Bryan Park (Richmond, Virginia)

Joseph Bryan Park
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Virginia Landmarks Register
The gateway to Joseph Bryan Park
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Location	4308 Hermitage Rd., Richmond, Virginia
Coordinates	37°35′37″N 77°28′26″W
Area	262 acres (106 ha)
Built	1800
Architectural style	Bungalow/Craftsman, American Rustic
NRHP reference No.	02001369 [1]
VLR No.	127-5677
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	November 21, 2002
Designated VLR	September 11, 2002[2]

Joseph Bryan Park, also known as Bryan Park, is a public park in the city of Richmond, Virginia. The park memorializes Joseph Bryan (1845–1908), the founder and publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper. The land was given to the city in 1910 by Bryan's widow, Belle Stewart Bryan, and her family.[3] It contains a network of hiking/biking trails and is open daily without charge.

The park, which sits next to the Bryan Park Interchange, where I-95, I-64, and I-195 intersect, hosted the Richmond Vegetarian Festival annually from 2003 through 2018.[4]

In mid-2024, the City of Richmond broke ground on the city's portion of the Fall Line Trail, an approximately 43-mile[5] multi-use trail currently (2024) under development — from a northern terminus in Ashland, Virginia, to a southern terminus in Petersburg, Virginia. The thirteen-mile segment extends from Bryan Park, which will become a key trailhead, to the Chesterfield County border to the South.[6]

Azalea Garden

The Joseph Bryan Park Azalea Garden (17 acres) is a botanical garden specializing in azaleas, located within Joseph Bryan Park.

The garden proper was begun in 1952 by Mr. Robert E. Harvey, a former Recreation and Parks Superintendent. Over some 15 years, Mr. Harvey and volunteers planted about 450,000 azalea plants (of 50 varieties) in more than 75 beds. They also constructed a small pond with a fountain. Peak season is April 1 to May 15.[7]

See also

• List of botanical gardens in the United States

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
3. Prestidge, Holly (September 26, 2010). "Bryan Park celebrates centennial". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on September 27, 2010. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
4. "Enjoy Veggie Fest 2018". WTVR. June 15, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
5. Robertson, Gary (May 24, 2021). "The Fall Line Trail". Richmond Magazine.
6. "Richmond's Segment of 43-mile Fall Line Trail Breaks Ground, Connecting Central Virginia". WRIC.com. August 28, 2024.
7. "Walk the Bryan Park Azalea Gardens". www.theoutbound.com. Retrieved May 19, 2022.

External links

• Richmond Parks, Recreation, & Community Facilities information page
• Friends of Bryan Park