1. On July 6, 1854, the first locomotive built entirely in the United States, the Rhode Island Steam Engine, made its first operational run on the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad in Virginia. The engine was designed by James Pease of Providence, Rhode Island, and its success helped to establish American locomotive manufacturing as a major industry.

2. On July 6, 1863, during the American Civil War, the Battle of Middleburg was fought near Middleburg, Virginia. Confederate forces under Brigadier General John R. Chambliss Jr. clashed with Union cavalry led by Brigadier General Alfred Pleasonton. The battle was part of the Gettysburg Campaign and ended in a Confederate victory, though at a high cost in terms of casualties.

3. On July 6, 1919, the first transatlantic flight was completed when British aviators Sir John Alcock and Sir Arthur Whitten Brown landed their Vickers Vimy biplane in a bog near Clifden, County Galway, Ireland. The flight had originated in St. John's, Newfoundland, and covered a distance of approximately 1,890 miles in just over 16 hours. The flight refueled in Nova Scotia, Canada before crossing the Atlantic.

4. On July 6, 1957, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) began issuing the state's first driver's licenses. Previously, Virginia drivers were required to obtain a permit from a local court or law enforcement officer. The new system included written and driving tests and helped to establish consistent standards for drivers across the state.

5. On July 6, 2016, the Virginia State Corporation Commission approved Dominion Virginia Power's proposal to build a new 1,588-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant in Greensville County. The $1.3 billion facility, known as the Greensville County Power Station, began operating in 2018 and is expected to supply electricity to more than 400,000 homes in Virginia and North Carolina.