Happy Black History Month

In Honor of Black History month, The Jarratt house on Pocahontas Island is one steeped in history, standing as the oldest building in one of the oldest Black communities in America. The brick house is about 200 years old and has belonged to the same family for about a century: The Jarratt’s. "I just think it's great to be part of history, to have a historical landmark that hopefully will mean something down the road, indicative of free Blacks pre-Civil War," said John Jarratt, a sixth-generation Jarratt. The location of the building is also significant to the community’s history. In 2014, the Preservation Planner City of Petersburg identified Pocahontas Island as one of the state’s most endangered historic sites. Since then, community efforts have been underway to try to save the building. The historic home will soon be renovated thanks to federal grant money and a donation from the Cameron Foundation.