Walk back in time at the Victorian Affair
By Susan Nienow CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Join the fun in historic Bon Air as the Morris Dancers from Bath, England add their folk dancing talents and costumes to the May 12 celebration of Bon Air's 130th anniversary.

Get your parasol or derby and head for Bon Air on Sat., May 12, when the village turns out for a Victorian Affair to celebrate Bon Air's 130th anniversary. This neighborhood was created in 1877 as a summer resort for Richmond city residents to escape the heat. Since its altitude is higher than the city, it was known for its fresh air and breezes.

This celebration of history and community began in 1977, Bon Air's 100th anniversary. Residents will be in costume, sporting flowered hats and bowlers. The parade starts at 11 a.m. in the Bon Air Presbyterian Church parking lot and ends at Bon Air Christian Church with a festival of food, bazaar, entertainment and games for children from 12- 4 p.m.

The highlight this year is a performance by the Morris Dancers from Bath, England. This folk dance was recorded as early as 1448 and was mentioned in Shakespeare's works. It was danced at the time of Jamestown's settlement and "was a forerunner to the Virginia Reel," said Lem Tuck, president of the Bon Air Historical Society.

The dancers will be in the parade in their folk costumes and will perform afterwards in the assembly hall of the Christian Church.

"We will have trolley tours of the area this year," said Tuck, who moved into the Hazen home three years ago. The home was built in the 1880s and occupied by the Reverend Charles Hazen. "It's such a unique little area here."

History

This Victorian resort became very popular with Richmonders who used the Richmond and Danville Railroad to travel the eight miles from the city. Some stayed for the summer and built cottages and then stayed for the year. The Bon Air Land and Improvement Company divided the area into residential lots, and the resort eventually became a village.

In 1988, the central portion of Old Bon Air was designated a historic district by the Virginia Historic Landmarks Board. This designation also puts it on the National Register of Historic Places. It includes 79 Victorian and post-Victorian buildings built from the 1880s through the early part of the 20th century, about a square mile centered around Buford Road and Forest Hill.

Bon Air Historical Society was organized in 1978 to promote interest in the history of Bon Air and preservation and restoration of historical sites. To mark the 125th anniversary of the village, the society arranged to have "Bon Air Circa 1877" written on the water tower.