Richmond Press, Inc.                          Richmond, VA                          1938

Swimming Holes

There were several fine swimming holes, beloved by the boys of old Manchester. Below Mayo's Bridge, near the ancient wharf (terminus of the gravity railroad from the coal mines at Clover Hill, Winterpock and so on), there was a very good place to swim. And near it, high and dry on the strand, was an old brig, over the deck of which we would stray, or mayhap climb in the rigging.

Higher up, above the Petersburg Bridge, by the hummocks, there was Sandy Bottom, and still above that, just below the Belle Isle Bridge, was the Big Stream, a famous place to swim. It had a good diving rock at the shore, deep water, a swift and powerful stream, in the middle of which was a notable scuffle rock.

A quarter of a mile above that was a little hole called Stonewall, because of the great wall, the remains of an ancient mill. Herbert Owen, one afternoon, electrified the boys by jumping off the top of the wall. Afterward, several jumped off, including Hic Crow and Stump Calligan.

The father of this writer, hearing of the feat, and not to be outdone, though he was over fifty, made the jump. Then he put this small potato up to make the jump, too.

One could not very well dive head first, as there was not length enough to complete the dive after striking the water. Hence it had to be done vertically, that is, feet first. One must leap far out, so as to miss the broad rock that rose some five feet above the water. So, having shown me how to jump, he went down and got on the said rock, so as to catch me, in case I did not jump far enough out.

My uncle, Judge Clopton, stayed with me on top of the wall. And, just as I jumped, he being afraid that I might not make it, gave me a push and I went sidewise into the water and nearly knocked the wind out of me. I made it to shore, though in pain; and gained great eclat amongst the tiny boys, or small fry.

Stonewall was a small place, but deep, surrounded on three sides by good diving rocks, and when the water was high, might be a dangerous place to swim. Its worst feature was the approach along the Danville Railroad, which had broken granite ballast that was hard on bare toes.