RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The removal process for Richmond’s last city-owned confederate statue began around 9 am. Monday morning.
Cranes, trucks, and a tractor-trailer hauling construction equipment began arriving at the corner of Hermitage Road and West Laburnum Avenue — the more than 130-year home of Richmond’s A.P. Hill statue — just before 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12.
Cones were places blocking off the intersection to through traffic as crews prepared for the statue’s takedown process. Brook Road and Chamberlayne Avenue were slated to be used as detour routes and drivers were asked to slow down as they approached the work zone.
Groups of workers gathered, setting plans and readying themselves for the takedown task. Richmond plans to remove A.P. Hill and take it to 1400 Brander Street for storage where it will remain until the statue’s case goes through an expected appeal process.
The removal process for A.P. Hill has been complicated due to the general’s remains being buried beneath the statue. With Hill buried beneath the monument, the city of Richmond had to get a court order to remove the remains.
By 9:18 a.m., workers had maneuvered a crane to the side of the statue, marking the beginning of the end of the A.P. Hill statue’s stay at the corner of Laburnum and Hermitage.
By 10 a.m. the A.P Hill statue had been removed from its pedestal.
Crews worked to carefully and safely transfer the statue onto the back of a tractor-trailer to be hauled away.
