1. In 1761, Virginia Gazette reported that an elaborate ball was held at the Capitol in Williamsburg to celebrate the birthday of King George III. The event was attended by the governor, council, and many prominent citizens of the colony.

2. On May 22, 1861, the Confederate Congress passed a bill authorizing the seizure of property belonging to Union sympathizers in Virginia. This was one of many measures enacted during the early stages of the Civil War to consolidate Confederate control over the state.

3. In 1924, a tornado struck the town of Hillsville, Virginia, killing 10 people and injuring dozens more. The storm caused significant damage throughout the town, including the destruction of several churches and schools.

4. On May 22, 1937, the American landmark known as Natural Bridge was purchased by the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Natural Bridge, a geological formation spanning a limestone gorge, has been an important site for tourism and recreation in the state for centuries.

5. In 1970, Virginia governor Mills E. Godwin Jr. signed a bill allowing the state to purchase land for the creation of the Virginia Capital Trail. The trail, which stretches more than 50 miles from Williamsburg to Richmond, offers walkers and cyclists a scenic route through historic Virginia.