10.30.2023

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Today’s Forecast

49º | Sunny | 5% chance of rain
Sunrise 7:24 a.m. | Sunset 5:07 p.m.

Culture

Your guide to Richmond cryptids

Hollywood Cemetery is one of Richmond’s most historic areas. | Photo by RICtoday

Richmond’s been through a fair share of the spooky in its nearly three centuries of history. Whether you believe them or not, stories about mysterious graveyard dwellers and bizarre non-dogs on doorsteps have been haunting the River City for over a hundred years.

Richmond’s most famous undead dweller is the Richmond Vampire. After several decades shrouded in hearsay and mystery, the creature first appeared in print in the Commonwealth Times in 1976. The Times reported that W.W. Pool, a local bookkeeper who died in 1922, was “alleged to be a vampire.”

A mausoleum bearing the inscription "WW Pool" — Legend has it that the vampire disappeared into W.W. Pool’s mausoleum.
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Photo by RICtoday

The article goes on to explain that the vampire is said to have escaped the tragic Church Hill tunnel collapse in October 1925. After the tunnel collapsed, killing multiple railroad workers trapped inside, eyewitnesses reported seeing a bloodied man with jagged teeth emerge and flee from the wreckage. He was chased, but disappeared into the mausoleum of W.W. Pool.

Doubters say this was actually Benjamin Mosby, a 28-year old who was inside the tunnel when it collapsed. Mosby made it out of the wreckage, disoriented and in shock, and sprinted for the river before being taken to the Grace Street Hospital. Mosby would soon die of his injuries and be buried in — you guessed it — Hollywood Cemetery.

A gravestone reading "Benjamin Franklin Mosby, died 1925, at rest" — Some believe Benjamin Mosby may have inspired the legend of the Richmond Vampire.
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Photo by RICtoday

Richmond also has a more benevolent cryptid named Elmer.

In the summer of 1935, Georjie Douglass answered a tapping at her door to find a beast about the size of a raccoon with webbed feet, a bulldog face, and green glowing eyes. She dubbed the creature Elmer, and in the weeks that followed it became a local sensation. Nightly search parties grew as large as 2,000 strong, and the headlines proclaimed a “weird mystery here.”

Elmer was eventually found to be a family of opossums, but some still swore to have seen the green-eyed creature.

So take a walk through Hollywood Cemetery this week, or listen for a tapping at your door. A piece of Richmond’s paranormal history could be anywhere.

Events

Monday, Oct. 30

Monday Movie Night: “Casper” | Monday, Oct. 30 | 6-7:30 p.m. | RPL Broad Rock Branch, 4820 Old Warwick Rd., Richmond | Free | Bring the family for a screening of this Halloween favorite with popcorn and drinks provided.
A Book Read: “Beautiful and Terrible Things” | Monday, Oct. 30 | 7-8 p.m. | Richmond’s First Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Ave., Richmond | Free | Author Amy Butler will discuss her book and experience as a female protestant leader.

Tuesday, Oct. 31

18th Annual Halloween Parade | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 7 p.m. | Monroe Park, 620 W. Main St., Richmond | Join All the Saints Theater Company in a funeral march for time through Oregon Hill.
“Halloween” | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 7 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St., Richmond | $8 | Enjoy a spooky screening this holiday.

Wednesday, Nov. 1

Annual Paul Mellon Lecture: “Sir Alfred Munnings: A Life of his Own” | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | VMFA, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond | Free | Scholar Katherine Field will discuss Sir Alfred Munnings and insights into British sporting art.

Thursday, Nov. 2

Richmond Coin and Currency Show | Thursday, Nov. 2-Saturday, Nov. 4 | Times vary | ACCA Shrine Center, 1712 Bellevue Ave., Richmond | Free entry | Buy, sell, and trade US, foreign, and ancient coins with raffle prizes all weekend.
Of Good Nature | Thursday, Nov. 2 | 7 p.m. | The Camel, 1621 W. Broad St., Richmond | $17 | The Charlotte, NC band blends alternative, funk, pop, and soul for a night of fun with Soundwave Supply Co.

Friday, Nov. 3

Friends of the Library Fall Book Sale | Friday, Nov. 3-Saturday, Nov. 4 | Times vary | RPL Main Branch, 101 E. Franklin St., Richmond | Free entry | Head to the Main Branch auditorium to support the Richmond Public Library and find your next read for as little as 50 cents.

Events calendar here

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Try This

A wreath making workshop at The Mercantile at Three Crosses

Try This: A wreath making workshop at The Mercantile at Three Crosses

Presented by a RICtoday Partner

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It’s not a competition, but feel free to let us know whose final product you prefer. | Photo by RICtoday

City Editor Robin here, reporting on the wreath-making efforts of the RICtoday team. We ventured to the bustling Village of Powhatan for an evening at the new home, garden, and gift store The Mercantile at Three Crosses.

What we tried:

We had bites and drinks from Three Crosses Distillery before rolling up our sleeves to get to work on a festive fall creation. Armed with all the necessary supplies and under the instruction of knowledgeable Market Manager Kara, we had a charming time putting together cornucopia-style wreaths filled with permanent botanicals — that’s the expert name for artificial flowers — and perfect for an autumn porch.

The Wednesday evening excursion took us outside city limits to a cozy gem of a store, where we also got to shop around and check out the product selection. My holiday gift list is now overflowing, just like my wreath.

What not to miss

News Notes

Closed

The 100+ year old William Byrd Hotel Barber Shop has closed — potentially for good. The space’s landlord is looking for a new operator for the historic hair salon. (Richmond BizSense)

Sports

River City Roller Derby is looking for new members. The group is hosting two orientation sessions for potential new skaters, referees, and non-skating officials on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 9 to 11 a.m. and Monday, Nov. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Rollerdome.

Edu

A group of VCU researchers are launching a program to help teens exiting the juvenile corrections system. Project Belong will include trauma counseling, peer support, and supported employment for formerly-incarcerated youth. (VCU News)

Biz

Whistle Express Car Wash has announced plans to open locations in Mechanicsville, Midlothian, and Powhatan. The chain joins Flagstop, Tommy’s Express, Hogwash, and other businesses with multiple locations in the area. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Read

United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg is celebrating the installation of its 20th little free library. The new library, stationed in front of the Patrick Henry YMCA, joins installations in Richmond, Petersburg, Dinwiddie, and elsewhere. You can find dozens of little free libraries around the city.

Film

Missed the Barbie movie when it was released in July? The Byrd Theatre has announced two showings of Greta Gerwig’s record-breaking film on Thursday, Nov. 16 and Friday, Nov. 17. Tickets are $8. November’s schedule also includes several other second-run showings.

Finance

$300 is the new $200. This card is offering a rare $300 welcome bonus, and bonuses like that don’t come around that often. That’s why thousands are lining up for it. Learn more and apply.*

City

Richmond approves reconstruction of illegally demolished buildings

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The two storefronts demolished were among Church Hill’s many historic buildings. | Photo by RICtoday

After two historic storefronts in Church Hill were illegally torn down, the Commission of Architectural Review has now approved their reconstruction.

The facades at 3304 and 3306 E. Marshall St. were 100+ years old when they came down. While the city had approved C&M Properties’ plans for a mixed-use development in the space in 2021, it did so under the condition that the historic structures would be protected. The buildings, however, were demolished in August.

C&M Properties was fined $200. The commission, community members, and groups including Historic Richmond were upset by the illegal bulldozing. On Thursday, Oct. 26, however, CAR grudgingly agreed to allow construction to continue.

Board members expressed concern for the precedent being set, but agreed it was better for the work to go on than to leave the door open for other developments potentially even more disruptive to the community.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
David

From the editor

It’s not quite a cryptid, but there have also been some reports over the years of a large panther near the James River. What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen around Richmond?

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