If you walk, ride, or drive down the Shockoe Slip in Richmond, Virginia you can’t help but marvel (or perhaps trip over) the cobblestones, an historic feature in the Capitol city of Virginia. The history of why the streets are paved such is fascinating.

“Near the end of the Civil War in 1965, Confederate soldiers fleeing Richmond to fire to the city. During reconstruction, the district was lined with granite setts, also known as Belgian blocks. The blocks proved effective for horse traffice on the hilly streets near the James River, along the horses hooves to gain better traction. Sometime during the 19th Century and the 1970s, the streets were paved over with asphalt.

In 1978, during revitalization of the downtown area, the asphalt was removed and it was discovered that 70% of the cobbles were still intact. Together with the Historic Richmond Foundation, the Shockoe Slip Association, and the Central Richmond Association, 125 volunteers restored the historic setts on May 20,1979″