Virginia’s state history is a rich one, given it was the first successful English colony in the country. There’s history at every turn, from museums and exhibits to actual homes and landmarks that have been preserved over the years.
As you look at Arlington real estate or apartments for rent in Richmond, take note of the many historical towns you can experience in the Old Dominion.
Richmond
Virginia’s capital has the only avenue in the country that is a National Landmark: Monument Avenue. “Give me liberty or give me death!” was spoken by Patrick Henry at St. John’s Episcopal Church, and Chief Justice John Marshall’s home is now a tourist attraction. Marshall was integral in the creation of the Supreme Court.
Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War, and there is much to learn about that time when visiting the city.
The American Civil War Museum is full of information about the war and events surrounding it. You can tour battlefields and walk the Manchester Slave Trail that chronicles the history of the enslaved Africans trade.
Fredericksburg
This port city was part of many Civil War battles and played a part in the colonial era overall. Its historic district has over 350 buildings that go back to the 18th and 19th centuries, one being the house of George Washington’s mother Mary.
Chatham Manor was a flourishing plantation and one of the only private residences to be visited by Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln.
The Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park commemorates four battles in the Civil War: Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and The Wilderness.
Tour the Rising Sun Tavern: though no longer a working business, it presents a lively interpretation of the way life was lived back in the early 1800s.
Charlottesville
Those who know Thomas Jefferson’s history well will recognize this as his hometown as well as the location of his public university, the University of Virginia.
Jefferson’s home Monticello is here, as well as the fifth president James Monroe’s Highland and fourth president James Madison’s Montpelier.
The Michi Tavern is a historic landmark where servers dress in period attire and the buffet features southern food from the era.
The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center has a rotating contemporary art gallery and permanent historical exhibit that highlights the city’s culture of the African diaspora.
Arlington
Of all the cities in Virginia, this one has the most historic ties. This city has over 70 historic buildings and a number of historic sites. The Pentagon is here, the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense.
A very notable site is the Arlington National Cemetery, a 639-acre military cemetery where the dead from the nation’s conflicts starting at the Civil War are buried.
This is where the white sarcophagus of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier sits.
John F. Kennedy’s grave site is here, as is the Pentagon memorial and U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial. There are many more memorials in the city that pay homage to everything from the Air Force to women in military service.
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