Tri-Cities, Virginia

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Location of the Tri-Cities in Virginia Tri-Cities - Location.svg
Location of the Tri-Cities in Virginia
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Greater Richmond Region
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Close-up of the Tri-Cities
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Tricities region shown on the Fry-Jefferson map (1752)

The Tri-Cities of Virginia (also known as the Tri-City area or the Appomattox Basin) is an area in the Greater Richmond Region which includes the three independent cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights, and Hopewell and portions of the adjoining counties of Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, and Prince George in south-central Virginia. Other unincorporated communities located in the Tri-Cities area include Ettrick, Fort Gregg-Adams, and City Point, the latter formerly a historic incorporated town which was annexed to become part of the City of Hopewell.

Contents

Regional description

The Tri-Cities area is centered on the Appomattox River about 25 miles (40 km) south of Richmond. The Appomattox has its confluence with the James River near historic City Point in Hopewell. The applicable Metropolitan Statistical Area for the Tri-Cities area is the Richmond, VA MSA, which includes Richmond and counties generally to the north of the Tri-Cities area. Economic diversity is typical of the entire Richmond-Petersburg region, and helps to insulate it from hardship due to economic fluctuation in particular sectors of the economy.The tri-city region has been undergoing a opioid epidemic for several years now as well. [1] The region's central location also allows it to benefit from growth in other regions of Virginia and the state as a whole.

Transportation in the Tri-Cities

Interstate 95 is the major north-south highway. Interstate 85 and Interstate 295 also pass through, as does U.S. Route 1 (The Boulevard in Colonial Heights), U.S. Route 301, State Route 144 (Temple Avenue). Major east-west highways are U.S. Route 460, State Route 10, and State Route 36.

Major river crossings include the Martin Luther King Memorial Bridge and the twin Charles Hardaway Marks Bridges across the Appomattox River, and the Varina-Enon Bridge and the Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge across the James River.

Amtrak passenger railroad service is provided with a station at Ettrick, an unincorporated community in Chesterfield County adjacent to both Petersburg and Colonial Heights. Freight railroad service is provided by both CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Corporation.

Bus Transportation is provided by the Petersburg Area Transit. There are nine routes serving parts of Petersburg, Ettrick, Colonial Heights (Southpark Mall area), Fort Gregg-Adams, and Prince George County that all have their intersection in Old Town. PAT and GRTC together provide express bus service between Richmond and Petersburg, with some express buses stopping at Brightpoint Community College in Chester.

Media

Periodicals include:

Radio and television stations are the same as those listed for Richmond, Virginia.

Culture

Like many cities in the United States, the city of Petersburg is a city that has sought to revitalize its downtown area by promoting its arts scene. In the 1990s and 2000s, several areas including the "Old Town" area has seen increased remodeling and renovating of old, abandoned buildings into loft apartments and eclectic restaurants. In 2004, the Shockoe Bottom Arts group moved from downtown Richmond to downtown Petersburg due to lower real estate prices there. Several antique shops, a former train station, and a theater are the centerpiece of "old town" See Also: Petersburg

Similarly, Hopewell has commenced a revitalization projects with renovations of their harbor complex, "Town Triangle," and the historic Beacon Theatre.

Other cultural productions in the tri-cities occur at local colleges and at the playhouse on Fort Gregg-Adams.

Education

Educational facilities in the region are listed as follows:

Infrastructure

The area is served by several hospitals, John Randolph Medical Center (a HCA Hospital) (Hopewell), Hiram Davis Medical Center (Acute Care) (Petersburg), Southside Regional Medical Center (Petersburg), and Poplar Springs Hospital (psychiatric facility) (Petersburg).

Southpark Mall

Southpark Mall is a large regional shopping mall in the tri-cities area. Built in 1988 at the intersection of State Route 144 and Interstate 95, the mall complex has expanded significantly to include many big box retailers. While the mall itself is located in Colonial Heights, Virginia, other development has increased throughout the tri-cities.

Fort Gregg-Adams

Fort Gregg-Adams, formerly Fort Lee, is a United States Army post and headquarters of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM), U.S. Army Quartermaster Center and School (QMCS), the Army Logistics Management College (ALMC) and the U.S. Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA). A United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) unit, the 49th Quartermaster Group (Petroleum and Water), is stationed here. Fort Gregg-Adams also hosts two Army museums, the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum and the U.S. Army Women's Museum. Military personnel make up a significant presence in the tri-cities area.

The fort is named after two African American officers Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams. Prior to the fort's redesignation in April 2023, it was named for Confederate General Robert E. Lee. [3]

Federal prisons

The Tri-cities also is home to a federal prison complex called the Petersburg Federal Correctional Complex. It consists of medium and low security Federal Correctional Institutions known respectively as FCI Petersburg Medium and FCI Petersburg Low. Despite its name, the address of the Petersburg Federal Correctional Complex is actually in Prince George County. In addition, there is United States Probation Office near FCI – Petersburg, in Colonial Heights, Virginia, and the two agencies enjoy a supportive relationship.

Industries

Puddledock Sand & Gravel, in Prince George County, Virginia is a quarry that has made significant alteration of the landscape along the Appomattox River and State Route 144 (Temple Avenue). The quarry is currently owned by Vulcan Materials Company and quarries natural sand as well as asphalt and concrete aggregates for gravel. Ruffin Mill Industrial Park or Appomattox Industrial Park is located off Ruffin Mill Road exit from I-95 and is 298 acres (1.21 km2). Hopewell also is known for a number of chemical manufacturing plants.

Civil War history

Many sites in the tri-cities area have names reflecting the region's role in the American Civil War. A major logistics base for the Union Army was located at City Point and the City Point Railroad that enabled the siege of Petersburg is still in operation today. The history of the Battle of the Crater can be viewed in Petersburg National Battlefield Park and is commemorated in nearby Crater Road and the Fort Gregg-Adams entry "Mahone Gate" named after Confederate Brigadier General William Mahone, who was present at the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg in 1864. Until 2023, Fort Gregg-Adams was named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hopewell, Virginia</span> Independent city in the United States

Hopewell is an independent city surrounded by Prince George County and the Appomattox River in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 23,033. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Hopewell with Prince George County for statistical purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince George County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Prince George County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 43,010. Its county seat is Prince George.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petersburg, Virginia</span> Independent city in Virginia, United States

Petersburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,458 with a majority black American population. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines Petersburg with Dinwiddie County for statistical purposes. The city is 21 miles (34 km) south of the commonwealth (state) capital city of Richmond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinwiddie County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Dinwiddie County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,947. Its county seat is Dinwiddie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colonial Heights, Virginia</span> Independent city in Virginia, United States

Colonial Heights is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,170. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the City of Colonial Heights with Dinwiddie County for statistical purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesterfield County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Chesterfield County is a county located just south of Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county's borders are primarily defined by the James River to the north and the Appomattox River to the south. Its county seat is Chesterfield Court House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Richmond Region</span> Metropolitan statistical area in the United States

The Greater Richmond Region, also known as the Richmond metropolitan area or Central Virginia, is a region and metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Virginia, centered on Richmond. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines the area as the Richmond, VA Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) used by the U.S. Census Bureau and other entities. The OMB defines the area as comprising 17 county-level jurisdictions, including the independent cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights. As of 2020, it had a population of 1,314,434, making it the 44th largest MSA in the country.

The Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike was a controlled-access toll road located in the Richmond-Petersburg region of central Virginia, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 10</span> State highway in eastern Virginia, US

State Route 10 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs 93.58 miles (150.60 km) from U.S. Route 360 in Richmond east to SR 337 in Suffolk. SR 10 is a major suburban highway through Chesterfield County between the Southside of Richmond and Hopewell. Between Hopewell and Smithfield, which is served by SR 10 Business, the state highway passes through rural Prince George, Surry, and Isle of Wight counties, following the route of an old stagecoach road through an area that features many of the preserved James River plantations. SR 10 runs concurrently with US 258 and SR 32 between Smithfield and Suffolk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petersburg National Battlefield</span> United States Civil War site

Petersburg National Battlefield is a National Park Service unit preserving sites related to the American Civil War Siege of Petersburg (1864–65). The battlefield is near the city of Petersburg, Virginia, and includes outlying components in Hopewell, Prince George County, and Dinwiddie County. Over 140,000 people visit the park annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southside (Richmond, Virginia)</span> Neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia, United States

The Southside of Richmond is an area of the Metropolitan Statistical Area surrounding Richmond, Virginia. It generally includes all portions of the City of Richmond that lie south of the James River, and includes all of the former city of Manchester. Depending on context, the term "Southside of Richmond" can include some northern areas of adjacent Chesterfield County, Virginia in the Richmond-Petersburg region. With minor exceptions near Bon Air, VA, the Chippenham Parkway forms the border between Chesterfield County and the City of Richmond portions of Southside, with some news agencies using the term "South Richmond" to refer to the locations in Southside located in the city proper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 36</span> State highway in eastern Virginia, US

State Route 36 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs 16.70 miles (26.88 km) from SR 602 and SR 669 near Matoaca east to SR 10 in Hopewell. SR 36 is the main highway between Petersburg and Hopewell; within each independent city, the state highway follows a complicated path. The state highway connects those cities with Ettrick in southern Chesterfield County and Fort Gregg-Adams and Petersburg National Battlefield in Prince George County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in Richmond, Virginia</span>

Transportation in Richmond, Virginia and its immediate surroundings include land, sea and air modes. This article includes the independent city and portions of the contiguous counties of Henrico and Chesterfield. While almost all of Henrico County would be considered part of the Richmond area, southern and eastern portions of Chesterfield adjoin the three smaller independent cities of Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights, collectively commonly called the Tri-Cities area. A largely rural section of southwestern Chesterfield may be considered not a portion of either suburban area.

Charles Hardaway Marks Bridges are twin spans which carry State Route 10 across the Appomattox River in Virginia. The bridges are in Chesterfield County, and the independent city of Hopewell in the Tri-Cities area of the Richmond-Petersburg region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brightpoint Community College</span> Public college in Chester, Virginia, US

Brightpoint Community College, formerly John Tyler Community College, is a public community college in Chester, Virginia, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 95 in Virginia</span> Interstate Highway in Virginia

Interstate 95 (I-95) runs 179 miles (288 km) within the commonwealth of Virginia between its borders with North Carolina and Maryland. I-95 meets the northern terminus of I-85 in Petersburg and is concurrent with I-64 for three miles (4.8 km) in Richmond. Although I-95 was originally planned as a highway through Washington, D.C., it was rerouted along the eastern portion of the Capital Beltway concurrent with I-495. From Petersburg to Richmond, I-95 utilized most of the Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike, a former toll road. In addition to Richmond, the route also runs through the medium-sized cities of Emporia, Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Fredericksburg, and Alexandria.

Petersburg Area Transit is a bus system for the Petersburg Tri-cities Area. There are twelve color-coded routes that extend to such destinations as Virginia State University, Southpark Mall, and Fort Gregg-Adams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 301 in Virginia</span> Segment of American highway

U.S. Route 301 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Sarasota, Florida, to Biddles Corner, Delaware. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs 142.70 miles (229.65 km) from the North Carolina state line near Skippers north to the Maryland state line at the Potomac River near Dahlgren. US 301 forms the local complement to Interstate 95 (I-95) from Emporia to Petersburg. The U.S. Highway runs concurrently with US 1 between Petersburg and the state capital of Richmond, where the highways form one of the main north–south avenues. US 301 continues north concurrent with Virginia State Route 2 to Bowling Green, forming an eastern alternative to I-95 and US 1 north of Richmond. At Bowling Green, which is connected to I-95 by SR 207, US 301 becomes the primary highway connecting Richmond and the Northern Neck with Southern Maryland. US 301 was constructed in four main segments: as the original SR 24 and then US 17-1 south of Petersburg, as US 1 from Petersburg to Richmond, as SR 2 from Richmond to Bowling Green, and as part of SR 207 toward Dahlgren. US 301 replaced US 17–1 in the early 1930s and was extended from Petersburg north along its current course into Maryland when the Potomac River Bridge was completed in 1940.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 144</span> State highway in eastern Virginia, US

State Route 144 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs 13.97 miles (22.48 km) from SR 36 at Fort Gregg-Adams north to SR 145 at Centralia. SR 144's east–west segment is the main highway between Colonial Heights and both Fort Gregg-Adams and Hopewell. The state highway's north–south section connects U.S. Route 1 and US 301 in Colonial Heights with SR 10 in Chester. A section of it was first added to the state highway system in 1930, and it gained its current routing and designation by 1987.

The history of Petersburg, Virginia, United States as a modern settlement begins in the 17th century when it was first settled. The city was incorporated in 1748. It was occupied by the British during the American Revolutionary War, and Major-General William Phillips died of fever at Blandford during bombardment from the Marquis de Lafayette's positions north of the river. After the war, it became a destination for many free blacks in Virginia, as well as a growing hub for railroads. By 1860, it was the second largest city in Virginia. For nine months in 1864 and 1865 it was the subject of the Siege of Petersburg; the fall of the city unleashed a chain of events over the following two weeks that resulted in the end of the American Civil War. After the war, it again flourished as a destination for Freedmen. Petersburg was a notable focal point in the organization of the Civil Rights Movement in the mid-20th century. In the late 20th century, the city suffered significant economic decline.

References

  1. "Opioid addiction in Virginia". vdh.virginia.gov.
  2. Buffett, Patrick (25 January 2021). "Production of Fort Lee, Va., newspaper ending after this week's edition". United States Army .
  3. 1 2 Neuman, Scott (27 April 2023). "An Army fort named after Robert E. Lee now honors 2 pioneering Black officers". National Public Radio .

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