For many, Virginia is most linked to its natural beauties, like the Appalachian Mountains, Shenandoah National Park, and the Assateague Islands. Many also know it for its delicious food and, of course, its role in US history. Below, we list seven places that anyone desiring to learn about the past should see, locations that have played a crucial role in shaping the US we know today. Plus, some were created to honor the memory of those who have.
Arlington National Cemetery
The number one position on this list should not shock anyone, as this is undoubtedly a thing not to be missed in Virginia. It boasts substantial historical significance for the nation since four hundred thousand US soldiers who have laid down their lives for the country are resting here in Arlington County.
Managed by the United States Army, you may have seen this military burial ground featured in multiple films. The cemetery is divided into seventy sections, and its Arlington Memorial Amphitheater has hosted its fair share of Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and state ceremonies.
Historic Jamestowne
Located in James City County, on Jamestown Island, is one of America’s most renowned cultural heritage sites. It was the first permanent settlement of the English in North America and is often cited as the spot where American democracy was born.
Upon the arrival of hundreds of English colonists to this destination on the James River, they began putting up a stronghold called James Fort, whose purpose was to protect the settlers from the nearby Native tribes and the Spanish that had landed in Florida. In pop culture, Jamestown is synonymous with the story of Pocahontas, a Native Powhatan woman who got known the world over via the writings of explorer John Smith.
Monticello
Even individuals with only a fleeting knowledge of American history have likely heard of Monticello, the plantation of the third US president and Founding Father Thomas Jefferson. It gets presented on the current US nickel, on its reverse side.
Jefferson started designing this estate when he was only fourteen, swiftly following his inheritance of this land in Albemarle County, near Charlottesville. The main house in Monticello, built in 1772, implements neoclassical design principles, copying trends that were popular in Europe then.
Originally, this planation sprawled five thousand acres, with around one hundred and thirty enslaved people working at this property at any given time during the 18th century, who primarily picked tobacco. In 1987, Monticello was labeled a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also a US National Historic Landmark.
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth is a city in southeast Virginia with a population just short of one hundred thousand. It lies across the Elizabeth River and is home to the Rivers Casino Portsmouth, a massive attraction for tourists and locals. However, many of the latter group prefer testing their luck at real money online casinos, such as Virginia platforms.
Aside from gaming fun, Portsmouth is worth visiting because of its many historical sights, including the Hill House, the Olde Towne Historic District, the Seaboard Coastline Building, the Cedar Grove Cemetery, and the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the Navy Yard, is the largest, oldest, and most comprehensive industrial facility the US Navy owns. It was established in 1767 as the Gosport Shipyard and spans twelve hundred acres, serving as one of the few facilities that can dry dock nuclear aircraft carriers. It has a rich American Civil War history and facility with immense scope.
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is a three-hundred-acre living history museum that boasts multiple 18th-century recreated buildings along with several restored ones. The aim of this museum is to capture the vibe of the capital of the Colony of Virginia as it was two centuries ago. The structures here were made in the Colonial Revival manner and brought a taste of what life in 18th-century America was like. It is part of the Historic Triangle of Virginia with two inns, four restaurants reconstructed from taverns, gardens open to tourists, and so much more.
Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters
Found in the Historic District of Winchester, at 415 North Braddock Street, the Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters Museum is the former residence of the general officer in the Confederate States Army, Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson, who moved into it after taking command of the Valley District in November 1861. The house was built by William Fuller, a local dentist, who fashioned it in the Gothic Revival style. In 1960, the building was converted into a museum. Then, seven years later, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.
The Poe Museum
Without question, Edgar Allan Poe is one of the greatest American writers, widely regarded as a pivotal figure in the sphere of US gothic fiction. He has a special place in American literature, as many credit him as one of the early partitioners of the short story genre and the pioneer of detective fiction. Born in Boston as a child, Poe moved to Virginia, where he attended university. The Poe Museum can be found on 1914 E. Main Street in Richmond, in the city’s Shockoe Bottom neighborhood. It commemorates the famed writer’s life inside Richmond’s oldest residential building, constructed circa 1740, named the Old Stone House. It features various Poe-related documents and memorabilia. But also early 19th-century Richmond literature.