By Bill Atkinson, Lyra Bordelon, Monique Calello, Kristi K. Higgins, Patrick Hite, Brad Zinn
USA TODAY Network, Virginia
When Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement in America, it laid the foundation of Virginia’s long and storied place in our country’s history. The commonwealth’s significance continued through the colonial era and the Revolution, on the deciding battlefields in the Civil War, and it placed a significant part in the Civil Rights movement.
While much is known about the eight presidents born in Virginia, did you know that a visitor to the state can also see the world’s only true recreation of Shakespeare’s theater? Or that you can stand at the confluence of two rivers in Central Virginia where major events took place during the Revolutionary War and Civil War?
Virginia’s deep history can’t be completely captured in a short list, but we’ve compiled 13 key historical sites in the state that are worth revisiting as the country celebrates its 250th birthday − and some of them include some surprises. They are a mix of well-known sites like Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello to hidden gems like historic Virginia State University. We’ve added a few bonus locations you can explore, too, that might be more familiar from your history classes.
Visit the nation’s first public four-year Black college
Founded in 1882 on a hill overlooking Petersburg, Virginia State University is America’s first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for Black Americans. Initiated by Black Delegate Alfred W. Harris, the school opened in 1883 as the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, established to train teachers.
Over the decades, the institution underwent several name changes before officially becoming “Virginia State University” in 1979. Despite early funding challenges and segregationist pressures, VSU persevered and grew. Today it stands as a nationally prominent historically Black university, widely recognized for academic excellence, research, and a legacy rooted in opportunity, resilience and leadership. -Bill Atkinson, The Progress-Index
Visit Pocahontas Island, the earliest American free Black town
Part of Petersburg since 1784, Pocahontas Island − the oldest free Black community in the United States − was established in 1752. Surrounded on three sides by the Appomattox River, the historic neighborhood has a population of fewer than 100 residents today.
Once a stop on the Underground Railroad, the Jarratt House, c. 1819, is owned by the city of Petersburg. It is the oldest surviving structure on Pocahontas Island tied to the clandestine network that helped enslaved people escape north. Today, community leaders hope to transform the Jarratt House into a place where visitors and locals can learn about history of Pocahontas Island. -Kristi K. Higgins, The Progress-Index
Explore Woodrow Wilson’s legacy at Presidential Library and Museum
At the top of a hill in downtown Staunton’s Gospel Hill district stands the house where future President Woodrow Wilson was born in 1856. More than 150 years later, the home anchors the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum. Inside, visitors can see Wilson’s Pierce-Arrow limousine, which he first rode in 1919 after returning from negotiating the Treaty of Versailles.
The museum also features seven exhibit galleries exploring Wilson’s life and public service, including an immersive exhibition on the trenches of World War I. –Lyra Bordelon, The News Leader
Explore Virginia’s largest open-air history museum in Shenandoah Valley
Head to Staunton’s Frontier Culture Museum to learn about the life and customs of the Indigenous Native American tribes in Virginia, the arrival of German, English and Irish settlers along the Great Wagon Road, and the painful journey of enslaved Africans to the first permanent British colony in North America through costumed historical interpreters.
The largest open-air living history museum in the Shenandoah Valley is also expanding to include an indoor gallery space by 2027. The 40,000-square-foot facility will feature a permanent exhibit gallery, rotating exhibits, a research library, flexible education rooms, and an indoor-outdoor pavilion. Patrick Hite, The News Leader
Historic city features must-see architecture from the 19th century
Hailed as one of the 30 most beautiful main streets across America from Architectural Digest, stroll down Beverley Street in the historic Beverley District in Staunton to see Italianate, Romanesque Revival and Colonial Revival buildings by some of the greatest architects from the 19th century.
While taking in the rich architecture downtown, visitors can enjoy a free guided tour from Historic Staunton Foundation and stop at one of the many shops and restaurants. Grab lunch and sit in the garden at the By & By Cafe on Beverley Street and meet the locals. -Monique Calello, The News Leader
Catch a re-creation of Shakespeare’s Blackfriars Playhouse
The American Shakespeare Center in Staunton is the home of the world’s first re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor theatre, the Blackfriars Playhouse. Audiences can see Shakespeare’s works alongside modern classics and new adaptations. A world-class professional theater company, every performance happens in shared light, illuminating the connection between actor and audience.
The American Shakespeare Center recovers the joys and accessibility of Shakespeare’s theater, language and humanity by exploring the English Renaissance stage and its practices through performance and education. Before performances and during intermissions, actors fill the Blackfriars Playhouse with live music, performing popular songs just as they would have in Shakespeare’s day. -Patrick Hite, The News Leader
Step back in time at historic sites near the Appomattox River
Petersburg, one of Virginia’s oldest cities, has a new visitor center located in a historic landmark that anchors its industrial heritage in Old Towne. The South Side Depot is the oldest surviving railroad station in the state. Visitors may receive free travel brochures, expert tips and information regarding local attractions, history and city tours.
After exiting the visitor center, guests step onto the cobblestone street and walk two blocks to the right to see what may be the oldest building ruins in Petersburg. History buffs and photographers will love the site, once a trading post, prison, hospital, and magazine for power arms storage. -Kristi K. Higgins, The Progress-Index
Discover this city’s oldest church and its rich history
Trinity Episcopal Church is Staunton’s oldest congregation and is now on its third building. The Neo Gothic church, completed in 1855 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, stands on a site first used in 1763.
The Virginia Assembly met there in 1781 while fleeing the British, and the building later housed Virginia Theological Seminary classes during the Civil War. The church is renowned for its 25 stained glass windows, including 12 by Tiffany Studios, and a courtyard containing Revolutionary War graves. -Brad Zinn, The News Leader
See architectural beauty, rich history of the Virginia State Capitol
The Virginia State Capitol, located in downtown Richmond, is the nation’s second oldest continuously operating state capitol. Completed in 1788, it was designed by Thomas Jefferson while he served as U.S. minister to France, and was the first modern public building to use classical Roman architecture.
Between 2004 and 2007, a 27,000‑square‑foot underground extension was created beneath Capitol Square to accommodate security, exhibits, a visitor center and offices − all without altering Jefferson’s classical exterior. Besides its notable use as the state of the Virginia government, Richmond was the capital of the non-sovereign Confederacy during the Civil War. -Bill Atkinson, The Progress-Index
American history shaped at the confluence of these 2 rivers
Founded in 1613, City Point, a U.S. National Park site, is a perfect destination for history buffs, families, school field trips and photographers. One of America’s earliest English colonies, City Point is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. At the confluence of the Appomattox and James rivers, City Point was a strategic port.
It exemplifies the long evolving timeline of American history. In the historic neighborhood, visitors may tour Appomattox Manor, take a self-guided walking tour, hike on trails, fish, picnic, admire panoramic river views, observe wildlife and photograph nature. -Kristi K. Higgins, The Progress-Index
The Union strategy led to the Civil War’s end at this battlefield
Petersburg National Battlefield in Virginia preserves the sites of the Civil War’s longest campaign, where Union forces surrounded the city for nearly a year to cut off supplies and force Confederate surrender. This prolonged siege weakened Confederate defenses and helped bring the war to an end.
Today, the park spans multiple locations tied to that history. Visitors can explore City Point in Hopewell, where Gen. Ulysses S. Grant directed Union operations, walk the grounds of Five Forks Battlefield, and visit Poplar Grove National Cemetery, where Union soldiers from the siege are buried. -Bill Atkinson, The Progress-Index
Shenandoah National Park features breathtaking hiking, scenic drives, history
Shenandoah National Park in Virginia tells a story of land reshaped from settled farms to protected wilderness during the 1930s, when Civilian Conservation Corps workers built the roads and trails visitors use today. That legacy, along with the Hoovers’ Brown House retreat, offers a window into early park history.
Today, visitors come for iconic outdoor experiences. Old Rag Mountain draws hikers with rock scrambles and sweeping 360-degree views, though alternatives can ease peak-season crowds. Big Meadows provides prime habitat for plants and wildlife and an place to wander and spot animals, making it a centerpiece stop for first-time and returning visitors alike. -Monique Calello, The News Leader
Visit the iconic home of the author of the Declaration of Independence
Monticello offers a deeper look at early America through the life of Thomas Jefferson, the nation’s third president whose ideas helped shape its foundation. Located near Charlottesville, the estate reflects decades of design influenced by Renaissance, Palladian, and neo-classical styles. It was home not only to Jefferson and his family but also to generations of enslaved people, underscoring its complex history.
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, today it stands for both beauty and meaning. Visitors should take the 45-minute guided walking tour focused on the experiences of enslaved people who lived and labored on the plantation. -Patrick Hite, The News Leader
Don’t forget about these other historical Virginia sites worth visiting
Historic Triangle: One of the more familiar regions with American significance in the Commonwealth, it includes Jamestown and Historic Jamestowne, the locations of the first English settlement in America, as well as Yorktown Battlefield, a National Park and site of the the last major battle of the Revolutionary War, and Colonial Williamsburg.
First Landing State Park: Explore the spot where English colonists first arrived in 1607. Today, the park south of Virginia Beach features 20 miles of trails along beaches, forests and waterfronts in the breathtaking natural landscape. It’s a National Natural Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Mount Vernon: George Washington’s estate near Washington features the famous mansion, farmland, gardens, historic structures, a slave memorial and and education center. A can’t-miss event is a daily wreath-laying ceremony at the final resting place of George and Martha Washington.
Arlington National Cemetery: The hallowed ground overlooks the nation’s capital and is the final resting spot for more than 400,000 people on its 640 acres. A visit usually includes seeing John F. Kennedy’s gravesite and eternal flame, the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider and Arlington House, Robert E. Lee’s mansion.
Explore more amazing locations that helped define American history with USA 250 Most Treasured Views.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Visit these 13 amazing Virginia locations that helped shape US history
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