RICHMOND
Population: 208.833 thousand people (2012)
Area: 162.0 sq. km
Founded: 1737
Time zone: UTC-5, summer UTC-4
Altitude: 45.7 m
The capital of Virginia, Richmond, is located in the east of the state, located on the James River. It is a river port and a major transport hub of the region. See Virginia cities.
Before the arrival of the “whites”, this area was inhabited by the tribes of hunters and farmers of the Powhatans. In 1607, the Virginia Company received the rights to develop these lands, and colonists were drawn here. However, at first it was not possible to gain a foothold in the region. The city of Richmond appeared in 1737 at the initiative of the planter William Byrd. The name of the city was in honor of the suburb of London, where the founder spent his childhood. The settlement developed through the slave trade and the cultivation of tobacco.
In 1780, the capital of Virginia was moved from Williamsburg to Richmond. The city received significant destruction in 1782, during the years of the American War of Independence. Then the governor of Richmond was the future 3rd US President Thomas Jefferson. In the 19th century, Richmond became one of the major economic centers of the South. The city receives the status of the capital of the Confederation, but in 1862 it was badly destroyed by the troops of the “northerners”. However, Richmond quickly recovered again. After the Civil War, the city became a major transportation hub. At one time it was the first and only city where 3 railway lines intersected.
Modern Richmond is famous for its legal, insurance, and financial companies. At the same time, the capital of Virginia has a rather rich cultural life. There is an annual chamber music festival, a science museum, a Confederate museum, and a museum for Edgar Allan Poe (who never lived here). Listed buildings include the Virginia Capitol Building, St. John’s Church, the train station building, and several monuments.
ROANOKE
Population: 92.967 thousand people (2008)
Founded: 1852
Time zone: UTC-5, summer UTC-4
According to itypetravel.com, the city of Roanoke is located on the territory of the municipal district of the same name. It is divided almost into two equal parts by a river. The settlement is surrounded by the neighboring cities of Salem and Winton. But despite such features, it administratively belongs to the district of the same name. Roanoke is known as the cultural and commercial center of southern Virginia. It was founded in the middle of the 19th century and was originally named Big Lick. The settlement got its name from the huge layers of salt located in its vicinity that came to the surface.
The name of the settlement was changed to a new one in 1882. Basically, it grew due to the addition of neighboring lands. The last territorial transformation took place in 1976. The area now occupied by the city was crossed by the heavily trafficked Great Wagon Road in colonial times. The transportation route was the busiest in America and ran from Philadelphia to what is now modern Roanoke. The beginning of the economic transformation in the city was associated with the opening of the railroad. After that, factories began to be built here. One of the first was opened by American Viscose.
HAMPTON
Population: 137.436 thousand people (2010)
Area: 350.0 sq. km
Time zone: UTC-5, summer UTC-4
The American city of Hampton is an independent city, port, located in the eastern part of the state of Virginia. In the month of December 1606, two ships with colonists left England and headed for the shores of the New World. After a long journey, they reached the Chesapeake Bay. First they landed on the south coast of this bay at Cape Henry. Then they continued to explore the area and a few days later discovered an important place – a defensive position that controls access to the harbor and bay systems of the Hampton Roads.
In July 1610, the Indian village of Kekutan was captured by the English colonists. This village was near the mouth of Hampton Creek. The British founded their own settlement there with their own church. This settlement became one of the oldest among the continuously existing settlements of the British in America. Nine years later, the Virginia colony was divided into four cities, these places became known as Elizabeth City. After the bankruptcy of the London Company, Virginia became a crown colony and was divided into eight “counties”. In 1634, these lands became part of the county called Elizabeth River Shire. Two years later, a county was separated from it, which in 1643 was renamed Elizabeth County.City. In 1680, the place where the district authorities were located was named “Hampton” in honor of the Earl of Southampton. Twenty-five years later, Hampton was given the status of a city (town), and since 1849 it has been in the status of a city (citu).
CHESAPEAKE
Population: 222.209 thousand people (2010)
Area: 910.0 sq. km
Time zone: UTC-5, summer UTC-4
The city of Chesapeake is part of the Hampton Roads area, which combines ports and anchorages at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Within its boundaries is the Shire shipbuilding complex. The city was founded in the early 1960s. Economic recovery and an increase in the number of citizens are attributed to the end of the 20th century. Chesapeake is administratively divided into 6 territorial units (boroughs). In one of them there is an arboretum, open daily for visits. Founded in 1996, it includes a wooded area, gardens and a rural house.
The Chesapeake is famous for its famous natives and townspeople. Among them are: world kickboxing champion Blackhawk Walters, baseball player David Wright, football players Darryl Tapp and Deangelo Hall. The city limits are crossed by railway lines and high-speed highways. The city is served by several bridges spanning the Chesapeake Bay. Urban areas are surrounded by agricultural land, wetlands and forests. The Chesapeake coast is occupied by commercial real estate, an industrial area and private territory.
