Friday, January 2, 2026 Good Morning! On this day in 1941, Gov. James H. Price established the Virginia Protective Force. Members donned blue-gray wool uniforms, stitched by prisoners, and carried surplus M-1917 Enfield rifles. The force filled the role of the Virginia National Guard when it was called to federal service. Virginia’s cars will sport […]

Thursday, January 1, 2026 Good Morning! On this day in 1959, the Pilgrimage of Prayer was held in Richmond to protest racial segregation. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote about the event: “Virginia, in this critical hour, has the opportunity to give direction and destiny to our troubled South. As Virginia goes, so goes the […]

Wednesday, December 31, 2025 Good Morning! On this day in 1862, Congress passed an act to admit West Virginia as the newest state of the United States, on the condition that it would make certain changes to its draft constitution. West Virginia joined the Union as the 35th state in June of 1863.  Readers were evenly divided on […]

Tuesday, December 30, 2025 Good Morning! On this day in 1842, Josiah Thomas Walls was born into slavery in Winchester. He was the first black man elected to Congress from Florida and served three terms from 1871 to 1876. The Virginia Flyover recently asked whether readers would be willing or able to give up their […]

Monday, December 29, 2025 Good Morning! On this day in 1863, the Educational Association of Virginia was founded during a statewide meeting in Petersburg. The organization said its mission would be: “By all suitable means, to promote the educational welfare of Virginia and of the whole country.” Be careful outside today. Parts of Virginia are […]

Thursday, December 25, 2025 Good Morning and Merry Christmas! On this day in 1606, the Jamestown settlers celebrated Christmas on the Atlantic aboard their small ships. They wouldn’t reach Jamestown until May and would celebrate their first Christmas together that year. This is a shortened holiday edition of The Virginia Flyover. Today is the one […]

Wednesday, December 24, 2025 Good Morning and Merry Christmas! On this day in 1700, Gov. Francis Nicholson adjourned the House of Burgesses on Christmas Eve, telling members to reconvene at 8 a.m. on Dec. 26. This was unusual in those days, as policymakers were often expected to work through the holiday. Welcome to an abbreviated […]

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Good Morning! On this day in 1762, the Virginia General Assembly gave charters to the towns of Romney and Shepherdstown. Both are now in West Virginia. As Christmas Day approaches, the Virginia Department of Transportation is making it easier to get around. VDOT will lift temporary lane closures on major roads […]

Monday, December 22, 2025 Good Morning! On this day in 2018, the federal government shut down after Congress couldn’t agree on a budget. The shutdown left many Virginians working without pay and eventually ended on January 25, 2019. It was the longest such event until this year’s shutdown, which stretched 43 days. Northern Virginia residents […]

Friday, December 19, 2025 Good Morning! On this day in 1777, Gen. George Washington led his men into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to remain close enough to threaten Philadelphia, which was under British control, without actively engaging the enemy. Virginia recently earned a dubious honor. According to Google Trends data, we supposedly live […]