Virginia – The Old Dominion

Greetings from Virginia Postcard. Available at Legends' General Store.

Greetings from Virginia Postcard. Available at Legends’ General Store.

Nicknamed the “Old Dominion” and sometimes the “Mother of Presidents” after the eight U.S. presidents born there, Virginia has much to offer for sightseeing, history buffs, and outdoor fun at beaches, mountains, and forests.

Historic Jamestown is the site of North America’s first permanent English settlement. It represents the very foundations of who and what we are as a people and a nation.

Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution. It joined the Confederacy in the Civil War when Richmond was made the Confederate capital and Virginia’s northwestern counties separated to form the state of West Virginia.

Stories about historical figures, such as those surrounding Pocahontas and Captain John SmithGeorge Washington’s childhood, or the plantation elite in the slave society of the antebellum period, have created numerous myths of state history.

Along with its great history, Virginia provides numerous beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, 30 National Parks, 35 State Parks, and two National Forests.

Head for the Chesapeake Bay, or the Blue Ridge Mountains, George Washington’s Boyhood Home, and numerous Civil battlefields. Explore underground caves or lush green forests or go shopping for unique treasures of another kind.

Kathy R. Weiser-Alexander
Owner/Editor

Virginia Flag – Virginia’s official state flag was adopted in 1861. The flag has a deep blue background with a white circle in the center. In the center are the words “Virginia” and “Sic Sempter Tyrannis,” which is Latin for “thus always to tyrants.” Depicting the state’s motto on the flag is the goddess Virtue holding a sword and a spear, who has defeated a tyrant lying on the ground and holding a chain and a scourge. Nearby is the tyrant fallen crown. Virtue symbolizes Virginia, and the tyrant represents Britain. Red Virginia creepers and green leaves surround the scene. A white silk fringe is on the edge farthest from the flagstaff.

©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated February 2024.

Also See:

Bucket List Attraction in Each State

Destinations in America

U.S. States

Virginia Photo Galleries