The creators of Monopoly on Monday unveiled a Richmond-themed edition of the popular board game. One problem: Belle Isle, the popular river attraction, is misspelled on the board.
In the summer of 1862, Richmond suffered from an overpopulation of Union prisoners of war. To remedy the situation, Confederate officials purchased a fifty-four-acre island in the James River from Old Dominion Iron and Nail Works. The island, formerly a vacation spot for the people of Richmond, was located at the fall line of the James River, and Confederate authorities reasoned that the site’s swift rapids would discourage escape attempts. In the meantime, the bridge connecting the island to the city could facilitate the movement of prisoners to the Richmond and Danville Railroad for easy transfer to points outside Richmond.