VIRGINIA HISTORY TRAILS

Virginia History Trails is a collection of historic destinations that reflect the stories of the first 400 years of Virginia’s dynamic history. It promotes tourism throughout all regions of the Commonwealth while inspiring, educating, and stimulating awareness of Virginia’s role in the creation of the United States. The Virginia History Trails is a legacy project of the 2019 Commemoration, encouraging generations of Virginians and Americans to pursue a deeper understanding of our shared history.

American Evolution commemorated the 400th anniversary of historical events that occurred in Virginia in 1619, which continue to influence us today.

The Virginia History Trails legacy project was developed through a series of roundtables and committee meetings to showcase Virginia’s historical sites, to improve the accessibility to this information, and expand the Commemoration’s statewide engagement.

The Virginia History Trails is a curated list of stories developed to inform modern day explorers of the 400 year arc of history from 1619 until today. Additionally, each of the trails help to promote locations that are linked to these historical events and reflect the 2019 Commemoration themes of democracy, diversity, and opportunity.

A “trail” is a number of historic destinations grouped by subject that tell the story of Virginia’s rich history. With 20 trails containing over 400 stories, find the trail that both inspires and motivates you to start exploring! Learn how each trail represents a significant part of Virginia and American History:

Selection of sites and stories were written in collaboration with the Library of Virginia and the Virginia Foundation for Humanities. The stories have been reviewed by the Commemoration’s historical council, key stakeholders, and trail sites for accuracy. Stories were selected and written based on the following criteria:

• Importance to Virginia/national history
• Support of the commemoration themes (Democracy, Diversity, Opportunity)
• Race/ethnicity/gender balance
• Statewide/regional/local coverage

Spanning every region across the state, the Virginia History Trails make it easy to discover and explore all the great historic sites and regions across the Commonwealth.

The Virginia History Trails app is the smartest way to explore 400 years of Virginia history! Simply download the app and search by interest, location, or discover what’s nearby!

Search “Virginia History Trails” in the App and Google Play stores and download it for free!

No, the app just helps you to navigate all there is to see and do. A separate paid ticket or reservation may be required at some sites, so please check in advance.

Virginia’s landscape has changed a lot in the past 400 years, and not all of its historically notable locations still exist. These stories still need to be told, so we invite users to learn more, even if they cannot visit a physical site.

The Virginia Tourism Corporation will not sell or use your information for marketing purposes. This information is for login purposes only.

To learn more about accessibility, please contact the historic sites directly.

Designed for families, friends, history enthusiasts, and groups of curious minded people of all ages, the Virginia History Trails makes it easy to see why “Virginia is for History Lovers.”

Yes! Teachers, parents, and students are encouraged to utilize the app as a resource for school projects and assignments relating to Virginia history.

With over 400 stories to explore, make it a game and see how many places you can “check off” as you travel Virginia. Each time you are within .25 mile radius of a story’s location select the check mark icon. With every check mark you are one step closer to unlocking unique badges that represent Virginia’s rich history. Be proud! Don’t forget to share your badges on social media and inspire others with what you’ve learned!