Chief Piamingo of the Chickasaw Indians

We're back in Petersburg and up the river from the old Peter Jones Trading Post.

There's at least a couple of dozen things that happened in this general area that are pretty interesting, and the Appomattox River Heritage Trail has been created to help us experience some of them.  One piece of information is on an interpretive sign regarding Chief Piamingo of the Chickasaw:

In 1646, the Appomattox Indians were, by treaty, relocated to land along this stream, now called Rohoic Creek.

Another interpretive sign lists a bunch of other things.  Things like Sturgeon Dam.  It is Virginia's largest and most intact weir fish dam.  (In North America, fishing weirs are constructed using wooden stakes woven together to create a barrier that traps fish while letting water pass through. The pattern of wooden stakes depends on the location and nature of the waters being fished.)  Sturgeon Dam was used by the Indians who, in turn, taught early colonists how to operate it.

In 1752, a storied bridge, Pocahontas Bridge, was built here.  It was used until 1909 when a diversion channel was constructed. That year (1909) Union Station was constructed and continued in use until the late 1970's.

In 1768, Colonel John Banister constructed a fine Palladian villa, Battersea, as a retreat from the burgeoning town of Petersburg.

In 1784, folks in four small towns (Pocahontas, Blandford, Petersburg and Ravenscroft) where three counties (Chesterfield, Prince George, and Dinwiddie) came together decided to join forces, and they incorporated into what is now known as Petersburg.  It soon became home to a large population of free blacks.  1784, and there is a large population of FREE blacks (here and all over the East coast.)


By 1864, the South Side Railroad was Robert E. Lee's last remaining supply line.  On the evening of April 2, 1865, part of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia retreated across Campbell's Bridge (#11) here.  Other columns crossed the Appomattox River on nearby bridges (#3, #7).  Lee ordered the bridges burned after all his troops had crossed so that the Yankee's couldn't easily follow.

The South Side Depot is the oldest railroad station remaining in the Confederate South.

Petersburg is never boring!  And there are even MORE stories to share with you from Petersburg, Virginia!