Harry Kollatz puts some words to the proposal that a new Amtrak train might bypass Main Street Station:

A proposed Amtrak train out of Norfolk may not stop at Main Street Station but instead roll on to Staples Mill. [...] Broad Street, however, like Main, was abandoned in the mid-1970s in favor of … Staples Mill. It was Amtrak’s misguided notion that if you put rail in commuter land, they’ll drive to the station. Instead, they just keep driving — mostly.

Staples Mill is situated in an unflattering strip-mall locale that says nothing about our region’s history and beauty but everything about our political/transit predicament. [...]

While you’re out for the Holiday Market and the Grand Illumination, stop by Fountain Bookstore for hot cider and cookies and local Richmond writers signing books about Richmond including: R. David Ross, Harry Kollatz, Wayne Dementi & Brooks Smith (authors of Memory Lane 1 & 2: Richmond, Virginia; True Richmond Stories and Richmond In Ragtime; and Legends of Richmond Area Streets and Legends of Richmond Hills).

In the November issue of Richmond Magazine, Karry Kollatz excerpts from his own (now available!) Richmond in Ragtime and takes a look at the immigrant enclave of Turkey Town and the red-light district that was Shockoe:

Along East Main Street into Shocke is a warren of wretched slums. Past 17th Street are busy saloons. Neglected, barefooted urchins run the streets, where starvation and nakedness color their formative experiences. Here in the city’s lower depths are clusters of overcrowded, dilapidated hovels.

Richmond author etc. Harry Kollatz (previously) has the cover art for and info about his next book, Richmond in Ragtime, (due in November) over at The Blue Raccoon:

This is a narrative, bricolage style, covering just three rambunctious years, 1909-1911. The coil of the story is provided by Adon Allen Yoder, a grassroots Socialist reformer who published a muckraking pamphlet called The Idea.

Harry Kollatz’ fantastic True Richmond Stories, a collection of 40 or so of Kollatz’ “Flashback” columns from Richmond Magazine, was released in late 2007. The stories span Richmond history from 1607 until just a few years ago, and range across the city. It should come as no surprise that in any telling of Richmond history that a fair share of the anecdotes come from Shockoe, Manchester, and Tobacco Row.

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