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RICHMOND

Richmond (or "RVA") is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It was settled in 1607 by an English settler named Capt. Christopher Newport and Capt. John Smith. The site was previously inhabited by the Powhatan Native Americans. It was named Richmond after the London suburb of Richmond-upon-Thames by its founder William Byrd II. The settlement did not become a city until 1742, and in the 135 years in between served as little more than a trading post for furs, hides, and tobacco. In 1782 Richmond became the state capital of Virginia. 

Richmond is one of the oldest American cities. Though much of its colonial past has disappeared, it is rich in American history and lore. There are, among other things, a Civil War prison site on Belle Isle, the state Capitol (which Thomas Jefferson designed and said was inspired by the Maison Carrée at Nimes, France). Hollywood Cemetery is in the heart of the city and it is where two U.S. Presidents are laid to rest. Richmond is also home to rich African American culture and one of the first African American neighborhoods in the United States, The Jackson Ward District.

Richmond has a population of 214,000 and the adjacent counties of Henrico and Chesterfield combine to create a local population of more than 1,250,000 people. 

Impact Richmond works right in the heart of RVA serving as many people as we can. Since 2005, we have worked on over 100 homes in areas including Church Hill, Jackson Ward, Byrd Park, and the Jefferson Davis Corridor. 

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