Virginia: A Commonwealth Comes of Age: An Illustrated History Book

From a humble beginning -- the first colony, tobacco crops, cotton, apples, lucrative real estate -- Virginia bloomed during the Industrial Age and formed a new economy with an infusion of monies from the North. Today, Virginia is home to their descendants, the Pentagon and Fortune 500 companies, yet maintains the age old values of heritage, lineage and traditions that continue to enrich the Commonwealth. Meet the first settlers who sought to trade and plunder, not settle, but were captivated by the land's unspoiled beauty; the citizenry that went from being traders and gentlemen farmers to become titans of canals, railroads and ironworks; a Virginia that has grown into a region that is on the cutting edge of telecommunications, software programming and aerospace. Nearly 600 images, both vintage black and white and vibrant color, richly ornament this treasure-house of analysis and anecdote along with an illustrated timeline of significant events in Virginia's history.