Population

2010: 204,214, #105 in U.S., #5 in Virginia

1950: 230,310, #46 in U.S.

2010 Metropolitan Area: 1,258,251, #43 in U.S.

1950 Metropolitan Area: 328,050, #57 in U.S.

Setting

Richmond, located at the highest navigable point on the James River, was first settled in 1645 and was incorporated as a town in 1737. Today, there are parks along the river, and a pedestrian bridge to Belle Isle Park. The Kanawha Canal has a Canal Walk and boat cruises. Virginia Commonweath University is on the western edge of downtown.

Buildings

Tallest building: James Monroe State Office Building, 449 feet (1981)

List of tallest buildings

The two-story State Capitol was built in 1792.

Stores

Richmond has no downtown department stores.

Trains

Amtrak's Northeast Regional trains go east to Newport News and north to Washington D.C., New York City, and Boston. The Palmetto goes south to Savannah, Georgia. The Silver Star and Silver Meteor go south to Miami.

Amtrak uses the downtown Main Street Station (1901) for Northeast Regional service only, and the Staples Mill Road Station (1975), about five miles north of downtown, for all trains. The Broad Street Station, or Union Station (1917), west of downtown, now houses the Science Museum of Virginia.