Name: Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again
Start: 2026-10-29
End: 2026-10-29

Commemorating more than 400 years of history, Henricus Historical Park re-creates everyday 17th-century life in the second successful English settlement in North America and in the Virginia Indian site of Arrohateck. Due to its prime location as a military outpost on a bluff overlooking the James River, the site also boasts rich Revolutionary War and Civil War history, which visitors may experience through special events and programs throughout the year. Surrounded by the 810 acre Dutch Gap Conservation Area, the living history museum offers exceptional Pre-K-12 and adult education programs, and both indoor and outdoor meeting and special event space. Henricus Historical Park is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization that operates in partnership with the Henricus Foundation and the counties of Chesterfield and Henrico. For more information about Henricus Historical Park visit www.henricus.org and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Henricus Historical Park is located off I-95 at exit 61-A, at 251 Henricus Park Road, Chester, VA 23836. The park is open Tuesday-Sunday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission fees vary.

Henricus Historical Park

Village Grill

Experience the vibrant flavors of the Caribbean at Jem's Caribbean Cuisine, a family owned business inspired in bringing authentic Panamanian and Southern flavors to the Richmond Region.

Jems Caribbean Cuisine

Casual comfort-food favorites, including meatloaf, hamburger steak, and chicken and dumplings.

Wild Rose Café

Hibachi dishes prepared at your table along with delicious sushi.

Yamato Japanese Steakhouse

We are on a mission to bring family and friends together over a box of the best cookies in the world! Our unique flavors rotate each week and are served fresh in our famous pink box.

Crumbl Cookies Midlothian

Magnolia Grange, a Virginia Historic Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1822 by William Winfree. It is a Federal-style plantation house named after the circle of magnolias that once graced its front lawn. It was originally part of a large land grant to John Worsham in 1691. Here also were a tavern and gristmill in addition to the residence and its dependencies. Magnolia Grange contains elaborate ceiling medallions and sophisticated carvings on mantels, doorways and window frames. Careful paint restoration has been executed through wood graining and marbleizing. Scenic wallpaper by Zuber and carpeting of the period combine with authentic furnishings returns the house to the 1820s. Magnolia Grange welcomes visitors to an interpretation of life in a county mansion of the early 19th century.

Magnolia Grange

Kabuki Japanese Steak House

Daily Freshly Brewed Premium Tea. Fresh & Organic Milk. Purely made by fruits. No Artificial Additives. High Grade Flour Imported from Japan. Daily Fresh Dough Baked. Low Fat & Cal, Healthy & Tasty. Simple Process to Maintain Authentic Flavours.

Brecotea Baking Studio-Midlothian

We love great food— and we're pretty sure you do too. Our pride shows in the slow cooked smoked barbecue and brisket, the care and love in the Yohman's Fresh Garden Salsa and John's Secret Marinara Sauce. Try our Priddy Burger. It's made proudly in honor of Sumpter Priddy who was crucial part of making Jake's Place a reality. Great food, amazing people and a loving community. That's southern comfortable food.

Jake's Place

We’re a community of runners, hikers, bikers and ballplayers. We’re an outdoor playground, designed by Mother Nature, with class III and IV rapids running right through our downtown. A 52-mile bike trail runs along the James. The Richmond Marathon and Ukrop’s 10k are huge celebrations, and the whole region comes out to cheer on our local teams. In fact, we’re so sports-minded that the Washington Redskins have their training camp right in the center of the city. Add to that awesome hotels, beautiful venues, attractions, art, craft beer, more than 900 restaurants and a convenient location, and you’ve got a top choice for your next sports event. Welcome to RVA!

From indoor to outdoor facilities, the Richmond region has the fields, pitches, diamonds, venues and the dedicated staff to ensure your event is a huge success. 



Sports Richmond, VA

The Revolutionary War wasn’t just fought in the thirteen colonies—it was a world war, spanning four continents. To discover more, Derek Baxter embarks on an adventure-filled quest across the globe. He finds the human stories behind this long-ago conflict, expanding the universe of those who contributed to the cause, including the French, Spanish, Dutch, Oneida Indians, and Mysore Kingdom of India. And he delivers a powerful message: The United States only exists because peoples of different races, languages, and religions learned how to fight together, writing an unexpected story of independence that continues to resonate and inspire today. Baxter’s talk expands on the themes in VMHC’s exhibit *Revolutionary Allies: Foreign Friends of American Independence*.

Derek Baxter is the author of *In Pursuit of Jefferson: Traveling through Europe with the Most Perplexing Founding Father*, which chronicles how he followed Thomas Jefferson’s travels across six countries. His latest book is *The Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again*.

The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

Program Notes:

- Tickets are required for in-person attendance. Lecture ticket includes admission to VMHC galleries.
- Admission to this lecture is free for members.

Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again

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