Virginia Vignettes

Actually, Virginia has many watersheds. All the land that drains to a particular body of water is called a watershed. A river’s watershed is made up of smaller watersheds as creeks and streams filter into larger ones before finally flowing into a single river. Virginia has 13 major watersheds, with the most dominant being the [...]

Yes, five major ones. A geological region is a specific land area, each differentiated by rock strata and elevation. The environmental character of Virginia’s regions has led to differences in agricultural planning, energy resource availability, and workforce and industrial opportunities.
The sand, silt, and clay of the Tidewater region on the coast of Virginia and the [...]

Virginia’s modern history has been shaped by its nonhuman natural environment. The state’s climate, geology, waterways, fisheries, wildlife population, flora and fauna, and soil content have provided the conditions for economic, cultural, and recreational possibilities across the state.
A review of the state’s bioregions reveals subtle examples of nature acting to shape Virginia’s modern history. Watersheds [...]

In late 1751, at the age of 19, George Washington made his only lifetime trip outside of the continental colonies.  He accompanied his older brother Lawrence, who sought relief for his tuberculosis in the climate of Barbados.  The choice of this Caribbean island was not fortuitous.
Barbados was a major British sugar and slave colony and [...]