50 Interesting & Fun Facts About Virginia State Visual Story

By Jonathan Davis

Introduction

50 Interesting & Fun Facts About Virginia State Visual Story

These 50 facts about Virginia State cover a range of topics, including fun, weird, and...

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Virginia Fun Facts

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Shenandoah National Park in Virginia has more than 500 miles of hiking trails

You can experience the authentic Virginia outdoors on the over 500 miles of hiking trails...

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Virginia-born president James Madison was Princeton's first graduate student

Founding father and fourth president James Madison was born in Port Conway, Virginia, in 1751...

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John Tyler was the first United States President to marry while in office

President John Tyler, former Governor of Virginia, was the first president to marry while in...

Nagel Photography/Shutterstock.com

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The Jamestown landing site is now a state park

Another of many interesting facts about the state of Virginia is that the spot where...

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The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, is the world's largest office building

Constructed in the 1940s, the Pentagon has a floor area of 620,000 square meters, much...

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William Henry Harrison was only United States President for 31 days

Born to the wealthy Harrison family in Virginia, William Henry Harrison rose through the political...

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Virginia shares borders with five other states

In Virginia, you're never very far from your neighbors since Virginia shares a border with...

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Northern Virginia is called the "Data Center Capital of the World"

Northern Virginia has been dubbed the "Data Center Capital of the World" due to being...

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Pocahontas State Park is the largest state park in Virginia

There are 41 state parks that you can explore across Virginia, but the largest is...

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Virginia became the 10th state on June 25, 1788

In June 1788, the Commonwealth of Virginia delegates met for the Virginia Federal Convention in...

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The billion-dollar seafood industry is an important part of Virginia's economy

Being on the coast of the bountiful Chesapeake Bay, Virginians know a little something about...

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Tennis legend Arthur Ashe was born in Richmond, Virginia

Arthur Ashe, raised in Richmond, Virginia, was one of the first African-American tennis stars during...

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There's a giant asteroid crater under the Chesapeake Bay

Around 35 million years ago, a massive asteroid, estimated to be between three and five...

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Virginia's best-known nickname is "Old Dominion State"

Virginia's most well-known nickname is the Old Dominion State. Its origins are set in the...

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The American Civil War ended in Appomattox County, Virginia

One of the fun facts on Virginia for military history lovers is that Virginia's Battle...

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Interesting Facts About Virginia

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Chesapeake Bay could fill more than 50 billion bathtubs

There's a lot of water in Virginia's Chesapeake Bay, around 18 trillion gallons of it...

Khairil Azhar Junos/Shutterstock.com

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James Monroe was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson gave James Monroe the task of negotiating with the French...

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Virginia's motto, sic semper tyrannis, means "thus always to tyrants"

The Latin phrase sic semper tyrannis is the Virginia motto and appears on both the...

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More than 400,000 people are buried at Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery was originally Arlington Estate, owned by the grandson of President George Washington...

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"Mother of States" is another of Virginia's nicknames

Some Virginia state facts and history extend beyond its current borders, like how several states...

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Virginia's state dog is the American foxhound

Did you know that Virginia has an official state dog? The American foxhound was selected...

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The quote "Give me liberty, or give me death" comes from Virginia

The famous quote "Give me liberty, or give me death" was spoken in Virginia by...

Malachi Jacobs/Shutterstock.com

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Virginia-born Zachary Taylor was the second president to die while in office

Zachary Taylor was born in 1784 outside of Gordonsville, Virginia. Taylor spent four decades in...

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You can get a taste of Europe at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Without some fun Virginia facts for theme park lovers, this list wouldn't be complete. What...

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Dirty Dancing was filmed in Pembroke, Virginia

Although the movie was set in upstate New York, much of the 1987 classic Dirty...

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Weird Virginia Facts

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Staunton, Virginia, is home to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum

Staunton, Virginia, is a small town that only has around 25,000 residents. But it does...

Ffooter/Depositphotos.com

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Virginia was named after Queen Elizabeth I

Settling Virginia was a pressing issue during the reign of England's Queen Elizabeth I from...

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Virginia is the birthplace of more presidents than any other state

More United States presidents were born in Virginia than in any other state. Eight presidents...

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The official symbol of Norfolk is a mermaid

In 1999, the City of Norfolk, Virginia, adopted the mermaid as its official symbol. Mermaids...

Kyle J Little/Shutterstock.com

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Virginia law specifies that Smithfield hams must be made in the town of Smithfield

One of the most interesting facts on Virginia is that ham is legally required to...

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Important Facts About Virginia

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George Washington's Mount Vernon was a land grant from King Charles II

George Washington is famous for leading American forces against King George III during the Revolutionary...

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Former presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died the same day

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson had a lot in common. Both were Founding Fathers born...

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Virginia Beach is the largest city in Virginia by population

Richmond may be the capital, but it's only the fourth-largest city in Virginia by population...

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Naval Station Norfolk is the world's biggest naval base

Located on Sewell's Point in Norfolk, Virginia, Naval Station Norfolk opened in 1917 during World...

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Lovers have been flocking to Virginia since 1969

The official tourism slogan of Virginia, "Virginia is for lovers," is arguably the most widely...

paulbradyphoto/Depositphotos.com

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Virginia History Facts

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The American Revolution basically ended in Yorktown, Virginia

Virginia was the largest colony during the Revolutionary War, and many important battles were fought...

Timothy L Barnes/Shutterstock.com

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There are 11 state-recognized Native American tribes in Virginia

Native Americans have been living in the land known as Virginia for up to 18,000...

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Jamestown, Virginia, was the first English colony in North America

Jamestown became the first English settlement in North America when three ships of colonists arrived...

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Richmond became the capital of Virginia in 1780

The city of Richmond became the capital of Virginia state in 1780. Founded in 1737...

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Stonewall Jackson got his nickname at the Battle of Bull Run in Manassas

Virginia facts and history are often tied to the Civil War because of the state's...

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Cool Facts About Virginia

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Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains have the best fall color change in the region

Nature lovers travel to Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains every fall to catch the leaves changing...

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Virginia has 132 miles of coastline on the Atlantic Ocean

The State of Virginia has 132 miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, including the...

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The Virginia State Fair was first held before the Civil War

The Virginia State Fair dates back to 1854, before the state seceded from the nation...

Joe Benning/Shutterstock.com

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ChapStick originated in Lynchburg, Virginia

Hate dry lips? You should be thankful for Lynchburg, Virginia, pharmacist Dr. Charles Browne Fleet...

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The College of William and Mary is the oldest university in Virginia

Founded in 1693, nearly a century before the American Revolution, the College of William and...

Wilsilver77/Depositphotos.com

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Random Facts About Virginia

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The highest peak in Virginia is Mount Rogers, at 5,729 feet

Mount Rogers, part of the Appalachian Mountains, is the highest point in the state of...

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John Smith was saved by Pocahontas in 1607

It's more than just a Disney movie: early English colonist John Smith was saved from...

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Richmond, Virginia, was the capital of the Confederacy during the American Civil War

During the American Civil War, the city of Richmond, Virginia, became the capital of the...

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Golfing legend Sam Snead grew up in Virginia

Sam Snead, widely considered one of the best professional golfers of all time, got his...

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Virginia's state fossil, Chesapecten jeffersonius, was discovered in 1687

Chesapecten jeffersonius is a type of ancient scallop native to the present-day Chesapeake Bay region...

Conclusion

In Summary

Virginia has a rich history spanning more than 400 years since Jamestown, the first English...

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