Plus, fall fishing tips + Barrio Taqueria closes
 
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Today’s Forecast

78º | 24% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:52 a.m. | Sunset 7:15 p.m.
 

Elko Tract, revisited

Elko Tract: Looking back on Henrico’s “lost city”
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The story of Elko Tract goes all the way back to World War II. | Photo by Mike Lynaugh
In late August, we received an email from reader Virginia L. about a mysterious “decoy neighborhood” near the city, which she visited over 50 years ago. Our interests piqued, we began looking into it.

The place Virginia visited that evening was Elko Tract. In May 1943, the US Army began using Richmond Airport as a military airfield. Concerned about the potential for Luftwaffe attacks on the airport, the military decided to build a decoy, complete with real infrastructure and plywood airplanes, several miles away.

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The Army set up a decoy airbase at Elko Tract, complete with plywood buildings and fake planes.

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Photo via Henrico County

The federal government would seize 2,400 acres of farmland for the project that summer. Over 40 farms were forced to vacate the area to make room for the airfield.

Following the war, the state tried to buy back the land in order to build a mental health hospital for African American patients. Virginia was still almost completely segregated at this point. Although the population surrounding Elko Tract at that time was predominately Black, the project received major pushback from white Henrico residents.

According to a 1947 article in the Richmond Afro American, the project was “fought bitterly by Henrico County residents.” Due to these protests, as well as ongoing financial issues, the project was continually delayed.

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Remnants of the development, including fire hydrants and curbs, could be found until very recently.

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Photo by Mike Lynaugh

A decade later, the hospital had still not been built. In February 1957, then-governor Thomas Stanley announced plans for the facility to move to Petersburg. By that point, the state had already spent around $500,000 — over $5.5 million in today’s dollars — building infrastructure for the development, including full streets, water lines, and sewage systems.

It would take the state years to sell the land around Elko Tract. Beginning in the 1990s, it became a site for technological manufacturing. Today, the land is occupied by White Oak Technology Park, but the old infrastructure could still be found until very recently.
Visit Fredericksburg
 
Events
Monday, Sept. 16
  • Black Pumas | Monday, Sept. 16 | 6 p.m. | Maymont | $50+ | The Austin duo will perform with The Dip as part of the Music at Maymont.
  • Art + Junk Journaling | Monday, Sept. 16 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Quarry | $15+ | Explore ways to combine words, paint, collage, washi tape, stamps, doodles, and more to make your journal pages explode with color and creativity.
Tuesday, Sept. 17
  • Garcia Peoples | Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 7 p.m. | Richmond Music Hall | $17 | Rock out with the New Jersey band and Country Westerns.
  • An Evening with Meg Medina | Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 7 p.m. | James Branch Cabell Library | $35+ | The local author and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature will be in conversation with SJ Sindu.
Wednesday, Sept. 18
  • Bilbo Baggins’ Birthday Celebration | Wednesday, Sept. 18 | 6-9 p.m. | Black Heath Meadery | Free entry | Get ready for a party with all things concerning hobbits including snacks, drinking songs, “Lord of the Rings” trivia, and a hobbit foot contest.
  • “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” | Wednesday, Sept. 18 | 7 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre | $9 | Bill Murray stars in this Wes Anderson film.
Events calendar here
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Pets

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News Notes
Closing
  • Fan restaurant Barrio Taqueria + Tequila is shutting its doors. The Instagram announcement indicated that it will close in the next few weeks and perhaps reopen as a different concept.
Development
  • A local developer is seeking zoning approval for a subdivision in Highland Springs. Ned Massie, who’s also behind the Bethany Creek Park project in Chesterfield, is looking to turn 66 acres into 130 home lots aimed at first-time homebuyers. (Richmond BizSense)
Number
  • $315,000. That’s how much the Byrd Theatre Foundation recently received in a gift to help replace the historic building’s balcony seats. The Foundation is still seeking donations for its Pull Up a Seat campaign to replace the seats on the sides of the auditorium and construct more accessible platforms.
Eat
  • Did you eat breakfast at a restaurant this morning? If so, you’re not alone. Eating out for breakfast is up by 15% in Richmond, according to a recent study by Toast — we had the biggest bump in breakfast of all the cities surveyed. That seems like a good excuse to check out our brunch guide.
Seasonal
  • Something wicked this way comes. Spirit Halloween leased a 9,000-sqft space in Colonial Heights last week. Look for them at Southgate Square in the coming months. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Active
Health
  • Birth control for teens is not just about preventing pregnancy — VPFW OB/GYN Dr. Maggie Lincoln says there are other benefits, too. Not sure which birth control is best for your teen? See what else Dr. Lincoln has to say about teen birth control.*
Number
  • 22%. That’s how much auto insurance rates have increased over the last year. Stop overpaying + find a better rate when you get a free, no-obligation quote from Savvy.*
 
Outdoors

🎣 Snag a fish this fall

Your guide to fishing on the James River
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Early fall is a perfect time to try your hand at fishing. | Photo via @rvajamesriverfishreport
Did you know? Early fall is a fantastic season for new and experienced anglers alike. Now that temps are cooling off, fish are ready to bite — as long as you’ve got the right bait and you’ve found the right spot.

Look for shallow, fresh water less than six feet deep. Move around plenty — if you haven’t gotten a bite in the last half hour, maybe try somewhere else. In the transition between warmer and colder months, fish tend to be on the move, so it always helps to cast a wide net.

Bass tend to concentrate near areas of vegetation. As the aquatic plant life begins to thin out, keep your focus on the areas still covered. The fish will become more and more concentrated as the cover diminishes.

As for a lure, active baits are your best bet when the temperature is above 55. Take a spinning lure for a whirl, or try your luck with topwater bait.
More fishing intel
The Buy

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More worth The Buy
 
The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
David
From the editor
In researching the story of Elko Tract, I found Professor Paul Mullins’ blog post on the subject to be particularly helpful, especially in tracking down those historical newspaper excerpts. If you want a more thorough breakdown of the area’s post-war history, give it a read.
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