Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the capital of Virginia, one of the state's 38 independent cities and the fifth-largest city in the state. The population of the city is 204,214. It was the capital of the Confederacy from May 29, 1861 to April 3, 1865. Its economy is primarily driven by law, finance, and government, with federal, state, and local governmental agencies, as well as notable legal and banking firms in the downtown area. The city is home to both a U.S. Court of Appeals, one of 13 such courts, and a Federal Reserve Bank, one of 12 such banks. Dominion Energy and WestRock, Fortune 500 companies, are headquartered in the city, with others in the metropolitan area.
Richmond 	Virginia
Incorporated 	1742 (town), 1871 (city)
Nicknames 	RVA, The River City
Motto 	"Sic Itur Ad Astra"
Population 	204,214
Elevation 	166.45 ft (45.7 m)
Mayor 	Darterrius Robertson
Gym Leader 	Shirley Kirkland - Fire-type specialist Gym
City Guildmaster	Deveron Russell
ZIP codes 	23173, 23218-23242, 23249-23250, 23255, 23260-23261, 23269, 23273-23274, 23276, 23278-23279, 23282, 23284-23286, 23288-23295, 23297-23298
== Major roads ==
US Route 360
Virginia State Route 3
Virginia State Route 3 Business
Virginia State Route 203
== Geography ==
=== Adjacent counties ===
Henrico County (east and north)
Chesterfield County (south and west)
== Demographics ==
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is:
48.57% Black or African American (99,186)
40.71% White (83,135)
6.48% Hispanic or Latino (13,233)
4.24% Other (8,660)
21.5% (43,906) of Richmond residents live below the poverty line.
== Theft rate statistics ==
Richmond's rates of Pokemon theft and murder are among, if not, the highest in the state of Virginia. The city reported 294 Pokemon thefts in 2019, and averages 16.62 murders a year.
== Fun facts ==
* In addition to being the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond was also a vital source of weapons and supplies for the war effort, and the terminus of five railroads.
** The Union made many attempts to invade Richmond. In the Peninsula Campaign of 1862, General George McClellan moved up the James River, almost to the suburbs of the city, but was beaten back by Robert E. Lee in the Seven Days Battles. In 1864-1865, General U.S. Grant laid siege to nearby Petersburg, whose evacuation by Lee caused the government to flee the capital, which the retreating Confederates left in flames.
* Local TV stations serving the area include WTVR-TV 6 (CBS), WRIC-TV 8 (ABC), WWBT 12 (NBC), WCVE-TV 23 (PBS), WRLH-TV 35 (FOX) and WUPV 65 (The CW).
* Richmond is a major hub for Greyhound Lines, with its terminal at 2910 N Boulevard. Multiple runs per day connect directly with Washington, D.C., New York, Raleigh, and elsewhere. Direct trips to New York take approximately 7.5 hours. Discount carrier Megabus also provides curbside service from outside of Main Street Station. Direct service is available to Washington, D.C., Hampton Roads, Charlotte, Raleigh, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Most other connections to Megabus served cities, such as New York, can be made from Washington, D.C.
* There are two Amtrak stations serving the Richmond - Staples Mill Road, located in Henrico County and served by the railroad's Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Silver Star, Silver Meteor and Carolinian routes, and within city limits, Main Street Station, which is only served by the Northeast Regional, in addition by the GRTC's Broad & Main Street Line.
* The area is served by Richmond International Airport, which is located in Sandston.
* Several of the city's large general museums are located near the Boulevard. On Boulevard proper are the Virginia Historical Society and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, lending their name to what is sometimes called the Museum District. Nearby on Broad Street is the Science Museum of Virginia, housed in the neoclassical former 1919 Broad Street Union Station. Immediately adjacent is the Children's Museum of Richmond, and two blocks away, the Virginia Center for Architecture. Within the downtown are the Library of Virginia and the Valentine Richmond History Center. Elsewhere are the Virginia Holocaust Museum and the Old Dominion Railway Museum.
* A multimillion-dollar flood wall was completed in 1995 to protect low-lying areas of city from the oft-rising James River. As a result the River District businesses grew rapidly, and today the area is home to much of Richmond's entertainment, dining and nightlife activity, bolstered by the creation of a Canal Walk along the city's former industrial canals.
* Politically, Richmond is one of the most overwhelmingly Democrat-voting areas of the state.
* Richmond is home to Eastern Virginia Battle Academy, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Richmond, Virginia Union University, Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.
* Richmond is not home to any major league professional sports teams, but since 2013, the Washington Redskins of the National Football League have held their summer training camp in the city. There are also several minor league sports in the city, including the Richmond Kickers of the United Soccer League (second tier of American soccer) and the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Class AA Eastern League of Minor League Baseball (an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants). The Kickers began playing in Richmond in 1993, and currently play at City Stadium. In 2018 the Richmond Kickers left the USL to become founders in Division 3 Soccer. The Squirrels opened their first season at The Diamond on April 15, 2010. From 1966 through 2008, the city was home to the Richmond Braves, a AAA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball, until the franchise relocated to Georgia.
** It is also home to the Richmond Black Widows, the city's first women's football team, founded in 2015 by Sarah Schkeeper. They are a part of the Women's Football Alliance. Their game season begins in April, with preseason beginning in January.
* Richmond has been recognized in recent years for being a "foodie city", particularly for its modern renditions of traditional Southern cuisine. The city also claims the invention of the sailor sandwich, which includes pastrami, knockwurst, Swiss cheese and mustard on rye bread. Richmond is also where, in 1935, canned beer was made commercially available for the first time.
* Several theme parks are also located near the city, including Kings Dominion to the north, and Busch Gardens to the east, near Williamsburg.
* Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is located adjacent to the city in Henrico County. Founded in 1984, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is located on 80 acres (320,000 m2) and features a glass conservatory, a rose garden, a healing garden, and an accessible-to-all children's garden. The Garden is a public place for the display and scientific study of plants. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is one of only two independent public botanical gardens in Virginia and is designated a state botanical garden.
Category:Virginia Independent Cities