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Categories: Alexandria (VA)
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Categories: Cumberland Gap National Historical Park/ Southwest Virginia
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Categories: Potomac Highlands
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Categories: Roanoke
Categories: Shenandoah National Park
Categories: Shenandoah Valley
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Categories: Tangier Island
Categories: The Eastern Shore
Categories: Victoria VA
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Categories: Williamstown WV
Categories: Yorktown
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History and travel often go hand in hand: Nearly every destination makes some effort to educate visitors about its past, whether by building museums or preserving historical sites and architecture. But few places—at least in the U.S.—can claim a historical legacy like that of Virginia. And few have done such a good job of preserving it for modern travelers.
Take Colonial Williamsburg, for instance: It was one of the first locations to combine historic architecture with living-history re-enactments, and it's still one of the best. Visitors there enjoy an up-close look at early colonial life—the language, the tasks, even the buttons appear authentic. Those interested in the Revolutionary War era know that Virginia was a virtual who's-who of founding fathers. Four of the first five U.S. presidents were from the state, and most of them—George Washington and Thomas Jefferson being the best known—have left behind impressive estates. And when North and South fought the epic clashes of the Civil War, the blood flowed deepest in Virginia. To walk among the battlefields of Manassas, Fredericksburg and Cold Harbor is to appreciate the valor and carnage unleashed by the deadliest war in U.S. history.
There is more to Virginia than historical sites, of course—the natural beauty of the Shenandoah region and some quality oceanfront beaches in the Tidewater area, for instance—but to go to this state without taking at least some notice of its past is almost impossible. In Virginia, you'll best create your own vacation memories by moving among the memories of what came before.
Virginia's history begins with the Native Americans who lived in villages along the rivers near Chesapeake Bay. They were Algonquian-speaking tribes that cultivated corn, hunted, fished and collected an abundant array of wild shellfish and plants. But the Algonquians were not on good terms with the Iroquois-speaking peoples on the North Carolina border—the two groups were often at war.
The English Roanoke colonists (who settled in what is now North Carolina) made their first contact with the Native Americans in 1584, but it wasn't until the 1600s that European influences began to affect these groups—usually adversely. Many died of European diseases, to which they had little or no resistance.
The Roanoke colony eventually vanished. In 1607, the first settlers arrived in Jamestown, establishing a permanent English foothold on the North American continent. The new settlers took to the fertile land and temperate climate of Virginia, and, with tobacco as the primary crop, the territory flourished as a colony. It produced some of this country's greatest early patriots (Washington, Jefferson, Patrick Henry) and played a major role during the Revolutionary War (Cornwallis surrendered to Washington at Yorktown). Virginia became a state soon after ratification of the U.S. Constitution. In the early 1800s, Virginia began to develop some industries, and its ports grew in importance.
But much of Virginia's prosperity was built on slavery. Its dependence on the practice led it to secede from the Union, along with the other Confederate states, in 1861. The western portion of the state opposed secession and seceded from Virginia itself, becoming West Virginia. Over the next four years, Virginia became the primary battleground of the Civil War: More major conflicts were fought in Virginia than in any other state. Both the first engagement between standing armies (the First Battle of Manassas, or Bull Run) and the final surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee (at Appomattox) occurred in Virginia. The state was badly battered during the long war. By the end, its major city—Richmond—was a smoking ruin.
The postwar years saw Virginia struggle back to economic and political health. And once the state regained its momentum, it came back strong. With its proximity to Washington, D.C., it has long been home to numerous government and military facilities, and its ports have made it a center for shipping and ship building. In the 20th century, factories, high-tech plants and burgeoning service industries helped make Virginia an economic powerhouse of the South.
Virginia's main attractions are historical sites, Williamsburg, Richmond, Norfolk, beaches, Alexandria, amusement parks, Charlottesville, Monticello, horses, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive, Virginia Beach, hiking, sailing and fishing.
Most travelers will find something to enjoy in Virginia, especially those interested in U.S. history, mountain culture and beaches.
The tourism slogan "Virginia is for lovers" (introduced in 1969) was a public-relations triumph, becoming one of the most successful (and imitated) travel-promotion phrases in the U.S.
Eight American presidents were born in The Old Dominion (Virginia's nickname): George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Woodrow Wilson. Seven of them are buried there, as well: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Tyler, William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy.
In November of 1989, L. Douglas Wilder became the nation's first elected black governor. The Democrat beat white Republican Marshall Coleman by 0.5%.
Residents of Tangier Island, in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, still speak a form of Middle English first used 300 years ago by settlers of the region. Because of the island's isolation from the rest of the colonies, the language did not evolve as it did in the rest of the region.
There are more than 100 wineries producing more than a dozen different types of wine in the state of Virginia. The state has garnered national and international recognition and ranks among the top wine-producing states in the U.S. Most vineyards and wineries offer public tours and tastings.
The U.S. Naval Station in Norfolk is the largest naval installation in the world. It is also home base to the U.S. Atlantic fleet.
The Pocahontas-John Smith legend was based on events at the Jamestown colony. The facts don't quite match the Disney version, however. If Pocahontas did save John Smith's life—and there's much suspicion that Smith invented the story—she was only 12 years old at the time. Later, Pocahontas was held captive by the colonists to prevent attacks by her tribe. She eventually married an Anglo tobacco planter (not Smith), accompanied him to England and died there of tuberculosis at age 22.
The only region in the U.S. with more technology companies than northern Virginia is Silicon Valley in California.
Surely one of Virginia's proudest claims to fame is that it is home to the World's Oldest Smithfield Ham. First cured in 1902, the culinary curiosity now resides in the Isle of Wight Museum in Smithfield.
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Debt free and in business since 2013. Vincent Vacations has agents in Dallas, Kansas City, Houston, Shreveport, Little Rock, Roswell, Oklahoma City and more locations.
Travel agents can help save time and stress by doing the research and handling all your bookings for you. An experience travel agent is best at finding great deals and packages, as well as providing you with helpful information and tips. They can also help you plan special activities and experiences that you may not have thought of on your own. All in all, using a travel agent can be a great way to make sure you get the most out of your trip.
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