I’ve long had this odd fascination with the state of Virginia. Partly it’s because it’s part of the old Confederacy, but the northernmost part. The distance from Richmond, the Confederate capital during the US Civil War, to Washington, DC is only 110 miles. General Robert E. Lee of Virginia seemed the reluctant warrior.
Several northwest counties broke away from Virginia during the Civil War to create the state of West Virginia, which entered the Union in 1863.
Four of the first five US Presidents, all save John Adams of Massachusetts, were from Virginia, and eight altogether, which gave it the nickname “Mother of Presidents”.
Here’s some trivia information stuck inside my head. In order for the new Constitution to be accepted, nine of the 13 states had to ratify it, and it was so. But the holdouts were massively important to the vitality of the nation; finally, they came around, and that’s why I remember Virginia was the 10th state, New York, the 11th, and North Carolina, the 12th. Rhode Island made lucky 13.
In 1607, the first permanent New World English colony was established in 1607 at Jamestown. I was reminded by a question on the TV quiz show JEOPARDY! that the colonists resorted to cannibalism during the brutal winter of 1609.
I have vacationed in Virginia at least twice. Once, with my girlfriend at the time back in the early 1980s, I went to Virginia Beach. We went to see her brother, whose name, as I recall, was Roger. The other time was in 2008 when my family visited Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg.
Every time I take the train to Charlotte, NC, of course, I travel through Virginia. I think I spend more time in that state than any other during the trip.
The most frequent reference to Virginia in this blog has to be the case of Loving v. Virginia, in which the Supreme Court ruled that the bans by Virginia (and other states) on interracial marriages were unconstitutional.
Since 1969, the motto for the state has been “Virginia is for Lovers”.
Read about Virginia from Wikipedia and the official government site.
Interesting info about Virginia. I love the barns, farms, and abandoned places in that State.
Good one.
I have been to Lurey Cavens in Virginia.
nice one.
thanks for the informative take on V.
I haven’t visited Virginia but you make it sound so interesting that I really would like to.
I noted it is a place for lovers!
Best wishes,
Di x
ABCW team.
Thanks for this informative post. I read the story about the young girl who was cannibalized. How disgusting and horrible. We suffered starvation in the concentrationcamps, but we didn’t do this.
Wil, ABCW Team.
Lots of history there in Virginia….
Resorted to cannibalism! Not what I was expecting, but your blog has taught me to expected the unexpected. Always such original choices for each letter.
I’ve never been to Virginia, but have a good friend that’s from there. It certainly has a rich history. Happy ABC Wednesday!
Interesting history of Virginia !!
Calling by for ABC Wednesday, as always Roger an interesting post, thankyou.
Informative, as always. I like Virginia, but…..
I left my heart in West Virginia.
Janis
in NC
Nice to hear all these facts about the state I live in! I also got Virginia on mine, it will remind you of your 1980 vacation.
Very nice post.
No wonder Laurel and Hardy sang ‘in the blue ridge mountains of Virginia…where I carved my name and she carved mine’
I was curious about that map that you included. Those big sections, they’re not counties, what are they? Turns out that the Virginia Dept. of Transportation divides the state into nine districts for administration purposes, that’s what you’re showing. Now, if I hit a pothole while driving in Virginia and break an axle, I’ll know exactly who to blame.
Pretty interesting details.
Hope you get to fulfill your wish and spend time at Virginia 🙂
Have a great week, Roger!
I lived in West Virginia for a year when I was in second grade. Interestingly, I have a Facebook friend from the time I spent there — she and I were really good buds back then, and I do sometimes wonder if we’d have become a “thing” had I lived there into high school. Who knows, eh!
As for Virginia itself, I’ve only been there as a place to pass through on my way someplace else. I honestly don’t have much sense for Virginia as a place. I don’t even have a stereotype in my head for it. Until I go there and spend time, it’s basically a larger Maryland. (Or is Maryland a smaller Virginia?)
maybe one day i will find myself in the usa….
I enjoy your history lessons Roger, very interesting.
Ann
Very interesting. never knew so much about this place.
Happy ABCW!