ABOUT VIRGINIA

Virginia

The State of Virginia was home to the first permanent English colony founded by the Virginia Company at Jamestown in 1607. It entered the union in 1788 as one of the original 13 states. The state of Virginia was named for Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen of England. Virginia was home to many of the founding fathers, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Mason, and Patrick Henry. Four of America's first five presidents were Virginians. Richmond, Virginia's capital, was the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond, Virginia and its surrounding metropolitan area is known as the "Region Easy To Love", and it's easy to see why. Richmond was voted one of America's Most Livable Communities, an award presented every ten years by the non-profit Partners for Livable Communities, and was named by Forbes magazine as the tenth best place in the nation for starting a business or a career.

Hopewell, Virginia

Hopewell, Virginia is one of the oldest continually settled communities in the nation. In 1607, just a few days after the first settlers landed in Jamestown, Captain Christopher Newport explored the Hopewell area. A community was formed there in 1613. An Indian massacre occurred in 1622, but the tenacious survivors remained and rebuilt. As with most of Virginia, Hopewell was the site of many Revolutionary War battles, and during the Civil War, the community became one of Ulysses S. Grant's headquarters. Historic Hopewell has preserved many of the sites and buildings that tell of its past.

Petersburg, Virginia

Petersburg is widely known as the city held in the longest siege in U.S. history. When General Ulysses S. Grant occupied Petersburg for nine and a half months, he effectively cut off the Confederate supplies to Richmond during the Civil War. The Petersburg National Battlefield and many museums record the memories of those hard times. During the Revolutionary War, the British invaded the city during the Battle of Petersburg.

Charlottesville, Virginia

Charlottesville, Virginia's earliest known settlement in the area was an Indian village called Monasukapanough. It was located approximately five miles north of the present center of town on a hillside overlooking the Rivanna River.

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Fredericksburg, Virginia affords a wide range of cultural, educational, and recreational options. From the scenic parks and quiet historic markers, to the lively sporting events and unique shopping opportunities, Fredericksburg has something for everyone. Fredericksburg lies just 50 miles outside of Washington, D.C., where a sizable number of residents commute to work each day.

Albemarle County, Virginia

Albemarle County, Virginia nestles at the foothills of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains. Albemarle County lies approximately 70 miles west of the bustling capital city of Richmond and 110 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., our nation's capital. Willem Anne van Keppel, the 2nd Earl of Albemarle and Virginia's titular Governor at the time of the area's founding, is the inspiration for the name of Albemarle County.

Louisa, Virginia

Louisa, Virginia, the seat of Louisa County, was formed from Hanover County in 1742. At the meeting of the first Court held on December 13, 1742 at the home of Matthew Jouett, permission was granted to Mr. Jouett to keep an ordinary at his home by the Court House. This was the start of a community to be known as Louisa Courthouse and later, the village or town of Louisa.

Louisa County, Virginia

Louisa County, Virginia stretches along the I-64 corridor between the energetic metropolises of Charlottesville and Richmond. Louisa County’s name is in honor of Princess Louise of Great Britain, who was the youngest daughter of King George II and later became the wife of King Frederick V of Denmark.

Tappahannock, Virginia

Tappahannock, Virginia is the county seat of Essex County, Virginia. Its name comes from the Algonquian language (a subfamily of Native American languages), meaning "river of quick, rising water" or "where the tide ebbs and flows." Tappahannock is located on the Rappahannock River. Captain John Smith first visited this area in 1608. When he attempted to land, Native Americans drove him fiercely back to his ship. In the mid 1600's, Jacob Hobbs established a trading pos heret. For a few years the area was known as Hobb's Hole and later as New Plymouth. The original name was returned in 1705.

Essex County, Virginia

Essex County, Virginia lies along the west bank of the lovely Rappahannock River, within the dynamic Richmond Metropolitan Area. Richmond, VA is 45 miles outside of Essex County on the opposite shore of the Rappahannock River.

Tri-Cities, Virginia

Tri-Cities, Virginia is also known as the Tri-Cities area or the Appomattox Basin. This is an area within the Greater Richmond Region, which includes the three independent cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights, and Hopewell. Additional unincorporated communities found in the Tri-Cities area include Ettrick, Fort Lee, and City Point. City Point, a formerly historic incorporated town, was annexed and became part of the City of Hopewell, Virginia. Portions of the adjoining counties of Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, and Prince George are also considered part of the Tri-Cities area. Tri-Cities, VA area is located in south central Virginia about 25 miles south of the Virginia's state capital of Richmond, and is centered on the Appomattox River, which has its confluence with the James River near historic City Point in Hopewell.

Staunton, Virginia

Staunton, Virginia, called “Queen City of the Shenandoah Valley”, is noted for its stunning array of well-preserved homes in a wide variety of architectural styles.  Staunton, VA draws visitors from all around the region.  Unlike so many of the towns in the Valley, Staunton luckily escaped invasion during the brutal Civil War, and the care and attention of city leaders to its five historic districts delights tourists who flock here each season.

Augusta County, Virginia

Augusta County, Virginia nestles in the shadows of the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountain chains, extending over 970 miles of VA’s breathtakingly beautiful Shenandoah Valley.  Formed in 1738 and named for the Princess of Wales, the Augusta County, VA borders originally reached all the way to the Mississippi River.  Today, Augusta County is Virginia’s second largest county in terms of land area.