RICHMOND |
VIRGINIA |
Patrick Henry gave his famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech in St. John’s Church. Richmond's downtown 17th Street Farmers' Market has been a public gathering place since 1737, and is one of America's oldest public markets (officially became a "pubic market" in 1779). Richmond became the capital of Virginia in 1780 (previously Jamestown and Williamsburg) and Thomas Jefferson designed the capitol building. Richmond was the capital of the Confederate states during the American Civil War. Richmond was the only place in the world where three "Class 1" railroads cross at different levels at the same spot (tracks still exist). Richmond was home to one of the 1st successful electric streetcar systems. Richmond is located centrally on the East Coast and about ½ of all of the people in the United States live within 500 miles. Richmond is considered the southern tip of the East Coast Megalopolis that includes cities such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington. Two US presidents are buried in Richmond (seven within Virginia). Downtown Richmond has a population of a little more than 200,000 and the greater Richmond area has a population of a little more than 1.2 million. The climate in Richmond is considered humid and subtropical with precipitation generally spread evenly throughout the year (summers are considered hot and winters are considered mild). The Washington Redskins are in the early part of a ten year agreement to have training camp in Richmond. Parenting magazine has ranked Richmond as the healthiest city and one of the best for families; Forbes magazine has ranked it as a best for value and one of the happiest for young professionals. Richmond is the only city in the U.S. with Class III and IV rapids inside city limits. It's known as “The River City” and for their 35th anniversary issue, Outside Magazine readers selected Richmond as the “Best River Town in America”. Richmond annually hosts one of the largest outdoor sports festivals in the U.S. and the 4th largest 10k in the country. Richmond hosts a bacon festival and a watermelon festival and more. Richmond hosted the Road World Championships in September 2015. It's only the 2nd time that this significant international cycling competition has been hosted in the USA (other occasion being Colorado Springs, in 1986). Richmond was named one of Frommers’ Top Destinations in the World for 2014 saying, "While you weren't looking, Richmond got cool". |
Virginia is known as “the birthplace of a nation” with the establishment of Jamestown in 1603. Jamestown was the 1st of the original colonies and was founded for the purpose of silk cultivation. A fungus destroyed the milberry trees that were the food for the silkworm, which was obviously the source of the silk. As a result of this hardship, tobacco was planted as a cash crop. Virginia was the 1st state to grow peanuts and has oldest peanut museum. The first Thanksgiving was held in Virginia in 1619. The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg is the 2nd oldest in the United States; it was founded in 1693. Also, the 1st college fraternity in the United States (Phi Beta Kappa) was founded at the College of William & Mary in 1776. The American Revolution ended with a surrender by the British in Yorktown. The states of Kentucky and West Virginia were formed from sections of the state of Virginia. According to legend, in 1804 the 1st recorded person to streak across a college campus was George William Crump, when he ran across the Washington College grounds (now Washington and Lee University). Honey, you think KFC is still open? Over ½ of the battles in the Civil War were fought in Virginia. The Confederate army surrendered in Appomattox. The Pentagon in Arlington is the world’s largest office building. Eight United States presidents and six president’s wives were born in Virginia. The Atlantic headquarters of NATO is located in Norfolk. Virginia has about the 6th highest apple yield in the United States. Virginia apple growers produce about 255 million bushels annually. Virginia has one of the busiest airports in the world. Virginia is the only state to have the same plant for state flower and state tree, the "flowering dogwood". Virginia is the most populous state without a major league sports team playing there; four Nascar Sprint Cup races are held in state. The world's largest ham biscuit was made in Virginia and a town in Virginia is recognized as being the "Birthplace of Country Music" (Bristol VA/TN). One of the largest shipbuilding yards in the world is located in Virginia. The home base of the United States Navy’s Atlantic Fleet is in Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is the world's largest bridge-tunnel complex …. it’s 18 miles long and has two bridges and two mile long tunnels. The world’s only oyster museum is located in Chincoteague. The most populous city in Virginia is Virginia Beach. In 2015, CNN ranked Virginia as the 5th best state to retire because it's "one of the safest in the country, and could be a good choice for retirees looking for a coastal lifestyle". |