The Expositor from Brantford, Ontario, Canada • 46

I D2 THE EXPOSITOR SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 14 2002 RAVF I The Jefferson Hotel which re-opened three years ago after a $9-million overhaul is the place to stay in Richmond SoutfiMi The Confederate White House serves as a reminder of Richmond's role as capital of the Confederacy Visitors can take tours of Confederate President Jefferson Davis's house and see where he dined with Rebel generals souttumptwto Richmond defines Photo House of the Confederacy former home of Jefferson Davis and his family While not as grand as its Washington counterpart still interesting to wander through the halls and see where aristocrats and Rebel generals gathered to chart the course of their embattled empire Richmond is also the plape where Southern Gothic was invented A century and a half before Stephen King there was Edgar Allen Poe Poe was raised in Richmond and his mother actress Elizabeth Arnold Poe died there Richmond was also where he brought his 13-year-old bride and first cousin Virginia Clemm The couple lived in Richmond for two years while Poe wrote from the Southern Literary Messenger Poe considered himself to be a Virginian and the Poe Museum on East Main Street is a glimpse into his time For those who prefer more cheerful sights the Canal Walk meanders two kilometres through downtown Richmond along the banks of the Haxall Canal and the James River and Kanawha Canal The historic and picturesque walk is a good place to dine shop or take a canal cruise There are plenty of places to choose from when it comes to accommodation in Richmond mostly of the soul-less chain variety But there is only really one place to stay and The Jefferson Built in 1895 and designed to be one of the grandest hotels of the South The Jefferson went through some hard times before investors dropped $9 million US in additions and renovations and re-opened the hotel to rave reviews three years ago The hotel also has a history money can't buy The first big event was the wedding of Charles Dana Gibson and Irene Langhorne one of the last southern belles and known as the Girl" in honour of her beloved pictures of young -o- of several tributes to Southam Photo IB'T American women that went by the same name Bill Robinson was discovered then when he spilled soup on a producer's white suit then danced all the way to the kitchen to get a towel Alligators were long a fixture in the Palm Court after a traveller returning from Florida dumped one of the reptiles in the fountain For years bellmen were routinely chasing off the furniture in the lobby The fountains are gone and the last alligator was shooed away in 1948 But the hotel still has its faux marble rotunda stained glass skylights and impeccable service Last summer Forbes declared it to be America's best hotel and one of only 19 hotels in North America to receive both the Mobil Five Star and AAA Five Diamond awards Of course all this luxury costs Double rooms start at $305 US Only a few blocks from The Jefferson is famous Monument Avenue noted as the most beautiful boulevard in the South Architecture buffs and gardeners will also enjoy a walk or a drive past the gracious homes that line the leafy street The avenue which began in 1890 with the dedication of a giant monument to Robert Lee also has monu- ments to Jefferson Davis JEB Stuart Stonewall Jackson as well as oceanographer Matthew Fontaine Maury Monument Avenue is perceived by many to be a shrine to the Lost Cause oif the Confederacy Incongruously or perhaps as a symbol that Richmond has finally gotten over the Civil War in 1995 the city added a monument to another native son the black tennis star Arthur Ashe IF YOU CO-- Where to stay: There are plenty of low-cost chain hotels en route but nice in Richmond the place to stay is The Jefferson Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-424-8014 Must dos: The Museum of the Confederacy and the Confederate White House Monument Avenue and at least a meal in one of The restaurants even if nightly rates are not in your budget On the Web: Virginia Tourism: wwwviipniaorg Richmond Visitors Centre: wwwrich-mondvaorg Museum of the Confederacy: wwwmocorg The Jefferson Hotel: wwwjefferson-hotelcom including the The place is foil of memories some good some bad people with sad and anxious eyes you could tell by their eyes been through said a Pier 21 volunteer who worked here during the waves of post-war refugees they misted IF YOU CO The museum first opened in 1922 in the Old Stone House oldest standing structure just blocks away from first home home to the largest collection of Poe artifacts including illustrations for The Raven produced in the 1880s also the place for literary minds and Poe devotees to pick up the coolest souvenir T-shirts Speaking of gloomy and for serious history buffs a stop at Hollywood Cemetery is an absolute must Not only can you visit the graves of the Davis family and generals George Pickett and JEB Stuart but also the graves of presidents James Monroe and John Tyler With soaring views rtf the James River the cemetery is lined with blossoming trees in spring and is the perfect place to soak up history while also taking a break from the hectic pace of touring She hands them special gold stickers to wear cm their shirts bade!" The brothers Emanuel are just two of the 15 million immigrants who arrived in Canada by ship in the days before air travel took over it is the SS Tony says pointing to a picture of a smallish steamship came on this one from Napoli Naples! It was the last voyage of the The family erf seven arrived at Pier 21 a few days after Christmas having sold everything back home in Naples to finance their great adventure By Ruth Dunley and Joanne Laucius SOUTH AM NEWSPAPERS Richmond Va Richmond is the gateway to the South Sure you can pretend in the South once crossed the Mason-Dixon line but that's a matter of cold geography not really there psychologically speaking until you've arrived in Richmond Va From the antebellum houses to the fabulous gardens to the way everyone you meet seems to say Richmond is the quintessential southern destination And even if Richmond is not your ultimate destination a stop that sqowbirds might enjoy en route to even warmer spots in South Carolina or Florida Richmond is also the perfect getaway even if you only have four or five days and possible to get a good taste of die city in 24 hours which is what our carload of 30-somethings (plus one nine-year-old) did on a whirlwind blitz of Civil War sites recently OVIL WAR We started our tour in the morning at the Museum of the Confederacy and it is perhaps the best place to start since it gives visitors an appreciation for the history Richmond was after all the capital of the Confederacy (the original capital was Montgomery Alabama it moved in May 1861) and this history is evident throughout the city which is obviously still grap- plingMiiiUts joloin iha Cudl Was Other museums attempt to tell the story of both sides of the conflict but that is clearly not the mandate of this museum Instead it houses a treasure trove of Confederate artifacts from cavalry commander JEB plumed hat to the medical instruments used to amputate General Thomas arm at Chancel-lorsville Flag fanatics will also enjoy the collection of variations on the Stars and Bars and the Confederate battle flag (their collection includes more than 500 flags and as many fascinating stories about how they were captured or found and restored) Adjacent to the museum is the White Pier 21 on By Judy Schultz SOUTHAM NEWSPAPERS Halifax There are tourists and there are travellers And then there are the dream-chasers The bold ones who risk everything on a single incredible life-changing journey For some of those dreamers the journey climaxed in the vast immigration shied known as Her 21 on the Halifax waterfront From 1928 until it closed in 1971 this cavernous old building was the first landfall for travellers who crossed the Atlantic to start a new life It was the doorstep to Canada for 48000 war brides and their 20000 babies 3600 children some as young as five shipped here with identification tags pinned to their jackets during the Second World War and thousands of orphaned refugee children who arrived after it was over The walls of Pier 21 are lined with photographs Grainy black-and-white blowups poignant reminders of why they made this incredible journey Bombed cities in ruins Faces staring at the camera with huge frightened eyes Two Jewish refugee children helping their little brother into the back of a military truck Crowds of Hungarians part of the 18000 who arrived during a three-month period in 1956 There are happier pictures Entire This statue of General Robert Lee forever facing south is one Confederate heroes along Monument Avenue Halifax waterfront was to was 10 years says Joe remember like it was yesterday So cold I cried I wanted to go back But for the brothers and their family this was home Cold foreign with an alien language and strange food like the Tony says stuck to my Canned spaghetti was a faith-shaking experience And the coffee? get him started A guide asks if we can guess what the most confiscated item was among Italian immigrants of that time Turns out it was sausage One woman wrapped her salami in a blanket hoping to pass it off as a baby The brothers surprised For an older generation of Italian immigrants no journey was begun without the essential road food Only a fool would leave home without a good air-dried salami The brothers have never been sorry they made that journey Tony and his wire live in Toronto now and their Mom at 94 lives with them There are a million stories at Pier 21 More accurately 15 million one for each of the hopeful travellers who stepped onto Pier 21 during its 46 years of service Maria McGowan manages special programs for Pier 21 and she meets many of their alumni personally when they come back for a visit a very emotional experience for she says see a lot of tears The vast immigration shed in Halifax was the doorstep to Canada for 15 million dream-chasers southam Photo Pier 21 is at 1055 Marginal Road on the Halifax waterfront Good parking $2 all day Admission $675 seniors $575 students $375 youth $375 Free under six There are many interactive features including a virtual train trip a video registry of ships with their passenger lists and a wealth of short video dips old newsreel footage with war brides soldiers and refugees Be sure to watch the excellent film Oceans of Hope Next summer in 2003 Pier 21 celebrates its 75th anniversary currently gathering stories from the alumni for next celebrations If you passed through Pier 21 as an immigrant en route to Canada and have a story to share e-mail it to info(at)pier21nsxa The Web site for further information is wwwpier21ca families peasant farmers from Austria and the Balkans ready to board trains for tire Prairies Families on board ship eating in white-linened dining rooms Travellers all dancing singing laughing waving from the side of a ship as it noses into Pier 21 On a recent summer morning Tony and Joe Emanuel make a sentimental journey bade to Pier 21 was here 50 years Tony tells the ticket seller in slightly accented English was just a kid when I came through this one of our 1.