1. In 1862, the Battle of Hampton Roads took place during the American Civil War. This naval battle between the ironclads USS Monitor and CSS Virginia was the first of its kind and has been credited with revolutionizing maritime warfare.

2. In 1926, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Racial Integrity Act, which defined who could be classified as "white" through a complex set of rules and regulations. This law effectively prohibited interracial marriage and led to widespread discrimination against people of color in Virginia.

3. In 1933, the Virginia State Board of Health approved the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic highway that would stretch 469 miles through the Appalachian Mountains. The project was funded by the federal government and remains a popular tourist attraction today.

4. In 1966, a major winter storm swept through Virginia, dumping up to 30 inches of snow in some areas and causing widespread power outages and transportation disruptions. The storm is remembered as one of the worst to hit the state in the 20th century.

5. In 2013, the Virginia Senate passed a landmark transportation funding bill that included new taxes on gasoline and a higher sales tax in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. The bill was designed to address the state's growing transportation infrastructure needs and was supported by both Democrats and Republicans.