Greater Richmond Virginia Area

GreaterRichmondVirginiaArea.com is dedicated to promoting the benefits of living, working and playing in the greater Richmond, Virginia area. As the population surrounding Richmond, expands we recognize that there are many cultural, historic, economic and geographic reasons that help make this area unique. The purpose of this Web site is to promote all of the things that make living here enjoyable and fun.

This area is rich in early American history. Originally the area served as home to Paleo-Indians some 10,000 years ago and later to the Arrohattoc tribe of the Powhatan Confederation. In 1607, about 25 English explorers sailed up the Powhatan River from what would become the settlement called Jamestown which would soon be established. Here at a location known today as Henricus (hen-rye-cus), they met with Chief Arrohattoc of the Arrohattoc tribe, which numbered about 250. Their encounter was not one of battle but one of courtesy.

It wasn't until 1611 that the citie of Henricus was established by Sir Thomas Dale who had been sent by the London Company to identify and establish a new town and seat of the colony. Many battles were fought in the area until a marriage between a soon to be famous Native American, Pocahontas and her English husband John Rolfe, brought peace around the area know as Henricus. Henricus took in an area larger than the current day city of Richmond and Henrico, Chesterfield, Powhatan and Goochland counties. The citie itself was small, holding only about 50 persons, while other new settlers took advantage of nearby land creating farms along the now renamed, James River.

Sir Thomas Dale and the Reverend Alexander Whittaker felt it important that the first building to be built in Henricus Citie was to be a church. Reverend Whittaker was named rector and later baptized Pocahontas, giving her the Christian name Rebecca and also later married her to John Rolfe in 1614.

In 1741 St. John's Episcopal Church was moved to its permanent location in what is now Richmond's Church Hill neighborhood. It was in this location that the church further cemented its place in early American history when a group of 120 Virginia gentlemen met as the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775. It was during this stirring event when Patrick Henry gave his famous “Give me liberty, or give me death” speech that helped propelled the colonies into the American Revolution one month later. Henry later became the first Governor of Virginia. Two of the convention attendees also to become well-known included George Washington, commandeer in chief of the armies and first President of the United States and Thomas Jefferson, inventor, author of the Declaration of Independence and founder of the University of Virginia.

This area also became a focal point of the Civil War with the 19th century capital of the Confederacy being located in downtown Richmond where it still stands today surrounded by growing 21st century high-tech businesses.

The historic Greater Richmond Area has many events starting in 2011 which mark the 400th year of Henrico Country as well as the 150th anniversary of the War Between the States which took place in many areas around Richmond.

Today the greater Richmond area is home to six Fortune 500 companies: Dominion Resources, Altria Group, Genworth Financial, CarMax, Owens & Minor and MeadWestvaco. Over 750,000 people live in Henrico County, Chesterfield County, Powhatan County, Goochland County, Hanover County, New Kent County, Charles City County and the city of Richmond creating an exciting and vibrant place to live, work and play. Come back soon to learn more of what Richmond and the surrounding area has to offer you.