Last updated on June 16th, 2024
Virginia is the 12th most populous and the 35th most extensive of the 50 states of the United States. It is in the South-eastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States located between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The state attained statehood on June 25, 1788, becoming the 10th state to join the union. Its five bordering states are Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Virginia (nicknamed: Mother of Presidents, Old Dominion) has 95 counties. The state’s capital is Richmond. The abbreviation for Virginia is VA. With these facts about Virginia, let us learn about its history, geography, people, culture, economy, and more.
Interesting facts about Virginia
1. Virginia was named after Queen Elizabeth I, who was called the Virgin Queen.
2. Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution.
3. Virginia’s state flag features the state seal of Virginia, which portrays the Roman goddess Virtus, representing virtue, holding a sword and a spear.
4. The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World. It was established in 1619 and prohibits the governors from serving two consecutive terms.
5. Virginia is the only state that has jurisdiction over both the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay shorelines.
Virginia with bordering states
6. Earthquakes in Virginia are rarely devastating because of their weak magnitude. The state experienced its largest earthquake of 5.9 magnitude in 1897 near Blacksburg.
7. A 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Virginia in 2011 was felt by the almost 1/3rd of the population of the U.S. The Earthquake also did shake some neighbouring Canadian provinces to some extent. The effect of the quake was so prominent that it cracked the Washington Monument.
8. The state on average gets affected by 7 tornadoes a year.
9. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Virginia ranks at the second spot in the list of the states for total defense spending, followed by Texas, Maryland, and Florida. California tops the list with an expenditure of $49 billion.
10. Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk Virginia, is the world’s largest naval base. The base is classified as America’s fifth most endangered military base. The base also serves as a major naval air center. It is estimated that the rise in sea level could be a potential threat to the base.
11. The United States Navy’s first successful submarine, the USS Holland, was built in Virginia in 1897. But it actually didn’t launch until 1900.
12. Virginia is home to the largest office building in the world – the Pentagon. The Pentagon serves as the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense including all three military services—Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Pentagon, however, has a Washington, D.C. mailing address. The building was designed by American architect George Bergstrom and built by contractor John McShain.
13. Did you know that the Pentagon has 3 times the floor space as the Empire State Building? The Pentagon has twice as many bathrooms as necessary because it was built during a time of racial segregation, and separate bathrooms were required for different races.
14. After California, Virginia has the second highest concentration of tech workers of any state in the U.S.
15. Did you know that eight U.S. presidents (more than any other state) were born in Virginia? Interestingly, four of the first five presidents were Virginians. In the early days, Virginia was also known as the “Birthplace of Presidents.”
16. Virginia is home to the world’s largest collection of presidential papers and manuscripts, housed at the Library of Virginia.
17. Did you know that before the beginning of the Civil War, Virginia has had the most number of slaves, followed by Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina? Each of these states has had more than 400,000 slaves.
18. Virginia was the site of the first recorded slave revolt in North America, known as the “Jamestown Slave Revolt” of 1622.
19. During the Civil War, the Confederate capital, Richmond, was also home to the Confederate White House, where Jefferson Davis and his family resided.
20. In the Civil War, more battles were fought on Virginia soil than in any other state.
Where is Virginia on the map
21. In 1607, Jamestown–the first English colony in what would become the United States–was founded in Virginia. Jamestown was also Virginia’s first capital. The town was established on the bank of the James River.
22. The first Englishwoman to marry in the New World, Anne Burras, married John Laydon in Virginia in 1608.
23. The American Revolution ended in Yorktown and so did the Civil War in Appomattox.
24. The first recorded Thanksgiving in North America took place in Virginia in 1619, a year before the Pilgrims’ famous Thanksgiving in Massachusetts.
25. The famous Revolutionary War battle, the Battle of Yorktown, which led to America’s independence, took place in Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781.
26. The historic town of Alexandria, Virginia, was once a part of the District of Columbia and was returned to Virginia in 1846.
27. Virginia is the birthplace of the American Revolution figure Patrick Henry, known for his famous speech “Give me liberty or give me death!”
28. In some terms, Virginia can also be given the title of the “Home of the Internet.” Loudoun County hosts data centers that are responsible to cater to almost 3 quarters of the web’s traffic. The County has more than 10 million square feet of building space and more than 100 massive data centers. And there is no sign of this growth abating.
29. The tourism industry plays a significant role in the state’s economy.
30. The iconic Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate, is located in Virginia and attracts over one million visitors each year.
31. “Virginia Is For Lovers” is one of the most well-known tourism campaigns ever. It was created by David N. Martin and George Woltz of Martin and Woltz Inc. in 1968. They created the slogan after winning the Virginia State Travel account in 1968. In 1969, when the agency unveiled the slogan, visitors to Virginia generated about $800 million.
32. Aerial Forest Park: Still at Virginia Beach, there is an innovative garden- the Adventure Park that offers zip-lining through hop bridges, trees, and aerial trails. There are various levels of parkour to choose from. The best fun happens during the twilight hours. Often, the park hosts glow lights or stranded lights, making it a spectacularly lit sanctuary.
33. The Shenandoah National Park in Virginia is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including black bears, deer, and over 200 species of birds.
34. The Great Dismal Swamp: Close to the border of North Carolina in Chesapeake, you will find a wildlife refuge known as the Great Dismal Swamp. It is the biggest remaining habitat that once occupied a million acres of land. Today, it is a nature conservancy of 112,000 acres and home to hundreds of bird species, butterflies, and mammals. Within the premises is Lake Drummond, Virginia’s biggest natural lake that has been around for 4,000 years.
35. Virginia’s State Arboretum of Virginia, located at Blandy Experimental Farm, is the largest public garden in the state. This amazing Virginia sight was actually created in the 1930s.
36. The Mermaids of Norfolk: Scattered around Norfolk city are references to mermaids. Even the symbol of the city is this mythical siren of the ocean. Legends have it that the mermaids would entertain soldiers after battling on harsh seas. And so they became symbols of commemorating the maritime roots of Norfolk. People pose for photos at the 100 statues scattered across the city.
37. Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach is a park built on top of an old landfill and is one of the highest points in the city.
38. The Natural Bridge, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World in the 18th century, is a natural limestone arch in Virginia.
39. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, with 17.6 miles span (shore to shore), is the world’s largest bridge-tunnel complex. Its official name is Lucius J. Kellam, Jr. Bridge-Tunnel.
40. The town of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, is home to the shortest railroad in the United States, measuring only 300 feet in length.
41. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the world’s richest marine-life estuaries. Finfish, blue crabs, oysters, and clams can be found here.
42. Virginia is also called the “Mother of the states” because of its role in being carved into other states such as Kentucky.
43. Bristol, Virginia, and Bristol, Tennessee, share a state line down their main street, State Street, making them known as the “Twin Cities.”
44. The town of Damascus, Virginia, is known as “Trail Town USA” because it is intersected by four major hiking trails, including the Appalachian Trail.
45. The first iron furnace was built in 1619 in Virginia.
46. The first mental hospital in the United States, Eastern State Hospital, was founded in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1773.
47. The world’s first paved road, the “Macadamized Road,” was built in Virginia in 1823 between Richmond and Manchester.
48. In 1901, the first successful Cesarean section in the United States was performed in Virginia.
49. The world’s first American Indian reservation was created in Virginia in 1658 for the Pamunkey tribe, and it is still active today.
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