The Commonwealth of Virginia (pronounced /vɚˈdʒɪnjə/) is an American state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. It is named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, who, never having married, was known as the 'Virgin Queen'. The state is also known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes "Mother of Presidents", with the bulk of early Presidents having been born in the state.
The roots of modern Virginia trace back to the founding of the Virginia Colony in 1607 by the Virginia Company of London. Agriculture, colonialism and slavery played significant roles in Virginia's early economy and politics. It was the first permanent New World English colony and became one of the thirteen colonies that would take part in the American Revolution, and subsequently became the heart of the Confederacy in the American Civil War.
The capital of the commonwealth is Richmond, while Virginia Beach is the most populous city, and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision. Although traditionally conservative and historically part of the South, modern Virginia is a politically competitive state for both major national political parties.[2]
Virginia has an economy with several important foundations, including the Department of Defense's Pentagon and other federal agencies in Northern Virginia, military bases in Hampton Roads, as well as significant agricultural production. The Historic Triangle includes the popular heritage tourism destinations of Jamestown, Yorktown and the living museum of Colonial Williamsburg.[3] The growth of the technology sector has made computer chips the state's leading export, with the industry based on the strength of Virginia's public schools and universities.[4]
Geography
- See also: List of counties in Virginia and List of county seats in Virginia
Map of Virginia's major cities and roads
Virginia has an area of 42,774 square miles (1.10784×105 km²) making it the thirty-fifth largest state.[5] Virginia is bordered by Maryland and the District of Columbia to the north and east; the Atlantic Ocean to the east; by North Carolina and Tennessee to the south; by Kentucky to the west and by West Virginia to the north and west. Due to a peculiarity of Virginia's original charter, its boundary with Maryland does not extend past the low-water mark of the southern shore of the Potomac River, meaning Maryland and the District of Columbia contain the whole width of the river rather than splitting it between them and Virginia.[6]
Geology and terrain
Topographic map of Virginia counties
The Chesapeake Bay separates most of the contiguous portion of the Commonwealth from the two-county peninsula of Virginia's Eastern Shore. Many of Virginia's rivers flow into the Chesapeake Bay.[7]
The Virginia seismic zone has not had a history of regular activity. Earthquakes are rarely above 4.5 on the Richter magnitude scale because Virginia is located centrally on the North American Plate. The largest earthquake, at 5.9 magnitude, came in 1897 in Blacksburg.[8] Besides coal, resources such as slate, kyanite, and sand and gravel are mined, with an annual value over $2 billion.[9] Geographically and geologically, Virginia is divided into five regions from east to west:
Climate
-
The Blue Ridge Mountains have a humid continental climate.
Most of the state east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, plus the southern part of the Shenandoah Valley, has a humid subtropical climate. In the mountainous areas west of the Blue Ridge, the climate becomes humid continental.[12] The moderating influence of the ocean from the east, powered by the Gulf Stream, also creates the potential for hurricanes near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, making the coastal area vulnerable. Although Hurricane Gaston in 2004 inundated Richmond, hurricanes rarely threaten communities far inland.[13]
Thunderstorms are an occasional concern, with the state averaging 35-45 days of thunderstorm activity annually. The area of most frequent thunderstorm occurrence is in the west.[14] The state averages 85 tornadoes per year, though most are F2 and lower on the Fujita scale.[15] Cold air masses arriving over the mountains, especially in winter, can lead to significant snowfalls in those regions, such as the blizzard of 1996. The interaction of these elements with the state's topography creates distinct micro-climates in the Shenandoah Valley, the mountainous southwest, and the coastal plains.[16]
In recent years, the expansion of the southern suburbs of Washington into Northern Virginia has created an urban heat island due to the increased energy output of more densely used areas.[17] In 2005, seventeen of the ninety-five counties received failing grades for air quality, with Fairfax County having the worst in the state due to auto pollution.[18] Coal supplies half of the state's power needs, with another third from two nuclear power plants.[19]
Flora and fauna
Virginia is sixty-five percent covered by forests.[20] In some mountainous areas of the state, pine predominates and there is also the occasional naturally growing prickly pear cactus. Lower altitudes are more likely to have small but dense stands of moisture-loving hemlocks and mosses in abundance. Other commonly found trees and plants include oak, hickory, chestnut, maple, tulip poplar, mountain laurel, milkweed, daisies, and many species of ferns. Gypsy moth infestations beginning in the early 1990s have eroded the dominance of the oak forests.[21]
Mammals include whitetailed deer, black bear, bobcat, raccoon, skunk, opossum, groundhog, gray fox, and eastern cottontail rabbit.[22] Though unsubstantiated, there have been some reported sightings of mountain lion in areas of the state.[23] Birds include Virginia cardinal, barred owls, Carolina chickadees, Red-tailed Hawks, and wild turkeys. The Peregrine Falcon was reintroduced into Shenandoah National Park in the mid-1990s.[24] Freshwater fish include brook trout, longnose and blacknose dance, and the bluehead chub.[25]. Running brooks with rocky bottoms are often inhabited by a plentiful amount of crayfish. The Chesapeake Bay is home to many species, including blue crabs, clams, oysters, and rockfish, also known as striped bass.[26]
Virginia has many National Park Service units, including one national park, the Shenandoah National Park. Shenandoah was established in 1935 and encompasses the scenic Skyline Drive. Almost forty percent of the park's area (79,579 acres/322 km²) has been designated as Wilderness and is protected as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Other parks in Virginia, such as Great Falls Park and Prince William Forest Park are included in the many areas in the National Park System. Additionally, there are thirty-four Virginia state parks, run by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Virginia Department of Forestry.[27] The Chesapeake Bay, while not a national park, is protected by both state and federal legislation, and the jointly run Chesapeake Bay Program which conducts restoration on the bay and its watershed. The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is protected by both Virginia and North Carolina.
History
-
Jamestown 2007 marked Virginia's quadricentennial year, celebrating four hundred years since the establishment of the Jamestown Colony. Over the centuries Virginia has been at the front of warfare from the American Revolution and the Civil War to the Cold War and the War on Terrorism. The far-reaching social changes of the mid- to late-20th century were expressed by broad-based celebrations marking contributions of three cultures to the state: Native American, European and African.[28]
Colony
-
At the time of the English colonization of Virginia, Native American people were living in what now is Virginia. Native American tribes in Virginia included the Cherokee, Chesepian, Chickahominy, Mattaponi, Meherrin, Monacan, Nansemond, Nottoway, Pamunkey, Powhatan, Rappahannock, Saponi and others.[29] The natives are often divided into three groups, based to a large extent upon language differences. The largest group are known as the Algonquian led by Chief Powhatan. In 1607, the native Tidewater population was between 13,000 to 14,000.[30] Powhatan controlled more than thirty tribes and over 150 settlements, speaking Virginia Algonquian. Two other large groups, the Nottoway and Meherrin, spoke dialects of Iroquois, and others in the piedmont used Sioux dialects.[31]
In 1583, Queen Elizabeth I of England granted Sir Walter Raleigh a charter to explore and plant a colony north of Florida.[32] In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh explored the Atlantic coast of North America. Raleigh, or possibly the Queen herself, named the area "Virginia" after Queen Elizabeth, known as the "Virgin Queen" because she never married.[33] The name eventually applied to the whole coast from South Carolina to Maine, and included Bermuda. The London Virginia Company was incorporated as a joint stock company by the proprietary Charter of 1606, which granted land rights to this area.[34] The Company financed the first permanent English settlement in the New World. Jamestown, named for King James I, was founded on May 13, 1607 by Captains Christopher Newport and John Smith.[35] In 1609 many colonists died during the "starving time" after the loss of the Third Supply's flagship, the Sea Venture.[36]
The House of Burgesses was established in 1619 as the colony's elected governance.[37] During this early period Virginia's population grew with the introduction of settlers and servants into the burgeoning plantation economy. In 1619, African servants were first introduced, with slavery being codified in 1661.[38] After 1618 the headright system led to more indentured servants from Europe.[39] In this system, settlers received land for each servant they transported.[40] Land from the Native Americans was appropriated by force and treaty, including the Treaty of 1677, which made the signatory tribes tributary states.[41] The colonial capital was moved in 1699 to Williamsburg, where the College of William and Mary had been founded in 1693.[42]
The House of Burgesses was temporarily dissolved in 1769 by the Royal governor Lord Botetourt, after Patrick Henry and Richard Henry Lee led speeches on the distresses of the British taxation without representation. In 1773, Henry and Lee formed a committee of correspondence, and in 1774 Virginia sent delegates to the Continental Congress.[43] On May 15, 1776, the Virginia Convention declared independence from the British Empire.[44] Shortly after, the Virginia Convention adopted the Virginia Declaration of Rights written by George Mason, a document that influenced the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.[45] Then on June 29, 1776, the convention enacted a constitution, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, that formally declared Virginia as an independent commonwealth.[46]
During the American Revolutionary War, the capital was moved to Richmond at the urging of Governor Thomas Jefferson, fearing Williamsburg's location made it vulnerable to British attack.[47] In 1781, the combined action of Continental and French land and naval forces trapped the British on the Yorktown peninsula, where troops under George Washington and French Comte de Rochambeau defeated British General Cornwallis in the Battle of Yorktown. The British surrender on October 19, 1781 so shifted British public opinion that it led to the end of major hostilities and secured the independence of the colonies.[48]
Statehood
Virginians were instrumental in writing the United States Constitution. James Madison drafted the Virginia Plan in 1787 and the Bill of Rights in 1789. Virginia ratified the Constitution on June 25, 1788. The three-fifths compromise ensured that Virginia initially had the largest bloc in the House of Representatives, which with the Virginia dynasty of presidents gave the commonwealth national importance. In 1790, both Virginia and Maryland ceded territory to form the new District of Columbia, though in 1847 the Virginian area was retroceded.[36] Virginia is sometimes called "Mother of States" because of its role in being carved into several mid-western states.[49]
Nat Turner's slave rebellion in 1831 and John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859 showed deep social discontent over the issue of slavery in Virginia and its role in the plantation economy. Besides agriculture, slave labor was also increasingly used in mining, shipbuilding and other industries.[50] By 1860, almost half a million people, roughly thirty-one percent of the total population of Virginia, were enslaved.[51]
Virginia seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861 after the Battle of Fort Sumter. Virginia turned over its military and ratified the Confederate States of America (CSA) constitution in June 1861. The CSA then moved its capitol to Richmond. In 1863 forty-eight counties in the northwest of the state separated from Virginia to form the State of West Virginia. Virginia in the American Civil War saw more battles fought than anywhere else, including the Battles of Bull Run, the Seven Days Battles, the Battle of Chancellorsville, and the concluding Battle of Appomattox Courthouse. After the capture of Richmond, the Confederate capitol was moved to Danville, Virginia. With the work of the Committee of Nine during post-war Reconstruction, Virginia formally rejoined the Union on January 26, 1870, and adopted a constitution which provided for Negro suffrage, a system of free public schools, and guarantee of civil and political rights.[52]
However during the culmination of the Jim Crow era, legislators rewrote the Constitution of Virginia to include a poll tax and other measures on voter registration that effectively disfranchised African Americans, leading to underfunding for segregated schools and services, and the lack of representation.[53] African Americans still created vibrant communities and made progress. The first black students attended the University of Virginia School of Law in 1950, and Virginia Tech in 1953.[54] Despite the determination of Brown v. Board of Education, Virginia declared in 1958 that desegregated schools would not receive state funding, under the policy of "massive resistance" spearheaded by the powerful segregationist Senator Harry F. Byrd.[55] In 1959 Prince Edward County closed their schools rather than integrate them.[56]
The subsequent lawsuit to open the schools, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, was won by Richmond natives Spottswood Robinson and Oliver Hill, beginning the slow integration of Virginia's schools.[55] In addition, the Civil Rights Movement gained many participants in the 1960s and achieved the moral force to gain national legislation for protection of suffrage and civil rights for African Americans. In 1971, state legislators rewrote the constitution, after goals such as legal integration and the repeal of Jim Crow laws had been achieved. On January 13, 1990, Douglas Wilder was elected Governor of Virginia and became the first African American to achieve that office since Reconstruction.
In 1926, Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, rector of Williamsburg's Bruton Parish Church, began restoration of colonial era buildings in the historic district with financial backing of John D. Rockefeller Jr. resulting in Colonial Williamsburg.[3] World War II and the Cold War led to massive expansion of government programs in the areas near Washington. Northern Virginia was targeted in the September 11, 2001 attacks because of the Pentagon site, where one hundred eighty-five people died. Tragedy again struck Virginia in 2007 when thirty-two students were killed in the Virginia Tech massacre.
Cities and towns
-
Virginia population density map
Virginia is divided into independent cities and counties, which function in the same manner. According to the US Census Bureau, independent cities are considered county-equivalent.[57] As of 2006, thirty-nine of the forty-two independent cities in the United States are in Virginia. Incorporated towns are recognized as part of the 95 counties in Virginia, but are not independent. There are also hundreds of other unincorporated communities in Virginia. Virginia does not have any further political subdivisions, such as villages or townships.
Virginia has eleven Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and Richmond-Petersburg are the three most populated metropolitan areas of the state. Richmond is the capital of Virginia, and the Richmond metropolitan area has a population of over 1.2 million people.[58] Virginia Beach is the most populous city in the commonwealth, with Norfolk and Chesapeake second and third, respectively. Norfolk forms the urban core of this metropolitan area, which is home to over 1.7 million people and the world's largest naval base.[59]
Although it is not incorporated as a city, Fairfax County is the most populous locality in Virginia, with over one million residents.[60] Fairfax has a major urban business and shopping center in Tysons Corner, Virginia's largest office market.[61] Neighboring Loudoun County, with the county seat at Leesburg, is the fastest-growing county in the United States.[62] Arlington County, the smallest self-governing county in the United States by land area, is an urban community organized as a county.[63] Roanoke, with a population of 292,983, is the largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in western Virginia.[64][65] Suffolk, which includes a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, is the largest city geographically.[66]
Demographics
-
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1790 |
691,737 |
|
—
|
| 1800 |
807,557 |
|
16.7% |
| 1810 |
877,683 |
|
8.7% |
| 1820 |
938,261 |
|
6.9% |
| 1830 |
1,044,054 |
|
11.3% |
| 1840 |
1,025,227 |
|
−1.8% |
| 1850 |
1,119,348 |
|
9.2% |
| 1860 |
1,219,630 |
|
9% |
| 1870 |
1,225,163 |
|
0.5% |
| 1880 |
1,512,565 |
|
23.5% |
| 1890 |
1,655,980 |
|
9.5% |
| 1900 |
1,854,184 |
|
12% |
| 1910 |
2,061,612 |
|
11.2% |
| 1920 |
2,309,187 |
|
12% |
| 1930 |
2,421,851 |
|
4.9% |
| 1940 |
2,677,773 |
|
10.6% |
| 1950 |
3,318,680 |
|
23.9% |
| 1960 |
3,966,949 |
|
19.5% |
| 1970 |
4,648,494 |
|
17.2% |
| 1980 |
5,346,818 |
|
15% |
| 1990 |
6,187,358 |
|
15.7% |
| 2000 |
7,078,515 |
|
14.4% |
As of 2006, Virginia had an estimated population of 7,642,884 which is an increase of 78,557, or one percent, from the prior year and an increase of 563,854, or eight percent, since the year 2000. This includes an increase from net migration of 276,292 people into the commonwealth. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 151,748 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 124,544 people.[67] The center of population of Virginia is located in Goochland County.[68]
English was passed as the commonwealth's official language by statutes in 1981 and 1996, and by law in 2006, though the status is not mandated by the Constitution of Virginia.[69] English is the only language spoken by 6,201,784 (86.9%) Virginians, though it is spoken very well by an additional 536,508 (7.5%) (for a total of 94.3% of the Commonwealth which speaks English.) Spanish has the most speakers of other languages, with 412,416 (5.8%). 240,332 (3.4%) speak Asian and Pacific Islander languages, including Vietnamese and Filipino.[70]
Ethnicity
The five largest reported ancestry groups in Virginia are: African (19.6%), German (11.7%), unspecified American (11.4%), English (11.1%), and Scots-Irish and Irish (9.8%).[71] 20.8% of Virginians are African-American, most of whom are descendants of enslaved Africans who worked its tobacco, cotton, and hemp plantations. These men and women were brought from west central Africa, primarily Angola and Niger Delta region of modern day Nigeria.[72] The twentieth century Great Migration of blacks from the rural South to the North reduced Virginia's black population; however, in the past forty years there has been a reverse migration of blacks returning to Virginia and the rest of the South.[67]
The western mountains have many settlements founded by Scots-Irish immigrants before the Revolution.[73] There are also sizable numbers of people of German descent in the northwestern mountains and Shenandoah Valley. People of English heritage settled throughout the state during the colonial period, and others of British heritage have migrated there through the decades for work.[74]
Because of more recent immigration in the late 20th century and early 21st century, there are rapidly growing populations of Hispanics, particularly Central Americans, and Asians in Northern Virginia. The Hispanic population of the state tripled from 1990 to 2006, with two-thirds of Hispanics living in Northern Virginia. In contrast to the Hispanics nationally, Hispanics in the Virginia have higher median household incomes and educational attainment than United States or Virginia as a whole.[75]
As of 2007, 6.6% of Virginians are Hispanic, 5.5% are Asian, and 1.8% are American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.[67] Northern Virginia has the largest Vietnamese population on the East Coast, with slightly more than 99,000 Vietnamese residents, whose major wave of immigration followed the Vietnam War.[76] Virginia also continues to be the home to eight federally recognized American Indian tribes, with six other tribes recognized by the state.[77]
| Demographics of Virginia (csv) |
| By race |
White |
Black |
AIAN* |
Asian |
NHPI* |
| 2000 (total population) |
75.70% |
20.54% |
0.76% |
4.32% |
0.15% |
| 2000 (Hispanic only) |
4.17% |
0.42% |
0.09% |
0.07% |
0.02% |
| 2005 (total population) |
74.94% |
20.65% |
0.74% |
5.20% |
0.16% |
| 2005 (Hispanic only) |
5.44% |
0.46% |
0.10% |
0.09% |
0.03% |
| Growth 2000–05 (total population) |
5.84% |
7.49% |
4.61% |
28.64% |
17.09% |
| Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only) |
3.87% |
7.27% |
2.22% |
28.47% |
15.73% |
| Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only) |
39.60% |
18.30% |
22.10% |
38.58% |
24.16% |
| * AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander |
|
Top Ancestries by County
|
Religion
Virginia is predominantly Protestant; Baptists are the largest single group with thirty percent of the population.[79] Roman Catholics are the second-largest group. Baptist denominational groups in Virginia include the Baptist General Association of Virginia, with about 1,400 member churches, which supports both the Southern Baptist Convention and the moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship; and the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia with over 500 affiliated churches, which supports the Southern Baptist Convention.[80][81]
While a small population in terms of the state overall, Jewish people have been long part of its history. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington includes most of Northern Virginia's Catholic churches, while the Diocese of Richmond covers the rest. The Virginia Synod is responsible for the churches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, Southern Virginia, and Southwestern Virginia support the various Episcopal churches. In November 2006, fifteen conservative Episcopal churches in the Diocese of Virginia voted to split from the diocese and the larger Anglican Communion church over the issue of sexuality and the ordination of openly gay clergy and bishops. Virginia law allows parishioners to determine their church's affiliation. The resulting property law case is a test for Episcopal churches nationwide, as the diocese claims the church properties of those congregations that want to secede.[82]
About fifty percent of those practicing non-Christian faiths come from India. Others may include Vietnamese Americans and others of Asian descent. Together, those who practice Buddhism and Hinduism form the fastest growing group, and largest of the "Other Religions" group, accounting for one percent of the population. Islam, the second fastest growing religious group, accounts for 0.99% of the population.[83] Non-denominational megachurches in the state include McLean Bible Church and Immanuel Bible Church.
Economy
-
Virginia's economy is well balanced with diverse sources of income, made up of 4.1 million civilian workers.[19] In 2006, Forbes Magazine named Virginia the best state in the nation for business.[84] As of the 2000 census, Virginia had the highest number of counties and independent cities, fifteen, in the top one-hundred wealthiest jurisdictions in the United States based upon median income. In addition, Virginia tied with Colorado as having the most counties, ten, in the top one-hundred based on per capita income.[85] As of 2007, seven Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in the Richmond area.[86] Virginia has seventeen total Fortune 500 companies, making it rank tenth nationwide. Additionally, ten Fortune 1000 companies are in Northern Virginia, with a total of twenty-nine in the state.[87] With only 1% of the Hispanic American population, the state claims 3.6% of Hispanic 500 companies.[88]
Virginia has the highest concentration of technology workers of any state.[89] One-third of Virginia's jobs are in the service sector.[5] Computer chips became the state's highest-grossing export in 2006, surpassing its traditional top exports of coal and tobacco, combined.[4] The Dulles Technology Corridor near Dulles International Airport has a high concentration of Internet, communications and software engineering firms.[90]
Northern Virginia, once considered the state's dairy capital, now hosts software, communication technology, and consulting companies. Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Northern Virginia have the highest and second highest median household income, respectively, of all counties in the United States as of 2006.[91]
Many of Northern Virginia's well-educated population work directly for Federal agencies. Many others work for government contractors, including defense and security contractors.[92] Well-known government agencies headquartered in Northern Virginia include the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defense, as well as the National Science Foundation, the United States Geological Survey and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The Hampton Roads area has the largest concentration of military bases and facilities of any metropolitan area in the world. The largest of the bases is Naval Station Norfolk.[59] The state is second to Alaska in per capita defense spending.[93]
In Southside Virginia from the Hampton Roads to Richmond and to Lee County, the economy is based on military installations, and cattle, tobacco and peanut farming. About twenty percent of Virginian jobs are in agriculture, with 47,000 farms, averaging 181 acres (0.28 sq mi/0.73 km²).[10] Tomatoes surpassed soy as the most profitable crop in Virginia in 2006, with peanuts and hay as other agricultural products.[94] Oysters are an important part of the Chesapeake Bay economy, but declining populations due to disease, pollution, and overfishing have diminished catches.[95] Wineries and vineyards in the Northern Neck and along the Blue Ridge Mountains also have begun to generate income and attract tourists.[96]
Taxation
Virginia collects personal income tax in five income brackets, ranging from 3.0% to 5.75%. The sales and use tax rate is 5%. The tax rate on food is 2.5%. There is an additional 1% local tax, for a total of a 5% combined sales tax on most Virginia purchases and a combined tax rate of 2.5% on food.[97] Virginia's property tax is set and collected at the local government level and varies throughout the commonwealth. Real estate is taxed at the local level based on one-hundred percent of fair market value. Tangible personal property also is taxed at the local level and is based on a percentage or percentages of original cost.[98]
Culture
Map of nine Virginia cultural regions
Colonial Virginian culture and style is reenacted in Williamsburg.
Virginia's historic culture was popularized and spread across America and the South by Washington, Jefferson, and Lee, and their homes represent Virginia as the birthplace of America and of the South.[99] Modern Virginia culture is a subculture in the wider culture of the Southern United States, though it shows elements of the North as well as the South. Although the Piedmont dialect is one of the most famous with its strong influence on Southern American English, various accents are present including the Tidewater dialect and the anachronistic Elizabethan of Tangier Island, as well as a more homogenized American English in urban areas with a great deal of transplants.[100] [101]
Besides the general cuisine of the Southern United States, Virginia maintains its own particular traditions. Virginia wine is made in many parts of the state.[96] Smithfield ham, sometimes called Virginia ham, is a type of country ham which is protected by state law, and can only be produced in the town of Smithfield.[102] Virginia furniture and architecture are typical of American colonial architecture. Thomas Jefferson and many of the state's early leaders favored the Neoclassical architecture style, leading to its use for important state buildings. The Pennsylvania Dutch and their style can also be found in parts of the state.[74]
Fine and performing arts
- See also: Music of Virginia
The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities works to improve commonwealth's civic, cultural, and intellectual life.[103] The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a state-funded museum with the largest collection of Fabergé eggs outside of Russia.[104] The Chrysler Museum of Art is home to many pieces, stemming from the Chrysler family collection, including the final sculpture of Gian Lorenzo Bernini.[105] Other museums include the popular Science Museum of Virginia, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum, the Frontier Culture Museum, and the Mariners' Museum. Besides these sites, many open air museums and battlefields are located in the state, such as Colonial Williamsburg, Richmond National Battlefield, and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is located in Vienna and is the only national park intended for use as a performing arts center. Wolf Trap hosts the Wolf Trap Opera Company, which produces an opera festival every summer. The Harrison Opera House in Norfolk is home to the official Virginia Opera. The Virginia Symphony Orchestra is based in Hampton Roads. The American Shakespeare Center is located in Staunton, and home to resident and touring theater troupes. Other notable theaters include the Ferguson Center for the Arts, the Barter Theatre, and the Landmark Theater.
Virginia has launched many award-winning traditional music artists as well as internationally successful popular music acts. Ralph Stanley, Patsy Cline, The Statler Brothers and The Carter Family are award winning Bluegrass and Country music musicians from Virginia, and Ella Fitzgerald and Pearl Bailey were both from Newport News. Hip hop and Rhythm and blues acts like Missy Elliott, Timbaland, The Neptunes, Chris Brown, and Clipse hail from the commonwealth; as does singer-songwriter Jason Mraz and jam bands like the Pat McGee Band and Dave Matthews Band, who continue their strong charitable connection to Charlottesville, Virginia.[107] Influential stage-rock group GWAR also began at Virginia Commonwealth University. Major performance venues in the state include The Birchmere, Norva Theatre, John Paul Jones Arena, Nissan Pavilion, the Patriot Center, and the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater.
Festivals
Many counties and localities host county fairs and festivals. The Virginia State Fair is held at the Richmond International Raceway every September. Fairfax County sponsors Celebrate Fairfax! the second weekend after Memorial Day.[108] In Virginia Beach, the end of September brings the Neptune Festival, celebrating the city, the waterfront, and regional artists.[109]
On the Eastern Shore island of Chincoteague the annual Pony Swim & Auction of feral Chincoteague ponies at the end of July is a unique local tradition expanded into a week-long carnival.[110] The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival is a six-day festival held annually in Winchester that includes parades and bluegrass concerts. From 2005 to 2007, Richmond was host of the National Folk Festival. The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival is held over four days in May in Reston.[111]
Two important film festivals, the Virginia Film Festival and the VCU French Film Festival, are held annually in Charlottesville and Richmond, respectively. Annual fan conventions in the commonwealth include Anime USA, the national anime convention held in Crystal City, Anime Mid-Atlantic held in various cities, Magfest music and gaming festival, and RavenCon science fiction convention in Richmond.
Media
McLean is home to the headquarters of USA Today, the nation's most circulated newspaper.
The Hampton Roads area is the forty-second largest media market in the United States as ranked by Nielsen Media Research, and the Richmond-Petersburg area is sixtieth and Roanoke-Lynchburg is sixty-eighth.[112] There are twenty-one television stations in Virginia, representing each major U.S. network, part of forty-two stations which serve Virginia viewers.[113] About 352 radio stations broadcast in Virginia. The nationally available Public Broadcasting Service, abbreviated as PBS, is headquartered in Arlington. The locally focused Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation, a non-profit corporation which owns public TV and radio stations, has offices around the state. |
