About Richmond, VA
Richmond, located in the East Central part of Virginia also serves as the state capital of the commonwealth. Richmond can trace its origin all the way back to 1609 where it was founded by settlers of Jamestown. Present day Richmond was officially settled in 1737. Richmond is considered an independent city and is not located within a county, which can be explained by its early origin in American history. Rich in culture and American history, Richmond has seen many changes over the past few hundred years.
Known for hosting one of the earliest state capitols, which was designed by Thomas Jefferson, Richmond has played a major influence on the architecture of the Eastern United States. Although many buildings were destroyed by fire or demolished during reconstruction, there are still numerous buildings throughout the city on the National Register of Historic Places.
Richmond’s cultural influence does not stop at architecture. The city is home to one of the oldest parks and recreational systems in the US and the visual and performing arts venues attract thousands of patrons every year.
Located on the fall line of the James River and intersections of I-95 and I-64 the once most densely populated city in the south is home to approximately 204,214 residents and the greater metropolitan area which includes nearby cities such as Mechanicsville, Highland Spring, Wyndham, Glen Allen, Elmont, Tuckahoe, Laurel, Lakeside, Bon Air and Chesterfield among others consists of around 1,258,000 in total population.
Business
Richmond’s economy is similar to that of a typical state capital with many residents employed by state and federal government. In addition to public employees, the city is home to 6 of the Fortune 500 companies which include Dominion Resources, CarMax, Genworth Financial, Mead Westvaco and more. Many in the law, finance and tourism industries also make a living in the area.
