Downtown
Must-See RVA! — Adam Craig House
A look into the history of Richmond places that are still part of our landscape.
1812 East Grace Street
Built, 1784-1787
One of the oldest buildings in RVA.
Although the date of the Craig house is undetermined, it was probably built between 1784 and 1787 by Adam Craig. The deed for the western end of the square between Eighteenth, Nineteenth, Grace, and Broad Streets was not actually signed until 1790, but in the Land Books Craig is called the owner as early as 1784, and the loose description of property-lines makes it probable that this first part of the block that he acquired ran east of the present alley and included the site of the house.
Our first knowledge of what the buildings included comes from Craig’s insuring all his property in 1796. On the four lots were, first, a one-story “Dutch roof” cottage, the “Office of County Court,” at the northeast corner of Eighteenth and Grace. East of that was the present house, which on the plat looks just as it does today, with its ell, two stories, and three porches. Behind it was a one-story wooden kitchen, replaced before 1815 by the present brick kitchen, which doubtless utilized from the earlier building the chimney with its big fireplaces and iron cranes. East of these, facing on Nineteenth Street, was a one-story wooden house, used as a lodging-house, with a wooden kitchen back of it, on Nineteenth also. These last were on a lot which Craig had purchased from Joseph Simpson in 1791, the north line of which, if we may trust this policy, ran between these two Nineteenth Street buildings and Craig’s own house.
(Library of Congress) — Richmond from the hill above the waterworks engraving by W. J. Bennett from a Painting by G. Cooke — 1834
Adam Craig had come to Richmond from Williamsburg about 1782. His marriage in 1787 to “Polly” Mallory of York County would seem a probable moment for him to have built or acquired this house. During the succeeding years, until his death in 1808 at the age of forty-eight, he was clerk of the Richmond Hustings Court, the Henrico County Court, and the General Court, so that innumerable legal documents of that day are signed with his name.
(Find A Grave) — Jane Stith Craig Stanard
The best-known of his six children was Jane Stith Craig, who was born in 1793, probably in this house. She certainly lived there until her marriage to Judge Robert Stanard. At the time Poe addressed to her his immortal lines, “To Helen,” she was living in the Hay- Stanard house on Ninth Street, hence there is no reason to think Poe ever actually visited the Craig house.
![[HOR]](https://rvahub.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/003-HOR3.jpg)
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After Adam Craig’s death his widow continued to live in the house, at least as late as 1817. In 1822 it was purchased by Sterling J. Crump (who lived nearby on Nineteenth Street) and Thomas Cowles, and was rented out to various people until, in 1844, it was bought by Wilson Williams. Williams had a grocery business at Eighteenth and Main Streets and lived in the Craig house until his death. It must have been he who modernized the two front rooms and front hall on the first floor, the only part of the interior that has been changed since Adam Craig’s day. Probably he also pulled down the two wooden buildings on Nineteenth and extended the garden to its present size.
(Library of Congress) — Beers Illustrated Atlas of the Cities of Richmond & Manchester, 1877 — Plate G — showing ownership by J. W. Shields
In 1872 his sons sold the place to James W. Shields, who made his home there for the rest of his life. Living there during part of those years was his little granddaughter, afterward Mrs. John L. Newcomb. Her recollection of the old gentleman, with his “black satin stock with a turn over white collar, long black coat, and always all embroidered waistcoat … long white hair,” going to the nearby Seventeenth Street Market, with his basket on his arm, is no less vivid than her recollections of the garden.
![[HOR]](https://rvahub.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/004-HOR.jpg)
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In 1911 Mr. Shields’s executrix sold the house. In the following year, it was purchased by the Richmond Methodist Mission Association, the beautiful garden was destroyed, the mighty oak cut down, and a large brick building, the Methodist Institute, erected on the corner of Nineteenth. By 1935 this building had ceased to be useful to its owners, while the Craig house, stripped of all its trees save one magnolia, looked ready to collapse. Led by the enterprising young pastor of Trinity Institutional Church, a small group set to work to save the house. From this effort sprang the William Byrd Branch of the A.P.V.A., formed to save the Craig house and then every interesting old house in Richmond! The first part of this program was more successful than the second. The whole property was bought in 1935-36, the Methodist Institute torn down in 1937, and the house, kitchen, and garden gradually restored.
![[HOR]](https://rvahub.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/005-HOR2.jpg)
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The Craig house, which Mordecai described as “the pleasant and rural-looking residence of Adam Craig … with its line trees and hedges of box” is unique in Richmond in that it sits kittycornered to the street. It is an unpretentious house, of white beaded weatherboard, with very plain trim around the windows. While the three porches date back to 1796, it seems possible that the columns on the front porch are more recent. Perhaps it originally had square pillars like those on the east porch.
April 2020
The chimneys are rather tall and thin, not an uncommon trait in early Richmond houses. Inside, the most striking feature is the graceful stairway, with slim balusters and mahogany rail. Except for the front rooms downstairs, the trim and the six-paneled doors are what one would expect in a late eighteenth-century house. The mantels are mostly dark marble, plain, and certainly later than the house. The floors are of random width pine and remarkably well-preserved, considering that the house had been used to store damaged furniture for over twenty years. An interesting detail is the tiny closets on each side of the chimney in the big room downstairs in the ell. [HOR]
October 2013
This house is truly amazing, hiding out quietly in the middle of Shockoe Bottom. There are eight structures built before 1800 (see below), and the Adam Craig House is numero three. Surprisingly, it is NOT on the Virginia Department of Historic Resources historic registry for the City of Richmond. It’s a shame because it ought to be, although it does rate its own historical marker.
Edwin Slipek of Architecture Richmond wrote an excellent summary of this house with more details and pictures. A worthy read.
(Craig House is part of the Atlas RVA! Project)
Print Sources
- [HOR] Architecture in Downtown Richmond. Robert Winthrop. 1982.
Pre-1800 Richmond Buildings
- 1741 St. John’s Church
- 1754 Old Stone House
- 1784 Adam Craig House
- 1785 Masonic Hall
- 1788 John Marshall House
- 1792 Virginia State Capitol
- 1796 Daniel Call House
- 1799 Woodward House
Must-See RVA! is a regular series
appearing on rocket werks – check it out!
Downtown
Virginia’s medical cannabis program has ‘improved’ but more needed to meet expectations
The medical cannabis program is the only way to legally purchase cannabis in Virginia. But, current Virginia medical patients point to the program’s shortcomings, and cannabis advocates say top state officials and lawmakers are actively suppressing it.
By Chloe Watson
A former Virginia medical cannabis employee initially got into the business to help his wife with her multiple chronic ailments, including multiple sclerosis.
For the past five years, Bart Dluhy has grown plants and made extracts to see what might help ease his wife’s pain, he said. He began his cannabis career as a budtender in a Las Vegas medical facility, where he helped patients select products for particular ailments.
Dluhy completed online cannabis certificate programs through Syracuse University in 2022. He is certified in cannabis health care and medicine, and cultivation. Dluhy is also an official “ganjier” — think sommelier, but for cannabis.
His experience led him to work in a Virginia medical facility operated by Jushi, Dluhy said, where he made cannabis edibles, vape cartridges and various extracted products. Dluhy left after about three months on the job.
“Part of the reason why I left is I didn’t feel good about myself working for a company that was not taking care of the patients that were their consumers,” Dluhy said.
The medical cannabis market is the only way to legally purchase cannabis in Virginia. But, current Virginia patients point to the program’s shortcomings, and cannabis advocates say top state officials and lawmakers are actively suppressing it. The main issues reported range from registration fees, inconsistent supply, high prices, low potency, and overall access.
Virginia lawmakers decriminalized cannabis possession in 2021, with specific parameters. When the General Assembly adjourned this March, they did so without creating the anticipated recreational cannabis market that lawmakers have discussed for years.
“Virginia started as a medical state, and technically, we’re still in a medical state,” Dluhy said. “You can’t go and purchase it legally unless you get a prescription from a doctor.”
How it works: Buying cannabis
Virginia residents must first obtain a written certification from a registered practitioner, for a cost upward of $100, depending on the provider. The certification must be renewed annually. Medical cannabis patients are no longer required as of July 2022 to register with the Board of Pharmacy for a card to access medical dispensaries.
But the card, which costs $50, can help verify a patient is approved to use cannabis for medical treatment, which can be a factor in employment. It also has to be renewed annually.
Approximate cost then would be $150 annually for a patient, in addition to any purchases. Cannabis is still considered illegal by the federal government, and patients could run into issues with insurance plans covering referrals and medical cannabis purchases.
There are 18 dispensaries located in Virginia. A government-issued ID must be presented at the dispensary with the certificate in order to make the first purchase.
Sales: Climbing, but losing Virginia patients to D.C.
The estimated number of patients with a medical card in Virginia is approximately 50,000. That’s based on BOP-provided information of the number of cards issued as of June last year before the card was not required, and the total number since 2018. Otherwise, the number of medical patients with just a certificate could not be provided, according to the BOP.
Virginia medical cannabis purchases are tracked through the state Prescription Monitoring Program.
The number of products dispensed last year increased 156% from 2021, when a medical card was required. The information is tracked by “dispensations.”
There were almost 562,000 “dispensations” in 2021, according to info provided by the BOP. That total was over 1.44 million, in 2022. The BOP did not provide a total cash sales figure from the medical program by time of publication.
Maryland’s medical program had almost 163,000 patients at the end of December. Its program officially launched in December 2017, after years of figuring out standards and regulations. Washington D.C. has just under 30,000 currently registered patients as of March, but the population is smaller and there is a thriving “gifting market” as a work around to district law.
The small size of the Virginia medical market limits what processors can produce and sell, Dluhy said.
“It’s expensive for what you get, and when I don’t have some of my own growing, I’ll actually drive to Washington D.C. because they have much better products, much better regulations on their products, and have a better variety,” Dluhy said.
Washington-area medical dispensaries can sell to Virginia customers who have a certification and valid state ID. They used to require a BOP card.
There were over 1,200 unique Virginia patients served in Washington in March, according to the city’s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration.
It is easier to find out exactly how many Virginia patients were served in D.C. in March than it is to get a detailed overview of the state’s own medical program. Both D.C. and Maryland post numbers on the managing authority’s website and compile public-facing reports.
The Cannabis Control Authority will begin tracking patient sales and totals when it takes over from the BOP next January, the Authority told Capital News Service. It will make that type of “data transparent and accessible” like the district and Maryland.
Control: Three out-of-state companies own the market
When Virginia lawmakers introduced medical cannabis in 2016, they allowed for one pharmaceutical cannabis processor per each one of the five Virginia Department of Health’s designated health service areas. Pharmaceutical processors are facilities with permits to grow cannabis plants, as well as produce and dispense medical products to patients.
“The biggest issue is that there are only four companies in the entire state and each company has its own specific region, and what that does is that limits competition,” Dluhy said.
The state’s four licensed pharmaceutical processing firms are actually now owned by three out-of-state companies valued at hundreds of millions and traded on the stock market, based on Capital News Service analysis in 2022.
JM Pedini is the developmental director of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Virginia chapter. Policymakers and advocates alike increasingly consider the state’s limited licensure vertical models outdated, though the model is not unique, according to Pedini.
Patients in health district one, in the Northwest area, have to travel or rely on cannabis delivery. No medical processor has been assigned to the district because of a legal roadblock involving the company PharmaCann Virginia. The lawsuit was recently finalized, allowing the VBOP to re-open applications for patients in the area.
Patients are impacted by the lack of access in health district one, and some have medical conditions that make it laborious to travel, according to Dluhy.
“Either they get fatigued or their back is gonna ache from being in the car for so long,” Dluhy said. “Or maybe they just have troubles with vision or lightheadedness and they don’t want to be on the road on [Interstate] 66 on a big highway for two hours out of their day.”
Patient complaints: Product cost, quality and offerings
There are many registered medical patients who complain about low product quality and limited offerings. A Reddit channel dedicated to Virginia medical cannabis users features regular posts about customer issues. The subreddit has over 6,000 people subscribed to it.
There are also posts where patients state they prefer the current medical system over illegal sales.
“There are certain things that a medical facility would do to optimize the product as medicine as opposed to recreation, and a lot of those things that should be done aren’t being done,” Dluhy said, who is active on the subreddit.
Virginia also offers a limited number of product types compared to other states, according to Dluhy. Virginia products can contain THC, or CBD, or a combination. Many other cannabis compounds can be medicinally helpful, according to Dluhy.
Cannabis compounds such as CBG have proven to be anti-inflammatory in mice and helped to slow the growth of colorectal cancer, according to Harvard Health. THCV has shown promise in test trials to help stabilize insulin levels and facilitate weight loss.
“All of these compounds have excellent medical value and different ones are good for different ailments,” Dluhy said.
Other states offer products with different ratios of these compounds, something Dluhy said is important because everyone tolerates cannabis differently. Some medical programs can offer 20-to-1 ratios, or even 5-to-1 ratios of different THC and CBD combinations. This can make it easier for patients to find the exact product to help their ailments, Dluhy said.
Virginia dispensaries are owned by corporations that operate in other states, but the same company in California can legally offer more variety due to demand and stronger products. Virginia medical cannabis sales are currently capped at 10 milligrams of THC per dose.
Other frequent complaints include pricing and inconsistent product availability, which can be hard for a patient who finds a medicine that helps but can’t find it again.
Similar products offered at a Virginia dispensary can cost less at the same company’s dispensary in another state, according to a Capital News Service review of products matched by brand, potency and sales tier. A product that costs $60 in Virginia costs $35 for the same amount in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — from the same parent company.
Medical patients turn to the black market, and use apps like Telegram to buy cheaper products that may also be better quality, according to Dluhy. However, this can be especially risky for medical patients, as black market products are not screened for heavy metals, pesticides, or other contaminants that would be found through state-mandated testing, he said.
Dluhy blamed these widespread issues on government restrictions and lawmaker delay to create a legal recreational market.
“The longer they wait, the longer people are putting themselves at risk, wasting money, not getting the medicine that they legally should have access to,” Dluhy said. “I really put the fault of this on the government.”
“No one wants to sell crap, but they are restricted because of the legislation,” he added.
Legislation: Does Virginia stay or does it grow?
The Virginia medical program needs to evolve, and the governor’s administration needs to help facilitate that growth and expansion, according to Pedini.
There were some failed legislative efforts this session to expand the medical program.
Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, introduced Senate Bill 1090 to increase the number of allowed cannabis processor permits from one to two for each health service area.
Del. Dawn Adams, D-Richmond, introduced House Bill 2369 to increase the annual number of cannabis dispensing facility permits from five to 12. It also removed the requirement that dispensaries must be owned by a pharmaceutical processor.
That would have allowed more competition in the market, which could help drive down product costs.
Medical cannabis-related legislation that passed this session included companion bills HB 1846 and SB 1337, which originally extended the shelf life of products to 12 months without stability testing. Stability testing measures a product’s longevity and integrity.
The legislation also allows for registered cannabis products to have slightly more THC than the allowed amount per dose by increasing the allowable product deviation from 10% to 15%, without having to submit a new registration to the BOP.
Any slight variance in a product requires it to be listed under another name, which can be hard to explain to customers, according to Pedini. Virginia has one of the lowest variances allowed in the country, according to Pedini.
Companion bills SB 788 and HB 1598 transfer oversight of medical cannabis to the Cannabis Control Authority. The Authority was created in 2021 with the anticipation it would regulate aspects of recreational sales.
The medical program will still operate the same, but patients will be better suited under an agency where regulators have an expertise in this area of policy, according to Pedini.
Jeremy Preiss is the acting head of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. It will oversee the medical program starting January 2024. The Authority plans to connect with “patients, practitioners, and providers” closer to the date to provide “full awareness” of transfer details, Preiss stated.
“Legislation was passed this session to address this and other patient-specific concerns,” Pedini stated in a follow-up email. “While improvements were made, many more are still needed in order for Virginia’s program to meet the expectations of patients and practitioners.”
Community
RVA Bike Share No Longer Biking or Sharing
The vendor Bewegen Technologies abruptly shut down and took down the current bicycle rental system with it.
Rumors were afloat yesterday of the sudden shutdown of Richmond’s bike share program. The rumor became reality when the city sent out the following press release.
Due to a last-minute, two day notice and shut down by Bewegen Technologies, the city was forced to suspend the current bicycle rental system until a new software system is in place.
Bicycles will not be available to rent while the City secures a new contractor. In the meantime, the City encourages bike share users to utilize the three e-scooter vendors – Bird, Lime, and Spin.
Once the new bike share system is operational, the City will welcome users back with free rides for everyone for 30 days.
The City is diligently working to resolve the situation and we appreciate our residents and visitors patience as we go through this transitional phase.
For more information, please visit us online at rva.gov/public-works or email us at [email protected]
Community
PHOTOS & GAME SUMMARY: Kickers Back On Track With Win Over Lexington
An action filled second half made for a tense final minutes but Kickers held on for the win and three needed points.
Official Kickers Game Summary
RICHMOND KICKERS: 2 60′ Belmar (Gordon), 76′ Gomiero (Mecham)
LEXINGTON SC: 1 90+3′ Smart (penalty)
The Richmond Kickers’ (3-2-4, 13 pts) earned a 2-1 win in front of 5,252 fans in their first-ever matchup with league debutants, Lexington SC (2-5-1, 7 pts), Saturday night as the Roos tentatively vaulted into third place in USL League One.
Kharlton Belmar and João Gomiero each scored their first goals at home to reward RVA for their continued support in making City Stadium the most-attended venue in the league.
Richmond and Lexington locked horns in a competitive first half as both keepers put together strong performances between the pipes, stifling dangerous chances and keeping the score locked at zeroes at the break.
The Kickers powered forward on the momentum of their first-half performance and found their first goal in the 60th minute.
Richmond progressed the ball into Lexington’s penalty area, but the visitors forced a turnover. However, they failed to clear the ball out as Justin Sukow raced to keep the ball alive with a slide and pass out wide to Owayne Gordon.
The winger took on his defender, bouncing outside before cutting the ball back across the six-yard box. Belmar pounced on the opportunity and powered a low-driven shot into the net as the keeper was left ball-watching.
Richmond struck for the eventual game-winner 16 minutes later.
Sukow was the catalyst again as he lofted a ball from midfield up the right wing for Jake Mecham who was timing a forward run perfectly, shedding his defender. With acres of space, Mecham ran onto the ball near the backline and cut the ball back toward the penalty spot as Gomiero perfectly timed his run into the box and one-timed a curling ball away from the keeper and right inside of the far post.
The goal marked Gomiero’s third of the week after he scored his first goals as a member of the Kickers on the road at North Carolina FC on Wednesday night. Mecham’s assist was his first as a professional.
Lexington had the opportunity to cut Richmond’s lead late after drawing a penalty in the third minute of eight allotted minutes for stoppage.
After Akira Fitzgerald deflected a Lexington attempt on the goal with a kick save, Lexington’s Nico Brown was running toward the ball with his back toward goal. Gomiero appeared to get to the ball first as his leg collided with Brown’s, but it was determined as Brown went to ground that the contact was enough for a penalty kick.
Veteran attacker Don Smart stepped up and hit a low shot to the left. Fitzgerald dove in the correct direction, but the shot had just enough pace on it to beat his reaching hand and end up in the back of the net.
The win at City Stadium proved cathartic as the Kickers celebrated their first league victory at home. Richmond dominated the stats outshooting Lexington 17-13, making six more final third entries, and earning four more corners. And the night ended with hundreds of fans crowding the front of the seating bowl as the Kickers signed autographs a long while after the final whistle rang out in the stadium.
The Kickers are back on the road next week to face reigning USL League One Champs, South Georgia Tormenta FC on Saturday, May 27th. Kickoff for the match is set for 7:30 p.m. The Kickers will host an official watch party at the Ardent Barrel Room.
The Kickers then return home on Saturday, June 3rd to host Chattanooga Red Wolves SC during Military Appreciation Night presented by Tech For Troops. The doors at City Stadium are set to open at 5:45 p.m. ahead of the 7 p.m. kickoff. Tickets are available at richmondkickers.com/tickets.
Stay up to date with all of the Kickers news at RichmondKickers.com and on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Download the Richmond Kickers mobile app for news, contests, and more!
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PHOTOS: Spaced Out at the Science Museum of Virginia
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Photo of the Day: Stepping Stones
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Fan Arts Stroll Walks into the Neighborhood May 11-12th
Renderings: James River Association breaks ground on James A. Buzzard River Education Center
Free childcare scholarships for moms: United Way accepting applications for WomenRise program
