1. Virginia was founded on August 13, 1607
On this day, the Virginia Company of London established the first permanent English settlement in North America. The settlement was founded at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and was named Jamestown in honor of King James I.

2. Civil War Battle of Kelley’s Island
On August 13, 1861, Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee defeated Union forces in the Battle of Kelley’s Island near Newport News, Virginia. This victory helped the Confederacy secure control of the Virginia Peninsula.

3. Virginia Tech Shooting
On August 13, 2007, a gunman opened fire at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia. The shooting left 32 people dead and 17 others injured, making it the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history at the time.

4. Virginia becomes a Right to Work State
On August 13, 1947, Virginia became the first Southern state to pass a “right-to-work” law. The law prohibited union contracts from requiring workers to become union members in order to be employed.

5. Virginia declares State of Emergency due to Hurricane Charley
On August 13, 2004, Governor Mark Warner declared a state of emergency in Virginia as Hurricane Charley approached. Although the storm did not make a direct hit on Virginia, it caused flooding, power outages, and other damage throughout the state.