Richmond Downtown Walking Tour: Civil War & Civil Rights History

Two centuries of Richmond unfold on foot, from tobacco town to Confederate capital to civil rights battleground

You walk 100 minutes through Richmond's downtown, starting in Jackson Ward and moving through Civil War sites, Capitol Square, and Civil Rights landmarks with a guide who knows the actual history. You'll see the Wickham and Davis houses, the Capitol building, the Governor's Mansion, and the Civil Rights Memorial, and you'll leave understanding Richmond's role in the nation's founding, its Confederate years, and its civil rights legacy. Headsets are provided, and the pace is leisurely enough for all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Richmond historic downtown walking tour

• Begin in historic Jackson Ward
• Hear about Richmond native John Marshall
• Visit Court End and Wickham and Davis houses
• Learn about Richmond as CSA capital and Lincoln's visit
• Visit original Medical College of Virginia
• Visit Jefferson's apprentice designed church
• See second oldest governor's mansion and Civil Rights Memorial
• Hear story of Richmond as third Commonwealth capital
• See newest addition to Capitol Square and learn about early colony history
• Visit Church of the Confederacy
• Hear story of proposed mausoleum for founding figures

The experience

Our guide stops you outside a corner building in Jackson Ward and points to a brass plaque you'd walk past otherwise. "This was the office of Maggie Lena Walker," she says, and suddenly the block isn't just brick and storefronts. It's the Black Wall Street of the South, where Black entrepreneurs built wealth in the early 1900s while Jim Crow was the law. That's the rhythm of this Richmond downtown walking tour: you move through 100 minutes of the city's actual story, not a highlight reel. Jackson Ward leads into Court End, where you'll see the Wickham and Davis houses and hear about the Burr treason trial that nearly tore the young republic apart. The guide doesn't rush you. She lets the place do the talking.

The Civil War section lands hard. You'll stand where Richmond became the capital of the Confederacy, where Jefferson Davis lived and governed, where the Great Evacuation Fire burned the city as Union troops entered. Then Lincoln walked those same streets one day after surrender: the guide shows you where. It's not sanitized. It's the actual weight of what happened. After that, the Medical College of Virginia comes up, and you learn Richmond was a major medical center during the war, which sounds dry until the guide tells you about the custodial skullduggery that went on. The Church of the Confederacy, with its Tiffany windows, closes that chapter.

The second half pivots to what Richmond became. You'll see the Capitol building (Jefferson's design, though it didn't go the way he planned), and the Governor's Mansion, the second oldest in the country. Capitol Square holds the Civil Rights Memorial, and the guide walks you through Brown v. Board of Education and what that meant for Richmond. There's also the newest monument, added recently, that tells the story of the first European women in the colony, the arrival of the first Africans, and the history of slavery itself. It's not comfortable, but it's honest, and that's what makes the tour stick with you.

You'll also pass the Church of the Confederacy with its Tiffany splendor, the site where Edgar Allan Poe became a true Richmonder, and the Richmond Theater Fire. Each stop is a thread in the city's actual fabric. The whole thing takes just under two hours, and you move at a walking pace, so you're not racing between stops. You get headsets so you can hear the guide clearly even in the open air, and the group stays small enough that you're not herded. By the end, you'll know why Richmond matters, not because someone told you it's important, but because you've stood in the places where it happened.

What’s included

• A 100-minute guided walk through downtown Richmond starting in Jackson Ward and moving through Court End, Capitol Square, and Civil War and Civil Rights landmarks.
• You'll visit or pass the Wickham and Davis houses, the Capitol building, the Governor's Mansion, the Civil Rights Memorial, the Medical College of Virginia, the Church of the Confederacy, and other historic sites.
• Headsets are provided to hear the guide clearly and maintain safe distancing.
• The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, and infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to SundayDepartures at 10:30 and 13:30Last departure this season: 29 Nov

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (13 to 90 years) · Child (1 to 12 years)

GroupUp to 14

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by The Richmond Tour Guys

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Richmond's actual history (Civil War, Civil Rights, and the people who shaped both) told by someone who knows the city, without having to plan stops or timing yourself. The 100-minute length fits the story into one morning or afternoon.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 12 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the Richmond downtown walking tour?

100 minutes, at a leisurely pace through downtown neighborhoods.

What's included in the tour?

Guided walk through Jackson Ward, Court End, Capitol Square, and Civil War and Civil Rights sites. Headsets are provided for safe distancing and clear audio.

Is the tour suitable for people with mobility concerns?

It's suitable for all fitness levels, though it's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller.

What are the main stops on the Richmond walking tour?

Jackson Ward (the Black Wall Street of the South), Court End, the Capitol building, the Governor's Mansion, the Civil Rights Memorial, the Medical College of Virginia, and several historic churches including the Church of the Confederacy.

Do I need to arrange transportation to get to the tour?

The tour is in downtown Richmond, and public transportation options are available nearby. You'll walk between stops during the tour itself.

What does the tour cover about Richmond's history?

The tour covers Richmond's origins as a tobacco town, its role as the capital of the Confederacy, the Civil War, the Great Evacuation Fire, Lincoln's visit after surrender, and Richmond's major role in the Civil Rights movement.

Are there any stops inside buildings, or is it all walking outside?

The tour is primarily a walking tour through downtown neighborhoods and past historic sites. Some stops involve viewing exteriors and hearing stories about the buildings and their history.