Perhaps, Spinner (and Billy Wayne), Monument Avenue is a museum in the broadest sense of the word. I admit that I had never considered that and appreciate your pointing it out. That said, I have never suggested that the JD Memorial should be destroyed. In fact, I believe without a doubt that it does have historical significance and should be preserved. I realize that my opinion is in major part in direct opposition to Mayor Dwight Jones (an Afro-American) who does not feel threatened by it, but I certainly agree with him that it should not be destroyed.
Do you think that we could relocate the White House of the Confederacy on Monument within the historic district? Ever tried to find parking in the 1200 block of E Clay Street? VCU Medical Center never closes. The area is like the Fort Lee Bridge in New Jersey when lanes were closed by Governor Christie (or his staff). Visiting the nearby Valentine Museum is just as bad. Because of the growth of VCU Medical both are very difficult to locate and find parking within walking distance. I think they should both be relocated as well.
In my opinion, the perfect location for a new Confederate Museum would be somewhere adjacent to the VMFA (Virginia Museum of Fine Art) . I lived in the Museum District for about four years and walked my dogs throughout the grounds of the VMFA almost nightly, learning a lot about the existing connections with the confederacy already on the grounds. I had hoped that when Benedictine High School had considered moving its city campus to the far West End that the VMFA, which is adjacent to the United Daughters of the Confederacy Museum and the Virginia Historical Society, both also facing the Boulevard, would purchase that property, even though having recently completed an estimated $500,000 renovation and expansion of its base building and adding significant parking, the VMFA had the money did, in fact, attempt to purchase the property.
It would be the logical place to centralize a Confederate Museum all of which would be located on the campus of the VMFA. The Confederate Memorial Chapel is located on Grove Avenue behind the VMFA. The Robinson house (demolished in the early 1940s after the death of the last resident if the Confederate soldiers' home), is located directly adjacent to the VMFA. It was the building where the superintendent and other staff overseeing the Confederate soldier's home resided. It served as the institutional headquarters for the R. E. Lee Confederate Soldiers’ Home until 1941. Incidentally, the Home for Needy Confederate Women (mostly widows of confederate soldiers, acquired by the VMFA in 1989, and now the Pauley Center and used by the VMFA for other purposes) is located directly behind the VMFA and across the street from Benedictine High School which is, itself, directly behind the VMFA. Alas, however, the Museum's purchase fell through when Benedictine decided not to sell.
The following structures are still standing on the VMFA campus (or adjacent thereto) and can be viewed (at least in part) by visitors interested in viewing Civil War history.
Morris house (an ancillary building and all that remains of the Confederate soldier's home) located adjacent to the main structure of the VMFA on the northern side facing the Museum:
Confederate Memorial Chapel (on Grove Ave adjacent to the old rear entrance to the Museum):
Home for Needy Confederate Women (directly adjacent to and west of the main building):
Virginia Museum for the United Daughters of the Confederacy:
(directly adjacent to on the north of the VMFA )
Civil War Horse statue in front of the Virginia Historical Society:
A touching memorial which can only be fully appreciated when viewed in person.
With the addition of the Benedictine campus, there would have existed an opportunity to expand the campus of the VMFA and, hopefully, a perfect location to establish a more centralized location for many of the historical monuments and artifacts appreciated by Civil War enthusiasts, including the relocation of the Jefferson Davis statue.
As to Jefferson Davis, a few probably little-known facts:
He was not a Virginian and had very few Virginia connections prior to becoming the President of the Confederacy. He was born in Kentucky and bred in New Orleans, became a senator from Mississippi, operated a large cotton farm with more than 100 slaves, wife's name was Varina Davis (nee Howell) who was 18 years his junior ( after whom, I assume the Varina district of Henrico County is named). After the war he was bonded from prison having serving two years in officers quarters, he went with his family to Canada until 1868 when he was pardoned by Andrew Johnson whereupon he took his family to Tennessee to work for an insurance company. He ran for office again from Tennessee but was denied because of constitutional provisions. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetary in Richmond.
From Wikipedia: "Many historians attribute the Confederacy's weaknesses to the poor leadership of President Davis.[5] His preoccupation with detail, reluctance to delegate responsibility, lack of popular appeal, feuds with powerful state governors and generals, favoritism toward old friends, inability to get along with people who disagreed with him, neglect of civil matters in favor of military ones, and resistance to public opinion all worked against him.[6][7] Historians agree he was a much less effective war leader than his Union counterpart Abraham Lincoln. After Davis was captured in 1865, he was accused of treason. He was never tried and was released after two years. While not disgraced, Davis had been displaced in ex-Confederate affection after the war by his leading general, Robert E. Lee."
Jefferson Davis with Varina Howell (1845):
I find it noteworthy that there is not another monument or statue on Monument Avenue of a person with fewer ties to Virginia or whose criticism for failure approaches that of Davis, even from those in the South. The other statues on the Monument are General J.E.B. Stuart, General Robert E. Lee, Cannon, Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, Matthew Fontaine Maury and Arthur Ashe, all revered Virginians with family roots, education and substantial contributions to Virginia's history. Jefferson Davis, on the other hand, had to reluctantly relocate in Virginia to perform the duties imposed upon his by his office. He came because of a job, and he left as soon as he had to, never returning except to eulogize Robert E Lee at his funeral.
Jefferson Davis Monument (Monument at Davis Ave):
I am not trying to continue a discussion in an argumentative manner. I understand and appreciate the positions of those who do not agree with me. I know and accept that I am outvoted on this issue. I just want to point out that in addition to what I feel is a racial affront to the majority of the citizens of the City of Richmond, I find many non-racial, salient reasons which make me take a different position than you on the removal and relocation of the Jefferson Davis Memorial. Joe Morrissey's statement probably takes none of this into account, and I do not stand with him politically.
