James River Journal: A Year in the Life of a River

Rex Springston traces his love of rivers back to his childhood adventures in the Elizabeth River in the Virginia Beach area.

He recalls spending a lot of time in the river with his young buddies -- "a gang of little Hucks and Toms" -- swimming, plucking jellyfish from their arms, and even rowing a boat to a miniature golf course upstream.

When he moved to Richmond, Springston quickly embraced the James River, where he says he rediscovered his watery childhood playground -- without the jellyfish.

The James is part of the territory he covers on his environment beat for the

Richmond Times-Dispatch. After a well-attended Times-Dispatch Public Square session on the future of the James in May 2008, Springston proposed a project that readers have come to know as the James River Journal, a yearlong series of monthly stories about animal, plant, and human life along the river.

Photographer P. Kevin Morley collaborated with Springston on the series.

Morley shares Springston's affinity for the James. Reflecting on his experience photographing for the series, he said, "I believe each person I photographed at the river loves the James. Each cares about the James. Each takes refuge there. Each feels happy there.

"Each was comfortable in being photographed since they all want others to know about such a great natural resource."

In addition to the printed stories, photos, and maps in the paper, Morley created audio slideshows, often with Springston's commentary, for each installment.

The 12th and final installment will be published in tomorrow's paper. But that won't be the end of the James River Journal.

As a collection, the series is an exceptional portrait of the nation's "founding river." We think it's worth preserving. The series will live on as a book, James River Journal: A Year in the Life of a River.

The 36-page book will include condensed versions of all 12 installments, along with a broad selection of color photos, including some that have not been published before.

Springston and Morley explored many aspects of the river in the past 12 months.

They retraced part of Captain John Smith's 1607 exploratory tour of the James, and they wrote about the changes in the Richmond-area waterfront since Smith first encountered a natural phenomenon that still inspires onlookers today -- the falls of the James, at what is now downtown Richmond.

There, Smith later wrote, "we were intercepted with great craggy stones in the midst of the river, where the water falleth so rudely, and with such a violence, as not any boat can possibly passe."

When Springston and Morley ventured out to visit the head of the James in July, they drove for three hours and ended up behind Charlie Gibson's house in northern Botetourt County.

Springston wrote: "The 348-mile James often is called the longest river that runs entirely within a single state. But the start of the James is low-key, kind of humble. There is no plaque, no public landing, no yearly festival.

"In fact, it's tough to find the place unless someone directs you to Gibson's property -- 146 Head of the James -- and he lets you on."

Anya Townsend of Richmond e-mailed Springston shortly after reading that story.

"Thank you so much for a wonderful way to start my morning!" she wrote. "What a treat to open the paper and see an interesting, beautifully written (and positive) article on the front page. The accompanying pictures were perfect. I look forward to the next in the series."

With chapters on the glories of the river during the different seasons, the series closes with a look at the'tween season, the period between summer's end and the glorious foliage display in late October and early November.

It's been a treat editing the series. Now we're working on the book. It promises to be a keeper.