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"Richmond's beauty... goes much deeper than what one sees on the surface. The city has a certain charm, a certain graciousness about it that is unique to Richmond."SO DECLARES STEVE CLARK IN HIS INTRODUCTION to Greater Richmond: Region on the Rise. A local writer whose regular columns in the Richmond Times-Dispatch have garnered him much praise and popularity, Clark recounts Greater Richmond's storied history, from its pre-Civil War boomtown years, to its postwar decline, to its rebirth as a tourism destination and regional business capital."Richmond's story is unique," Clark explains. The metropolis was the seat of the doomed Confederate States of America, a status that made it one of the most fought-over cities during the Civil War. After the war, it took several decades for Richmondto get back on its feet. But according to Clark, "By the turn of the 20th Century, Richmond once again was a vibrant city."Aided by images culled from some of the area's finest photographers, Clark portrays contemporary Greater Richmond as an area bustling with activity and innovation. "Remarkably," he concludes, "through all the years, Richmond and its people have been blessed with the ability to endure the troubled times, to bounce back, to remake the city, and to move on." As its residents honor the area's rich legacy and welcome its promising future, Greater Richmond is indeed a region on the rise.