Petersburg, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
City Sights
Petersburg
Appamattock Indian Fish Traps
Appomattox River near Old Town. Considered to be the largest and most intact fish dams in Virginia, these sturgeon dams or weirs are made of loose stones forming a series of v-shaped tunnels by which Indians caught fish in baskets at the funnel spout during low tide. Believed to be approximately 2,000 years old.
Appomattox Regional Governor's School
512 W. Washington Street. The former Petersburg High School was renovated and reopened in 1999 as a regional high school for arts and technology.
Battersea
1289 Upper Appomattox Street. By appointment only. 1768 Palladian house built by John Banister, Petersburg's first mayor.
Blandford Church and Cemetery
29 South Crater Road. Walk or drive through Virginia's 3rd largest cemetery, ca. 1702, the final resting place for 30,000 Confederate soldiers. The 1735 Church is one of six known buildings in the world in which every stained-glass window was crafted by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Used as a hospital during the Civil War and credited with being the inspiration for the national observance of Memorial Day.
Centre Hill Museum
Centre
this page online
Dogwood Trace
3109 Homestead Drive. An 18-hole golf course.
Farmers Bank
19 Bollingbrook Street. By appointment only. Three-story Federal-style building opened as a bank in 1817. The president of the bank and his family lived on the upper two floors.
Farmers Market
9 East Old Street. Information on attractions, as well as shopping, dining, lodging and recreation. From April through October there are local growers selling fresh vegetables, flowers, and more each Saturday morning. Live music. Free.
First Baptist Church
236 Harrison Street. By appointment only. Founded in 1756, the congregation is the oldest African American Baptist church in America.
Lee Park Wildflower and Bird Sanctuary
Defense Road. A unique botanical habitat of some rare and endangered species, with a beautiful 18-acre lake surrounded by more than 300 acres of green space within the city limits of Petersburg.
Peoples Cemetery
330 South Crater Road. An African American cemetery established
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 6, 2026
2. Several markers on display in Old Town Petersburg
Petersburg Area Art League
7 East Old Street. Art gallery with permanent collection and rotating exhibits by area artists. Offering classes in different media.
Petersburg Courthouse
150 North Sycamore Street. By appointment only. Built in 1840, a sophisticated Classical Revival building with both Greek and Roman details, designed by Calvin Pollard of New York. A prominent landmark during the Siege of Petersburg.
Petersburg Exchange Building
12-16 West Bank Street. The Greek Revival-style Petersburg Exchange Building was erected between 1839 and 1841. Originally designed as a commodities exchange for area farmers and merchants, it is now undergoing restoration as part of the city museum system.
Petersburg National Battlefield
5001 Siege Road. Scene of the 10-month siege of Petersburg. Walk on the grounds where the famous Battle of the Crater took place. A driving tour of the battlefields includes 13 separate sites with three visitor centers along a 33-mile route. The Eastern Front Visitor Center offers exhibits and audio-visual programs that introduce the story of the siege.
Pocahontas Island Museum
224 Witten Street. Open by appointment or by chance. Includes a mysterious military trunk and photographs of the headstones of free slaves of Pocahontas Island.
Poplar Grove National Cemetery
8001 Vaughan Road. One of 14 national cemeteries administered by the National Park Service. Final resting place for 6,178 Union soldiers, only 2,139 of whom are known.
Poplar Lawn Park
South Sycamore Street. At the center of the Poplar Lawn Historic District, the park was the site of encampments for soldiers for the War of 1812 and a hospital during the Siege of Petersburg. The Pocahontas Basin is located here today.
Richard Bland College
11301 Johnson Road. (804) 862-6100. Founded in 1960, Richard Bland is the only state-funded junior college in Virginia. Site of the Globe Tavern Civil War battle, & the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad.
Trapezium House
244 North Market Street. Privately owned. Charles O'Hara built this house in 1817 without parallel walls because, as legend has it, he was told by his West Indian servant that such a house could not harbor evil spirits.
Erected by City of Petersburg, Virginia; The Cameron Foundation; Preserve America.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture • Notable Places • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1999.
Location. 37° 13.992′ N, 77° 24.266′ W. Marker is in Petersburg, Virginia. It is at the intersection of East Old Street and Rock Street, on the right when traveling east on East Old Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7 E Old St, Petersburg VA 23803, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Petersburg's Old Town (here, next to this marker); Petersburg Region (here, next to this marker); Touring Old Town (here, next to this marker); Pamplin Historical Park (here, next to this marker); Petersburg National Battlefield (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Old Market Square (here, next to this marker); Petersburg Museums (here, next to this marker); Petersburgs Natural Parks (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Petersburg.
Other markers no longer nearby. Touring Old Towne (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named City Sights (has been replaced with this marker); Petersburgs Old Towne (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Petersburg Region (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Old Market Square (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Credits. This page was last revised on September 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 7, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 7, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
