Old Petersburg, VA at 7AM on a Saturday Morning

Went back to Carolina this weekend, had a wonderful time with the family, although it rained all weekend (so not much frisbee with the dogs, and no motorcycling there). Of big note this weekend, VCU will be playing in the NCAA Final Four having beat Kansas tonight in an amazing run in the tournament. As for me, on the way to Carolina made a morning stop in Petersburg, VA. Section seen in these photos is called the Old Towne. Located 23 miles from Richmond, Petersburg dates its history to the early days of America. In the Civil War (as it was before) it was a major transportation area both by water, and later by train. The building seen at left is the Old Courthouse which was built between 1837-1839. During the 9 month Siege of Petersburg the clock on this tower was used to keep time by both armies. Many of the building date to the Civil War and many even before that in this very interesting section of town. I thought the early morning would be a good time to get a few photos, even under the cloudy skies. Rain held off for me, did not run into that until I got further on down the highway.
As I noted many old buildings can be found there. The streets in this section are largely old cobblestone. Many of the buildings house businesses and even apartments. I have wondered some around there in the past and there is a lot to see, including some old museums of the Siege, and there is a lot of historical information to be found. The Visitor Center is nearby and has a lot of information on the area. There is also a Farmers Market (which is in a big round building nearby, and the remains of the rail yard which also dates to the Civil War period. In past visits have seen many items of interest in this section of town.
Again, another view of the Old Towne Section, the Old Courthouse can be seen at the end of the alley off in the distance. Many other cites (including some from the Revolutionary War) can be seen in the area. I have also been to the Petersburg National Battlefield which is easily one of the finest battlefields (and best preserved) in the Richmond area. It is a fun area to explore if you enjoy both history and old buildings, and there is also some interesting places to visit and spend a few dollars in this area. Some older photos of the area can be found in some previous posts, and I also have a few photos on my Photo Page from the visit on March 26.
The history of this region makes it a very interesting place both to live and explore, and there is a lot to see in and around Richmond and the surrounding area. I am looking for some fun times, and more neat discoveries here in 2011, and sure I will come across many.