Site of Richmond's Trail of the Enslaved Conserved
After years of effort to secure full ownership of land in the City of Richmond that includes all of the Trail of the Enslaved (formerly known as the Richmond Slave Trail), Capital Region Land Conservancy finalized a milestone effort by donating approximately 4.47 acres of land located at 1401 and 1421 Brander Street to the City of Richmond. With the support of grant funding from the Virginia Land Conservation Fund, as well as support from private donors and the Friends of the James River Park, Capital Region Land Conservancy originally purchased the land from Norfolk Southern Railway Company in 2024 to secure public access.
Co-held with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, the perpetual and open-space easement was recorded with the City of Richmond on March 6, 2025. The agreement ensures the land is permanently protected, limits development, and ensures trails are maintained while preserving the forested riparian buffer along the river.
The Trail of the Enslaved features a 2.5-mile path with 17 historic markers that interpret the journey, human impact, and Richmond’s role in the tragic history of enslaved Africans who were brought to Richmond as part of the largest slave market on the east coast prior to the American Civil War.
