City of Richmond, Virginia

City of Richmond Education, Geography, and History

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Greater Richmond Region. While it was incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city since 1871.

Based on the 2010 census, the population was 204,214; in 2014, the population was estimated to be 217,853, the fourth-most populous city in Virginia. The Richmond Metropolitan Area has a population of 1,260,029

Etymology - Origin of City of Richmond Name

The City of Richmond is located between Henrico and Chesterfield Counties. It was named by William Byrd II, who with the help of William Mayo laid out the town in 1737. The name probably came from the English borough of Richmond upon Thames.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts:

Richmond City History

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. Like all Virginia municipalities incorporated as cities, it is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Greater Richmond area. Surrounded by Henrico and Chesterfield counties, the city is located at the intersections of Interstate 95 and Interstate 64, and surrounded by Interstate 295 and Route 288 in central Virginia.

The site of Richmond, at the fall line of the James River in the Piedmont region of Virginia, was briefly settled by English settlers from Jamestown in 1609, and in 1610-11, near the site of a significant native settlement. The present city of Richmond was founded in 1737. It became the capital of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia in 1780. During the Revolutionary War period, several notable events occurred in the city, including Patrick Henry's, "Give me liberty or give me death," speech in 1775 at St. John's Church, and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1779; the latter of which was written by Thomas Jefferson in the city. During the American Civil War, Richmond served as the capital of the Confederate States of America, and many important American Civil War landmarks remain in the city today, including the Virginia State Capitol and the White House of the Confederacy, among others.

Richmond, Virginia laid out in 1737. [Virginia Genealogy, Sources & Resources, by Carol McGinnis, Genealogical Publishing Inc., Baltimore, MD, 1993.]

Richmond, Virginia was incorporated as a town in 1742. Plans for the city were laid out in 1737. Incorporated as a city in 1782. It became the capital of Virginia in 1780 and served as the capital of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865. Manchester was annexed in 1910 and Barton Heights, Fairmount, and Highland Park were annexed in 1914. A portion of Chesterfield County was annexed in 1970. It is located between Chesterfield and Henrico Counties, Virginia. [Virginia Genealogy, Sources & Resources, by Carol McGinnis, Genealogical Publishing Inc., Baltimore, MD, 1993.]

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 62.5 sq mi (162.0 km²). 60.1 sq mi (155.6 km²) of it is land and 2.5 sq mi (6.4 km²) of it (3.96%) is water. The city is located in the Piedmont region of Virginia, at the highest navigable point of the James River. The Piedmont region is categorized by relatively low, rolling hills, and lies between the low, sea level tidewater region and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Significant bodies of water in the region include the James River, the Appomattox River, and the Chickahominy River.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Surrounded by Henrico and Chesterfield counties

Education

Colleges and universities

The Richmond area has many major institutions of higher education, including Virginia Commonwealth University (public), University of Richmond (private), Virginia Union University (private), Virginia College (private), Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education (private), and the Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond (BTSR—private). Several community colleges are found in the metro area, including J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and John Tyler Community College (Chesterfield County). In addition, there are several Technical Colleges in Richmond including ITT Technical Institute, ECPI College of Technology and Beta Tech. There are several vocational colleges also, such as Fortis College and Bryant Stratton College.

Virginia State University is located about 20 miles (32 km) south of Richmond, in the suburb of Ettrick, just outside Petersburg. Randolph-Macon College is located about 15 miles (24 km) north of Richmond, in the incorporated town of Ashland.

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