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20 Things You Might Not Know About Richmond Virginia!

Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Richmond West

February 19, 2016 06:33 AM

The Murray Morris Group LOVES Richmond, Virginia. The community and its people make it a wonderful place to live, work and play. We thought we would share some generally known info and 20 fun facts you may not know.

The Richmond Region is comprised of the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent and the City of Richmond. Its current population is 1.3 million. Did you know that during a one day’s drive you can reach half the U.S. population via Interstates 64, 85, 95 and 295. Really boggles the mind when you stop to think about that one!

While historically Richmond is known as the former capital of the Confederacy, it has been home to many other “firsts,” “oldests,” and quite a few “onlys.” We put together 20 of what we thought might not come to the front of your mind when asked about Richmond.

Home of the first African American governor in the United States.
Home of the first hospital.
Home to the South’s first television station.
Only city in the country with a Class IV white water rapids running through its downtown.
George Washington designed the nation’s first canal system here, the Kanawha.
Thomas Jefferson designed the state capitol.
Monument Avenue is the only street in the nation to be designated a National Historic Landmark.
Church Hill is the oldest neighborhood in the city.
Home to St. John’s Church, where Patrick Henry gave his famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech during the Revolutionary War.
Home of the Hollywood Cemetery, where you can find President James Monroe’s Tomb, President John Tyler’s Monument, Jefferson Davis, the only president of the Confederate States of America, and 18,000 Confederate soldiers graves, guarded by the famed 90-foot Monument to the Confederate War Dead pyramid.
Home to the 17^th Street Farmer’s Market, one of America’s oldest public markets.
Home of the Edgar Allen Poe Museum, and considered to be one of the oldest buildings in Richmond (circa 1740), the museum houses the world’s finest collection of Poe memorabilia.
Home of the historic Tredegar Iron Works. Among Richmond's most interesting architectural features is its cast-iron architecture. Second only to New Orleans in its concentration of cast iron work, the city is home to a unique collection of cast iron porches, balconies, fences, and finials.
Pocahontas once lived in what is now Henricus Historical Park.
Actor, producer, screenwriter and director Warren Beatty and his sister, Academy Award winner Shirley MacLaine were both born in Richmond.
The Nascar Sprint Cup is held each year at the Richmond International Raceway. The Raceway is thought to be one of the best places to watch Nascar.
Rat basketball is actually a spectator sport at the Science Museum of Virginia. Rat Team SMV plays on a miniature court for visitors.
Moviegoers love Byrd Theater, but not just for watching movies. The 1928 movie palace has one of the nation’s only operational Wurlitzer organs. It is played every Saturday night.
The Jefferson Hotel is one of only 33 hotels in North America to carry both the Forbes 5-star and AAA5-diamond rating. The life-sized statue of the hotel’s namesake was done by Edward Valentine, and the Palm Court lobby, once home to a fountain full of live alligators, is ringed by Louis Tiffany windows.
A variety of murals from internationally recognized street artists have appeared throughout the city as a result of the efforts of Art Whino and RVA Magazine with The Richmond Mural Project and the RVA Street Art Festival. Artists who have produced work in the city as a result of these festivals include ROA, Pixel Pancho, Gaia, Aryz, Alexis Diaz, Ever Siempre, Jaz, 2501, Natalia Rak, Pose MSK, Vizie, Jeff Soto, Mark Jenkins, Etam Cru- and local artists Hamilton Glass, Nils Westergard, and El Kamino.

These are just a few of what we believe are the lesser known Richmond features. In addition, there are many, many, very well-known places, events and people that comprise Richmond’s history. It’s abundant parks, museums, restaurants and historic landmarks make it a great place to live and raise a family.

Are you in the market to buy or sell a home in the Richmond, Virginia area? The Murray Morris Group specializes in catering to the needs of each and every one of our clients. And we LOVE and know Richmond like no others! You can read our clients testimonials here. Put your trust and valuable time in the hands of industry experts! Give us a call today, we’ll work diligently on your behalf by putting your needs at the forefront of every transaction.