Virginia
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| Abbreviation | VA Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | Richmond |
| Population | 8,001,024 Source: Resident Population Data – 2010 Census |
| Governor | Bob McDonnell (Republican, to January 2014) |
| Entered the Union | June 25, 1788 as the 10th state |
| Motto | Sic Semper tyrannis (Thus always to tyrants) |
| Nickname | The Old Dominion, The Mother of Presidents, The Mother of States, The Mother of Statesmen, The Cavalier State |
| Flower | American Dogwood |
| Bird | Cardinal |
| Song | Carry Me Back to Old Virginia |
| Professional Sports Teams | No NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA, MLS, or NHL teams. (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | In honor of Elizabeth, Virgin Queen of England |
| Historical Sites | Mt. Vernon, home of George Washington; Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson; Stratford, home of Robert E. Lee, Confederate general; Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial; Richmond, capital of both the Confederacy and of the state today; Booker T. Washington’s birthplace near Roanoke; Colonial Williamsburg |
| Points of Interest | Shenandoah National Park; Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Parks; the Skyline Drive; and the Blue Ridge National Parkway |
| Bordering States | Virginia borders Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Virginia from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- Virginia.gov: The Official Commonwealth of Virginia Home Page
http://www.virginia.gov/
This is the official website for the State of Virginia. - The Library of Virginia
http://www.lva.lib.va.us/
Here is the homepage for the Virginia State Library. - Virginia Historical Society
Here is the homepage for the Virginia State Historical Society. -
Here is the homepage for one of the Virginia State Museums, this one specializing in history. - Virginia Museum of Natural History
http://www.vmnh.net/
Here is the homepage for another of Virginia’s State Museums. - Virginia Archives Research Services/The Library of Virginia
Here is the homepage for the Virginia State Archives. - Virginia Parks and Natural Areas
http://www.dcr.state.va.us/parks/
Here is the homepage for Virgina State Parks. - Virginia is for Lovers: Official Tourism Website of the Commonwealth of Virginia
http://www.virginia.org/
Here is the official state tourism website for Virginia. - Kids Commonwealth
http://www.kidscommonwealth.virginia.gov/home/
Here is Virginia’s official state site for kids.
Other State Links
- 50states.com: Virginia
http://www.50states.com/virginia.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about Virginia. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in Virginia
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/VA/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Virginia’s entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: Virginia Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/va.html
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of “weird sites along the highway” in Virginia. - Civil War Richmond
http://www.mdgorman.com/
This site is an online research project that collects documents, photographs, and maps having to do with Richmond, Virginia during the Civil War. - Children’s Museum of Virginia
http://www.childrensmuseumva.com/
This lively site describes the exhibits, activities, and classes available in a special museum for kids found at Portsmouth, Virginia. - FedStats: MapStat: United States: Virginia
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/51000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on “economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more” in Virginia.
- Virginia was the site of the surrenders ending the American Revolution (Yorktown) and the Civil War (Appomattox).
- Virginia is called the Mother of Presidents because eight U.S. Presidents were born there.
- Tobacco was once Virginia’s sole economic crop.
- Opened in 1964, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is 18 miles long and has two bridges and two mile-long tunnels. It extends over the mouth of Chesapeake Bay and connects the cities of Cape Charles and Norfolk.
- Government employment, especially the Federal government and military, has replaced tobacco as the state’s number one industry.
Some Famous People from this State
- Explorers William Clark and Merriwether Lewis, who led a famous expedition to the Pacific ocean.
- Admiral Richard E. Byrd, explorer and first man to fly over North and South poles.
- Edgar Allen Poe, author of works such as The Tell-Tale Heart and The Fall of the House of Usher.
- Booker T. Washington, African-American educator and founder of Tuskegee Institute.
- Presidents from Virginia with links to ipl’s POTUS (Presidents of the United States) page: