Lewis Ginter: Richmond's Gilded Age Icon

By Brian Burns

As a war hero, philanthropist and entrepreneur, Lewis Ginter was many things to Richmond. Performing integral missions for "Stonewall"? Jackson and Robert E. Lee, Ginter was commended for gallantry on the battlefield and became affectionately known as the "Fighting Commissary."? After the war, Ginter was the first major marketer of the hand-rolled cigarette in America. He developed one of America's first streetcar suburbs and built the magnificent Jefferson Hotel, a symbol of Richmond's ambition and prosperity. But beyond the well-known history of this River City icon, there are many aspects of his personal and professional life that few know about. Join local writer Brian Burns as he delves into the hidden history of Ginter's extraordinary life to fill in the gaps between Ginter the man and Ginter the legend.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Aug 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781625842237

Brian Burns

Brian Burns grew up in Chapel Hill and attended UNC his freshman year. After graduating magna cum laude in 1983 from the School of Design at North Carolina State University, he worked as an art director for advertising agencies. As the years passed, he turned to copywriting. He got his first taste of history writing in 2006 as co-producer of The Rainbow Minute , a radio show about LGBTQ+ heroes, history and culture. He has three previous titles with The History Press: Lewis Ginter: Richmond's Gilded Age Icon (2011), Curiosities of the Confederate Capital (2013) and Gilded Age Richmond (2017). Brian currently lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, maintaining strong ties to Chapel Hill.