10 Fun Facts About Virginia

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1. They Didn’t Start Out Growing Tobacco

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Virginia was supposed to be a silk colony. After a fungus wiped out the trees that the worms feed on, they switched to tobacco.

2. William & Mary Is The Second Oldest College In The Country

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Photo: William & Mary FB
Harvard is the oldest.

3. Virginia Gave Birth To West Virginia & Kentucky

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Photo: tngenweb.org
Kentucky and West Virginia were carved out of Virginia land.

4. Around Half Of The Civil War Was Fought In Virginia

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With the two capitols being Richmond and Washington, Virginia was an incredibly strategic point of the war.

5. The First Thanksgiving Was In Virginia

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It happened at Berkeley Plantation in Charles City, VA.

6. There Is An Island Where Wild Ponies Have Roamed For Centuries

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Each year they are herded from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island.

7. Virginia Used To Have Shires

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Photo: hobbitontours.com
Virginia’s counties were originally called “shires”.

8. Virginia Is Known As The Mother Of Presidents

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8 US presidents have come from Virginia. No other state has had as many presidents.

9. Richmond Hates The Coin Toss

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It is illegal to flip a coin to see who pays for coffee.

10. You Can’t Swear On The Phone

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It is a misdemeanor.

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Scoutology Staff