one of our trips north, I decided we were going to stop there and see what it was all about. I’m not going to give away the story surrounding this place other than it is a truly lost page out of the history books. If you want to get a glimpse of colonial life and get the true story of the Indian princess Pocahontas, you need to check this charming place out. The docents there are super interesting and there is a commemorative monument there regarding another lost piece of history, Dutch Gap. If you’re a history buff, you should not only enjoy visiting, but may even learn something new!

What a gem right outside Richmond. Amanda, our guide, was amazing! She really got the kids into the tour and answered all their crazy questions. Note to self....come here on warmer months because its all outsode and it gets cold!

We visited this historic park absolutely by chance, as we only had two days in Virginia near Richmond. On the second day we decided to find a new place to explore, and we stumbled upon this park. It turned out to be one of the best experiences of our trip! The staff are true professionals – they know the history in great detail and tell the stories in such an engaging way that you feel completely immersed. The installations are beautifully done, interactive, and you can touch and explore many things while learning so much. If you have questions, they are always happy to answer with enthusiasm and expertise. We left absolutely impressed and inspired. This place is a hidden gem, and we highly recommend visiting it.

If your close to it it's cute. But it's not worth the drive. We did it as a field trip from 2 1/2 hr away and were disappointed. No inside museum or gift shop. The people know and car alot, but you can tell there has been cut backs in $ invested.

We have been coming to Henricus since it opened many years ago. My kids grew up visiting Henricus... We learn something new every time we visit. We have lots of fun memories as well. We just attended Christmas through Centuries... It is our mother/daughter event every year. You all did a wonderful job this year. My son loves all the military reenactors. Keep up the good work. The Swinney Family

This is a great experience to learn about history and the beginnings of America. The tour guides/reenactors at each station during the tour of the grounds which is a mock setup of the time period did a fantastic job staying in their character and answering all of our questions. We heard more information then we will probably remember 😆. It is quite larger than we anticipated, and only got to spend 1.5 hrs. But could definitely have taken more time, since we were in a hurry to get to our next activities we missed on the trails. Would have likes another couple hours. Picnic tables for lunches is very convenient if making a day of it.

Very interesting place historically. Nice area I like the walk path with informational signs. Hidden gem.

Stunning park with gorgeous views. They have a lovely walking trail that allows you to view the water or access multiple fishing docks. The parking lot is decently sized and can accommodate a lot of people. They have a nice overlook bluff with picnic tables which is great for enjoying nature and having a scenic view. The walking trail has multiple offshoots that allow you to explore, get closer to the water and has benches sprinkled throughout. I absolutely loved my time here getting to just sit and relax in such a beautiful, peaceful environment. They also offer history reenactments here as well, while I have not checked that out yet I am excited to.

Henricus Park Go back into the past where the first settlers lived. Take one of the paths around the Jane's River and listen to the sound of birds and woodpeckers while getting your steps in. Walk or bike. Bring your fishing rod and see what bites Take the dog along too. Pavilions along the way to stop and relax.

Sitting here with my thumbs poised on my iPhone, I'm bewildered as to how to begin describing this fountain of Early American/Colonial history. So I'll start by saying: "I love this park!" I spent hours here! I learned so much about the Arrohateck Indians, part of the Powhatan line. I discovered things I never knew about the early settlers, the James River and our nation's early leaders. This isn't your typical classroom history lesson. These folks dig deep and I totally dug soaking up the info! The park itself is huge, 32 acres and 810 acres encompassing the Dutch Gap Conservation area. Driving to the park, there are several scenic spots to stop and read plaques about the surrounding marshy areas and observe wildlife, along with some interesting trails. I must have passed half dozen turtles along the road. I was hooked before I even got to the main park! At the visitors center, I purchased my pass for a pittance and entered the gates to the self-guided tour of Henricus, the second established English settlement in America. Yes, I learned about Jamestown being settled in 1607 in grade school, but if Henricus didn't come along in 1611, history books may have been much different today. The first site you come to is the Indian village where you can visualize what life would be like for the Arrohateck tribe. I saw longhouses, cooking sites and totem poles replicating Indian culture. I was greeted by a historical "interpreter" that led me to the various exhibits and gave me some background and answered my questions. The guides are called "interpreters" instead of re-enactors because although they dress in period attire, they are there to educate the visitors rather than "perform". And you will definitely get a fascinating history lesson! The trail leads into an early English settlement and fort made by soldiers sent from England in 1611 to help revive Jamestown and to find a source of wealth for to send back to England. Yep, you know it... tobacco. This area is marked with a blacksmith display, barns and a soldier's dwelling. It was here, in the soldiers quarters that I met Randall! I received the most eloquent and mesmerizing narration of 17th century history that I have ever heard! I thoroughly enjoyed Randall's lively dissertation and he relayed stories and facts that blew me away! He was keen to answer all my questions and have an interactive conversation. Half way thru his lesson, another group came in, and I happily listened to a repeat of the information I had just heard until they caught up with his presentation. It was remarkable. After that, I wandered further through the trails to see a plantation, Mount Malady, the first English hospital in the New World, the tobacco barn, the church, the tavern, the farm animals, and the gardens. The Ordinary, the 17th century re-created tavern, also has restroom facilities. Like I mentioned, I explored the area for hours so it came in handy. There are more facilities at the visitors center as well as a gift shop. The buildings are also available for rental for functions, receptions, meetings or parties. Frankly, I think this would be a cool, unique location for an event! I took my time here, but even a brief tour of this living history museum will give you a glimpse Early Colonial life. Truly I can't say enough good things about this park. It wasn't commercial like, say, Williamsburg (even though I love it there too); this site is focused on educating. Stars, stars and more stars!

We have been to Henricus Historical Park several times, our favorite part by far was the Indian Village. Coleman Ann was amazing. She was a wealth of information of the indigenous people living in Henricus. My 3 children, my wife and myself were glued to her every word. She painted such a clear picture of what the indigenous people were like, what they were doing and how they interacted with the European settlers. My kids also enjoyed going in the smoke lodge and the ability to touch and pick things up and explore.

Great place to go with the family. Staff engages in explanations about the history of the park. Highly recommend going.

I first went when I moved to the area and it cannot be beaten. Good parking, cheap entrance, beyond knowledgeable staff -- it was a great experience! Not as busy as Jamestown or Williamsburg but just as interactive and interesting. I take all my friends when they come to visit!

The highlight of our time in Henricus was the Powhatan Interpretative Village where we were met with historical interpreter Coleman Anne. Coleman was able to engage our mixed age group of babies to middle schoolers to adults. She created a space where children could learn through movement and exploration, was available to ask questions that prompted us to think critically about the site, and shared a wealth of current and historical stories about Indigenous cultures in the region. My children loved listening to her stories about the James River and its importance and moving through the lodge exploring the foods, baskets, and tools. Coleman also is the caretaker of the Powhatan Village and shared the ways in which she made the pottery, her own attire, maintained the structures, and has researched specific varieties of corn and other seeds grown during the time represented. Each person found something of interest that they were able to learn more about through the oral and hands on history Coleman Ann provided.

Visiting the area, borrowed a bike and had a great time, beautiful, historic landmark, staff was friendly and informative, great little gift shop, reasonably priced I went on a week day morning and didn't see many people, peaceful ride, it can get a little bumpy, mountain bike with decent tires is helpful

Had a fun time at Hops in the Park. Plenty of local beer. There were different vendors. A few different food trucks as well. Family friendly event. There was music scheduled but we let before it started. The park was nice. There were a bunch of people dressed in colonial attire that were in each if the buildings willing to tell you about what would have happened back in the day.

This is both a very beautiful park, and rich in history. The Indian Village is remarkably well reconstructed. The staff is friendly and helpful. Pricing for normal day visitation is fair, and the restrooms were well kept. Now, the following is about the Paranormal Investigations that the Park also does- I've done three paranomal investigations at Henricus Park, with the forth and fifth coming up 02/03 OCT 20. I've been a Paranormal Investigator for just short of thirty-four years. I do like this venue. They have two types. First are Investigations hosted by local paranormal groups, at a nominal fee. The other are by Evenbrite Events, and have Investigators from TV shows such as Haunted Towns and Ghost Asylum, which can be a bit costly. I've experienced both. Both have great evidence results. I enjoyed meeting Scott Porter from Haunted Towns and Ghost Asylum. Groups were not to large, and everyone got to meet/greet, and investigate all night with him. I'm slated to go 02/03 OCT 20 when Chris Smith and Mike Consalves from the same shows are there. They run until 0600 hrs the next day. Some are two night events. You can crash with a sleeping bag in weather protected/ designated buildings if you get sleepy. Contact either the Henricus Historical Park for info on both regular or Evenbrite Events. If you a newbie or seasoned Investigator, you will have a great time. Thanks! John "Doc" Lykins, Virginia Paranormal Exploration Society ("VaPES")

We went on a Sunday. There were only 3 reenactors, but they were very informative and interesting. I learned a lot about a place I'd never seen. I brought my dog, and he was allowed everywhere except inside the church. We did the walk around James River. It's about 5 miles, and fairly flat. Most of it is shaded, with some nice water views. It was a great way to wrap up the trip. If you're like me and have never heard of Henricus, GO! It's very cool!

Henriches Park hosts an annual Hops in the Park event which brought in 21 breweries this year. The premise is simple- you can buy tickets for $2 a piece. Each ticket gets you a sample pour, four tickets gets you a full pour. Situated at a historic site, the Hops in the Park is a great way to spend an afternoon sampling beer in a family friendly atmosphere. The lines are not super long, there's a wide variety of beers to sample, food trucks, and samples of sweet and savory home made goods.

When I booked Henricus for a reunion, I wasn't sure going in whether it would be well received by my party. Luckily, everyone loved it - a beautiful view of the James River, plenty of green space to use, and being surrounded by Virginia history. Everyone at Henricus I contacted to book my event were extremely responsive and, more importantly, kind and helpful in guiding me through the process. I have zero complaints and I would absolutely recommend Henricus again; what a gem of a place!

Don't let the smaller size of this historical park fool you, it is very entertaining and highly educational! Pushed back behind some wetlands, one side of this park is set up as a mock English settlement while the other is set up as a mock Native village. You can go in and out of the different structures and get a good idea of how people used to live in days of old. "Cast members" walk around each side of the park, all very knowledgable and friendly. A man named Randall especially stood out to me. I'm physically disabled and he went above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable while he did his lecture. He even offered me his unopened water bottle (it was very hot that day). I was instantly enamored with this place and ended up buying a membership. Bonus, you can bring your dog (as long as you pick up after them...which you should be doing anyways.) There was another man near the Pocahontas exhibit (in the English settlement) that got my dog water and made sure we were all doing well. Loved it! Will definitely be back, obviously, since I have a pass now. Tip: if it's super hot out head to the church in the English settlement, it's air conditioned.

This place was amazing! Everyone we encountered were so nice and knowledgeable and took time to talk to us and answer any and all questions we had. I wish I could remember their names because they deserve recognition. What we loved best is that you could touch almost everything there! I have a 9 year old who is very happy with hands on learning. He remembers so much from our trip because he was able to touch and hold things. We finished our day off with a picnic at the tables right outside of the Indian village and then a trip to the gift shop for some very affordable souvenirs. We live local and will be back to visit. We didn't walk the trails because we were ready to go, but we want to do that too next time.

Visited Henricus this past weekend for their 100th anniversary. We've never been before so we decided to see what it was all about. It was so informational. The employees dress as if they were in the 1600s they're extremely nice & offer to take pictures! They had gun shows & different setups where you could watch to see how arrowheads were made, how the blacksmith worked & how to make bowls out of wood!! I would defiantly recommend to anyone looking to do something outdoors.

This park was definitely unique! The 'historical' part is blocked off for paid admission, not sure which days! I got an eerie feel being there but it was a great walk with my pup! The views of the bay are great! There's a dock you can walk on and I noticed people fishing there as well.

Great place for a nice, leisurely hike. Met friendly people on the loop. When Fall fully arrives and the leaves begin to turn, it has to be amazing. Great views of the lake. If you're a runner or a biker, you simply can't go wrong here. Give it a try!

Think mini-Williamsburg and Jamestown in a park and that's what you've got in Henricus. There's an English settlement along with a Powhatan Indian Village, and costumed interpreters to explain what life was like in the old days. This is a good primer for visiting CW to introduce kids to the concept and see if they enjoy living history.

So fascinating, very glad we stopped by. The park is beautiful and the staff is very educated. Definitely recommend this place to anyone wanting to know more about Virginia's history. There's also cats, chickens, and goats! Couldn't have had a better experience.

Loving my time at the Henricus Historic Park....came here for the Hops in the Park festival and have been having a great experience. It's like a taste of Jamestown overlooking the James River...very cool view and proved to be a great venue for the event. I recommend wearing boots jeans or just anything comfortable if planning to visit...there is a lot of brush, trails and trees to walk through. Great place for the family.

This park has a nice long walking trail that circles the water for about 4 miles. It isn't the prettiest trail but it's fairly well maintained and is good for exercise. The trail circles the water aling the highway only devided by a metal cain fence with barb wire... Not very pretty and you will hear construction trucks zipping by. The water side of the view is much nicer on the contrary with a lot of greeneries. They also have a village where you van experience the old Citie of Henricus with enactments for a fee. There's a nice picnic site overlooking the river (better looking body of water than the trail). They also have a visitors center & gift shop? And free parking is always nice. On the dat I visited I hiked with my baby in the carrier. I went along the correct numerical sequence (there are mile marker every 0.1 mile) and it was closed at 1.5 mile. I wish there was a sign so I would have known I couldn't make a full circle. I still got 3 miles round trip though. Note that there is absolutely no shaded benches, resting areas, bathrooms nor water fountains along the trail. I saw ONE bench on a little mound but not shaded at all...they could've placed it under a tree? other than that, I did not see any good spot I could sit & rest. I would go back for exercise purpose but probably wouldn't do the paid section of the park.

We we're lucky to arrive shortly after a rainstorm and received a private tour for free (normally adults $8, discount for military/young/old) that was probably better than most would get so our visit was better than average but I'd say for most it would be a 3/5. Those who work/volunteer there are very knowledgeable and willing to answer any/every question you might have. There's 5 fairly friendly cats, chickens, goats, and a couple of pigs that are fun to pet. It is not a large park but there's also a great 4 mile loop around the wetland area nearby with fishing spots as well. We did that and saw muskrats, a bald eagle, and various birds and waterfowl. A great outing for a little history and beautiful outdoors wetland scenery.

This place was awesome! Stayed in ChesteCitie of Henricusr for a wedding and didn't feel like making the hour drive to Jamestown, so figured we'd check this place out. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and our kids even said how much fun it was to learn about history this way. I had a great time learning about Henricus as it's not as well known as Jamestown. Highly recommend doing this, we spent about 3 hours here, so a great half day activity.

Henricus was the second English settlement in the new world, I truly enjoyed myself. It's really much nicer than what I expected. The actors are very knowledgeable in their 17th century dress. Originally there were 300 troops that had established the settlement. One of the most surprising facts has to do w/ the lack of artifacts found thru the digging. This is well put together. It's an English settlement and an Indian village outside the settlement. Walking the grounds is a nice stroll. You'll find goats pigs and chickens along w/ vegetable gardens, tobacco and corn. If you have the opportunity to speak w/ one of the archeologists or actors you'll have a treat asking questions. If you're a Richmonder, I would go! That's after you've been to Jamestown. But, this may be better for a young child than Jamestown.

In April and May of 2016 my wife and I were looking for venues in Virginia for our wedding in April of 2017. We discovered, visited, and thought we found our location when we found Henricus Historical Park (http://henricus.org/). Ultimately, the service we got from Christina Vasiloff (Special Events Coordinator) and specifically Charles Grant (Director) was so subpar that we no longer felt comfortable using this location for our venue and we chose to move on to other venue options (and ultimately had to change our date). Thankfully we found a location that worked perfectly and had GREAT customer service, so in the end it was a blessing that the folks at Henricus provided such awful customer service early on. Here are the details: 1. We found the venue and ultimately decided to move forward with it as our wedding venue. As a result, my wife worked with Christina in May of 2016 and Christina provided us a wedding contract. 2. The first time she provided us the contract it was missing the ordinary, something we had previously agreed would be included. 3. We had requested that we be able to remove some items from the venue, and Christina said we could. 4. Then after the contract had been delivered, Christina let us know that she was mistaken and they could not be removed. 5. After these first few miscommunications, I wanted to get more actively involved. I called and spoke w/ Christina voice to voice, and we had worked everything out over the phone. On the phone Christina agreed to a few adjustments to the rate. Christina communicated that the increased fees for using it as a wedding venue were to pay for her time since she would be available for any last minute needs we may have. Ultimately, we didn't need Christina to be available for us, so she agreed we could use the space at the normal rental price (just as if we were having a party, family reunion, etc). 6. After the phone call my wife followed up w/ Christina via email to ask for an updated contract w/ the new prices reflected within it. 7. A day later, with no phone call made my anyone at Henricus, we got a reply back that said, "Dear Sarah - In consultation with our Director we do not think Henricus will be the best venue for your wedding in 2017." 8. No phone call. 9. No attempt at a respectful conversation or explanation. 10. Just an email that said the director basically canceled on us. 11. We had thought we found our venue, but then we get a random email with no explanation that basically said "everything I spoke to Tim about on the phone was a lie, and my director has canceled your wedding". 12. This is absurdly poor customer service, and to this day we don't understand why they chose to agree to something one day, then send an email a day later canceling everything. 13. I called but got no answer, so I replied to Christina via email and asked her to please explain further why we went from an agreement to a cancellation. I also made the statement "please don't let my cost savings effort be a punishment for Sarah by taking away the entire venue. When we spoke on the phone you were willing to go to an hourly rental rate which would have reduced the costs by a few hundred dollars." I asked if we could talk voice to voice to sort through whatever confusion there may have been between our one-on-one conversation where we agreed on the price, and her and Charles conversation where he ultimately said he no longer wanted to work with us. 14. Christina replied "The Director is uncomfortable having me, as the Special Events Coordinator, not be integrally involved to ensure quality the day of the event for the protection of the interests of Henricus Historical Park and Henricus Foundation. For that reason the Director insists that the wedding package rate be adhered to and that I be involved that day. Otherwise the Director has instructed me to sever ties." 15. So we went from an agreement, to a straight up cancelation, to an explanation only after we asked. 16. We then asked if we could speak w/ the Director to ensure that his hard line communication and our previous agreed upon price with Christina could be discussed. We were willing to pay the full amount, but we wanted to have a conversation to ensure we were all on the same page. 17. Christina kept telling us that her Director was unavailable. 18. I wrote the Director and asked to please speak with him voice to voice to clear up any misunderstanding. 19. He never replied. 20. To this day, we never spoke w/ this person who so harshly communicated through Christina to us. We find that to be a very weak and passive aggressive approach to dealing with potential customers. 21. We feel he put Christina in a very uncomfortable position and made two people who were excited about this venue unnecessarily stressed out. His level of professionalism was absolutely awful and disrespectful to all involved. Tim & Sarah www.our21stcenturyodyssey.com

The historical park is entertaining. The people playing the roles of early Virginians will break character to explain the differences with modern day lives compared to the lives they are acting out. There are animals, meals cooking and gardens being tended to. I will say that you have to try to suspend disbelief for some of the re-enactors. The day we went there was a man giving lessons on fencing and dueling with swords.

This place is totally awesome! My family visits at least 4 times a year. It is so neat. What a great way to spend the day. Have also had business meetings there, luncheons etc. Really nice. The only negative is that it is not temperature controlled so you have to time it. That's ok, there was no A/C back in the day! :) Love to come here for each season. Great place to come just for a walk (totally free) and sit on the bench overlooking the James River and just watch nature and the boats go by.

We loved our Sunday afternoon here. We learned a lot about our local history and enjoyed experiencing the colonial environment. The park surrounding the colonial area is gorgeous. A great perspective of the James river.

My family and I love Henricus! It's beautiful and the historical reenactors are knowledgeable and always ready to answer questions and tell stories. The special events are always wonderful. They also have a fun summer camp (camp Pocahontas) that my daughters love. I would definitely recommend a visit here, it's kind of a hidden treasure.

Glreat Park we did a Sunday hike in November on the outside loop. The temps were cool and pedestrian traffic light. Would be a nice summer hike as well due to the shaded trails. I would do this again.

Great place we went for a beer fest. They have old homes for kids to see how people used to live

Absolutely stunning. Location is wonderfully secluded yet extremely easy to get to. If you love bird watching then you will simply love spotting the Bald Eagles, various wood peckers, red wing black bird, eastern bluebird, cardinals, owls and many more. It's a beautiful 4-5 mile walk/run round the lakes. It's tranquil and scenic. If you wish to cleanse the mind then a place of nature is one of the best therapy's. Also spotted a black snake so be on the lookout although they are not known to attack. Enjoy this area, it's beautiful.