Henrico Timeline

1611

Sir Thomas Dale established the second permanent English settlement, Henricus, in honor of Henrico Frederick, Prince of Wales, son of King James 1.

1611

John Rolfe introduced the first successful English Colonial tobacco crop at Henricus.

1611

Sir Thomas Dale established Henrico Parish Church at Henricus. Its first minister, Reverend Alexander Whitaker, converted Pocahontas to Christianity.

1613

Sir Thomas Dale established Bermuda Hundred, an incorporated town and the first system of private land tenure in Colonial America, between 1611 and 1614.

1614

Pocahontas married John Rolfe.

1622

The second Anglo-Powhatan War began.

1634

Henrico City was designated as one of the eight original shires (counties) of Virginia.

1676

Nathaniel Bacon of Curles Neck led western settlers in raids against the Indians and Gov. Berkeley, who favored reconciliation with the Indians. Bacon's sudden death ended the rebellion, and many of his followers were hanged.

1680

Varina was established as a town and became the civil, judicial and ecclesiastical center of Henrico County. The town included the first courthouse and jail, dunking stool, tavern, ferry and racetrack.

1702

The first coal was mined in Henrico at the Richmond Coal Basin.

1771

Henrico Quaker and farmer John Pleasants, Sr. died. His will stated that his slaves be freed at age 30. Some of the freed slaves settled nearby on his son's land to form the Gravelly Hill community, now known as Gravel Hill.

1776

Work first began on Westham Foundry. Ordnance and ammunition production began in February 1779, during the Revolutionary War; heavy artillery production began the following month.

June 12, 1779

The General Assembly voted to move the capital of Virginia from Williamsburg to Richmond, which was still under Henrico jurisdiction.

1782-1784

John Marshall, U.S. Chief Justice from 1801 to 1835, represented Henrico County in the House of Delegates. Marshall owned Chickahominy Farm in Henrico.

1786

Tuckahoe Creek coalfield was first discovered.

August 30, 1800

Gabriel Prosser, a slave on Henrico's Brookfield Plantation owned by Thomas Prosser, planned the largest slave rebellion to date.

1834

The first railroad constructed through Henrico County, known as the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac (RF&P), was chartered.

June 29, 1862

Railroad artillery was first used in warfare in Henrico. A siege gun was mounted on a flatcar behind a shield of rails and pushed by a locomotive. It was used again during the Battle of Savage's Station.

June 1, 1862

Dabbs House in eastern Henrico became General Robert E. Lee's first headquarters as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia.

May 11, 1864

The Battle of Yellow Tavern took place in Western Henrico County. Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded.

September 1864

The Battle of New Market Heights took place in eastern Henrico. The Medal of Honor was awarded to 16 union soldiers for their bravery, 14 were African American.

April 1865

Mayor Mayo of Richmond surrendered the city to Union forces near Tree Hill Plantation in eastern Henrico County.

1870

Henrico County was divided into four townships, which later became districts.

1890

Edmund Sewall Read founded the first streetcar suburb in Highland Springs.

1908

Virginia Estelle Randolph became the nation's first Jeanes Supervising Industrial Teacher; her methods were copied worldwide. Born to former slaves, Randolph opened Mountain Road School in 1892.

October 15, 1927

Byrd Field (Richmond International Airport), named after famous aviator Richard E. Byrd, officially opened. Charles A. Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis for the airport's opening.

1943-1944

During World War II, the U.S. Army took over Byrd Airfield. The 1896th Engineer Aviation Battalion built a decoy airfield near the small town of Elko.

November 26, 1943

The U.S.S. Henrico was commissioned in full. The ship earned three battle stars in World War II, nine battle stars in the Korean War and one campaign star in the Vietnam War.

1956

Willow Lawn Shopping Center opened in Henrico, making it the first shopping center in the Richmond Region.

1958

Singer/songwriter Tommy Edwards of Henrico County released a No. 1 hit, "It's All in the Game."

1962

Construction plans began for the Civil Defense Emergency Operating Center located at Dabbs House.

December 2, 1974

The courthouse at Parham and Hungary Springs roads was dedicated.

March 21, 1981

Judge F. Ballard Baker signed an order declaring the county immune from annexation.

1984

The Board of Supervisors designated the current county seal by Planning Administrator W. B. Wilkins.

December 13, 1988

The Eastern Government Center on Nine Mile Road was dedicated.

October 1, 2008

The U.S. Postal Service officially recognized Henrico, VA as a mailing address.

September 17, 2010

Henrico County opened its first Tourist Information Center.