79 Interesting Facts About Virginia

Last updated on June 16th, 2024

50. First Electric Street Cars in United States: the first city to successfully incorporate an electric street car into the transport industry was Richmond. The Richmond Union Passenger Railway is a reliable street car system that is still used today by members of the public.

51. The College of William & Mary, founded in 1693 in Williamsburg, is the second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States.

52. Edgar Allan Poe, the renowned American writer, spent much of his early life in Richmond, Virginia, and began his writing career there. The Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond is dedicated to the life and works of the famous author.

53. The first peanuts grown in America were from Virginia. Did you know that peanut butter was first introduced at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 and became a source of delicious protein during the first two world wars?

54. Hamn’s Favorite Ham: according to Virginal law, anything labelled Smithfield ham must be produced through a dry-salt method and aged for at least 6 months. The cured ham was among the first exports of the U.S.A that sold in Bermuda during the late 16th Century.

55. The “Breakfast Capital of the World” is Galax, Virginia, known for its annual Old Fiddlers’ Convention and its bluegrass and old-time music heritage.

56. The Bristol Motor Speedway, located on the Tennessee-Virginia border, is one of the world’s largest sporting arenas and hosts NASCAR races.

57. A Museum Where Airplanes Actually Fly: Virginia Beach introduces you to the Military Aviation Museum. Here, guests get an up-close experience with German, British, and American aircrafts that used to fly during World Wars I and II. Surprisingly, they still operate to date. Moreover, there are opportunities for visitors to ride with local pilots.

58. A True Path to History in Portsmouth: The old town of Portsmouth is a must-visit for history buffs. The Path to History takes you through the first naval hospital in America all the way to the oldest naval shipyard where USS Langley, the first aircraft carrier, was engineered. The path meanders through the Scenic Seawall, Naval Shipyard Museum, Hill House Museum, among other attractions.

59. The Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown are two prominent historical sites preserving early American history in Virginia.

60. A City Named After George Washington’s Adopted Son’s House: George Washington Parke Custis lived in Arlington House. He owned a plantation in the estate and lived in the Arlington House till his death. His daughter inherited the house but the property was later converted into a national cemetery. Arlington House is a museum today.

61. The Home of US football Heroes: a lot of football champions hail from Newport News. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers), Al Toon (New York Jets), Michael Vick (Philadelphia Eagles), and Larry Bethea (Dallas Cowboys) are just to mention a few.

62. Tennis Legend Arthur Ashe was born in Richmond, Virginia. He was the first black man to win the U.S. Open and Wimbledon tennis championships. He is also the first African-American man to be ranked as the No. 1 tennis player in the world.

63. Virginia is the birthplace of the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal. Alice Coachman won the gold medal in the high jump at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.

64. The Crater, Chesapeake: Scientists discovered a massive crater at the Chesapeake Bay in 1983. The 53-mile wide crater is estimated to be 35 million years old. If it were to have an impact, the phenomenon would bring mass extinction of animal and plant life. It would destroy every living thing within a radius of 100 miles. Thus, Virginia has the only Crater Lake on the East Coast.

65. Dirty Dancing: The state of Virginia is for lovers and so you can expect a lot of fun. At Pembroke town, which is referred to as the gateway to cascades, is a site where the classic movie “Dirty Dancing” was shot. There is a monumental stone that was erected in remembrance of the late actor Patrick Swayze.

66. Virginia is home to the longest-running outdoor drama in the United States, “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine,” performed in Big Stone Gap.

67. The iconic “I Love Lucy” TV show was set in the fictional town of Danfield, Virginia.

68. A River That’s Ironic to its Name: the New River, one of the oldest rivers on the planet flows from the south to the north. Its formation happened before the mountains. The ancient river is the oldest in North America despite its name ‘New River’.

69. A Distinct Accent on Virginia Island: There is a wide variety of English accents in Virginia. But in Tangier Island, you will find a peculiar dialect that is not found elsewhere. This small island was initially occupied by early British colonies in the late 17th Century. Most residents today speak in the unique accent that is closer to British than American English.

70. Roanoke Island in Virginia was the site of the mysterious “Lost Colony,” where a group of English settlers vanished without a trace in 1587. It was here, 1587, that the first English child born in the New World, Virginia Dare.

71. Pony swim: The Pony Swim at Chincoteague is a celebrated event where saltwater cowboys swim with wild horses from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island in a tradition dating back to the 1920s. Ponies are paraded for auction to raise cash for the local fire department.

72. Virginia is home to the Luray Caverns, which houses the largest musical instrument in the world, the Great Stalacpipe Organ, which plays music by striking stalactites.

73. The world’s first recorded instance of a musical instrument being played in North America occurred in Virginia in 1610 when the Jamestown settlers played the violin.

74. The official state dance of Virginia is the Square Dance, a lively and traditional form of American folk dancing. The state made this choice in 1991.

75. Virginia’s state tree is the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), known for its beautiful spring blossoms.

76. The official state saltwater fish of Virginia is the striped bass, commonly known as the “rockfish.”

77. Virginia’s state shell is the Eastern oyster, a significant species for the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and seafood industry.

78. Virginia’s official state bat is the Virginia Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus). Virginia is the only state to have a designated state bat.

79. The state’s official rock is the Nelsonite, a rare igneous rock that is found in Nelson County, Virginia. In 2016 the Governor Terry McCauliffe signed a bill making this stone officially the state stone.

About the flag of Virginia

1. Design and Symbolism

The flag of Virginia features the state seal on a blue field. The design reflects the influence of the Romans on the leaders of Virginia.

It shows a woman standing atop a fallen king, symbolizing the triumph of virtue over tyranny. One hand is resting on the dull edge of a spear. Meanwhile, the other hand holds a sheathed sword of authority. Her pose suggests that the battle is over.

The defeated monarch represents Great Britain. He is lying on the ground with his crown nearby, signifying that Virginia is free from royal control. The broken chain in his left-hand means relief from colonial trade restrictions. The limp whip in his right-hand shows that harsh British laws no longer affect them.

Above the woman is the state name, while below her is the Latin motto “Sic Semper Tyrannis” or “Thus always to tyrants.” It is a quote from Brutus, the Roman politician who slayed Julius Caesar after the latter became a perpetual dictator. With this, Virginia vows to keep fighting against tyranny.

2. Adoption

The Virginia General Assembly initially adopted the state flag in April 1861. They did it again on March 18, 1912, to clarify the design. The last standardization happened on February 1, 1950.

3. Technical Details

The flag uses a proportion of 2:3. Note that the state seal has two sides, but the flag only uses the obverse image. Both sides have a decorative border with sprigs of the five-finger ivy, also known as the Virginia Creeper.

The spear’s blade is touching the ground while the sword is pointing upward. The woman’s head is erect and proud. The king is facing away from the viewer.

4. History

Under the rule of King George III (1738-1820), the seal of Virginia depicted a subject bending the knee and offering tribute to the standing British monarch. The reverse side shows the king’s coat of arms featuring a lion and a unicorn.

In 1776, several colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. Virginia did it in May of that year. By July, they had a committee creating a new seal composed of Robert Carter, Richard Henry Lee, George Mason, and George Wythe.

In 1861, with the Civil War at their doorstep, the legislature placed the seal on an azure field to create the first official state flag. Countless military flags also feature the state seal. In 1912, the General Assembly readopted the flag.

The complex design left a lot of room for interpretation and deviation. Several variants propagated across the state. Confusion intensified, forcing the government to make a design standard in 1931. The committee asked sculptor Charles Keck to create a new seal that still appears today.

5. Flag Facts

If you look closely, the king is wearing a purple robe. It echoes the Roman garment used to display power and status, introduced by Lucius Tarquinius Priscus.

It only took the committee four days to finalize a seal design inspired by Ancient Rome and its mythology. The approval came immediately after submission. While the chief designer is uncertain, most believe it is the classics scholar George Wythe.

Virginia state – quick facts and state symbols