The Five Regions

This page is designed to give you an idea of how you may want to show off your pictures. It's been put together to show you a sample page along with some pictures that demonstrate the 5 themes of geography.

Can you guess what the theme is here? Coal is the major money maker in this region and the people here are very proud of their coal-mining roots. Coal represents many things in these Appalachian towns. Represented are many themes, from movement, (the coal truck), place, (human and physical characteristics of the town and its mines), humans and environment - coal mining, especially surface (strip) mining can be detrimental to the landscape, and the most obvious, region! It's precisely how and why we even have coal in this area that distinguishes this as a region all to itself.

How's this for a wonderful representation of movement! Yes, movement. You can't see the name real clearly, but it reads, Antonio Cattaruzza. Does that sound like a English name? The Appalachia is a wonderful blend of many people from Germany to Scotland, and many more countries that immigrated into the area to find work and a new beginning. This gravestone also tells you something about Antonio. Perhaps he was a woodcutter and belonged to the Order of Woodcutters. Maybe he didn't have enough money so the Order took care of his burial and headstone. Graveyards can tell you so much about a place!

Virginia's Music Roots extend from the Appalachian Mountains to the shores of Hampton Roads, Did you know that some of the nation's biggest names, like Dave Matthews, Ella Fitzgerald, Roy Clark are all Virginia born? After growing up here, many performed for the first time in front of fellow Virginians. The Ridge and Valley was a perfect backdrop for this concert. See the mountains in the background?

We came across chickens, and where you have chickens you'll find feed mills. The Ridge and Valley Region grows a lot of chickens that all need to be fed, which is why there are feed mills. George's Feed mill is responsible for feeding many of the valley chickens, which in turn, feed a lot of people. The Valley is a great place to raise chickens. There's lots of space, and moving the chickens along the highways make for a way to get the fresh birds to their customers.

As the train climbs the Blue Ridge Mountians one stop you can't miss is Giles County. Here's why....
Giles County, is quietly located in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains of southwest Virginia. With a population of around 16,000, you'll be treated to a relaxed small-town atmosphere. Its relative location is about half way between Blacksburg, VA and Princeton, WV, Giles County is close to a wide variety of shopping and dining opportunities, colleges and interstates 81 and 77. US Route 460 runs through the heart of the county providing easy 4 lane access. Thirty seven miles of the New River flow through the heart of Giles County, and offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities for you adventurous types out there. The County is home to Cascades trail and waterfall, and.....the famous Mountain Lake Resort where Dirty Dancing was filmed!!!

Mabry Mill (at milepost 176 in southern Virginia) is the most photographed spot on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The mill was originally operated by E.B. Mabry from 1910 to 1935.

Miller Edwin B. Mabry, the owner of Mabry Mill, dabbled in moonshine and found that it was necessary to build flumes like the one in the picture. Not only is this a perfect example of movement, but it also says something about human interaction on the environment, as well as the culture of the people.

This is taken from an overlook from the Blue Ridge Parkway. You are looking at the Results of Africa crashing into North America's East Coastline.

The Appalachians are old mountains. Appalachian ranges date back some 480 million years ago which marks the first of several mountain building plate collisions that culminated in the construction of the super continent Pangea, with the Appalachians near the center. Because North America and Africa were connected, the Appalachians forms part of the same mountain chain as the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

The operation of Smith Mountain Dam uses two natural resources, water and coal, through a process known as pumped storage. Water from Smith Mountain Lake goes through turbine generators in the Smith Mountain Dam powerhouse and produces electricity.

Rockbridge County is the home of this beautiful formation, The Natural Bridge. George Washington surveyed the area for Lord Fairfax and Thomas Jefferson purchased from King George III the "rock bridge" for twenty shillings on July 4, 1774 to ensure it was available to the public

The Piedmont Region is located west of Virginia's Fall Line. When traveling through the Piedmont you'll notice it has beautiful rolling hills and valleys. The rivers and streams that cut across the Piedmont have helped to form those hills and valleys. The grassy meadows allows for grazing and the fertile soil is great for raising crops. Lumbering is also an important resource in this region.

The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation is a good place for information farming in the Piedmont. There are some online videos you can watch that address Christmas Tree farming, raising trout, soy beans, the fate of farms in Virginia and more. Click here to go to the Videos. You'll need either Windows Media or Quick Time to watch the show!

Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson in beautiful Charlottesville

Mt. Vernon, Located in Alexandria, home of George Washington, (but you knew that!)

Mclean House, Appomattox Courthouse. The surrender of General Lee's command, the Army of Northern VA.

Stonebridge, Manassas. Many a Yankee and Rebel crossed this famous bridge during the battle of Bull Run.

There are so many places of interest to visit in the Piedmont Region. Our state is full of important historical sites, many of which are located in this region. Each picture tells a story, whether it's movement of troops, architecture of the building, or the great people who lived and visited these places. The human impact on each place is significant. You can see the cultural values if you visit and tour these places.

Tidewater beaches support a unique community of shellfish, insects, and migratory birds. According to the Nature Conservancy, Virginia ranks in the top quarter of states in the diversity of plant and animal species it harbors, eight percent of those species are considered at risk of extinction, according to a new study by The Nature Conservancy.

Hampton Roads is the home of the 3rd largest Port on the East Coast and 8th in the world. Why? Movement, Location, Region, and of course, you can't ignore what it does to the community!

Just north of Virginia Beach, at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, both the old and newer Cape Henry Lights can be seen. In the 1870's, cracks began to appear in the sandstone of the original light, so a second tower was built, but this time of cast iron. In 1881 the first-order fresnel lense of the new Cape Henry Light was turned on, and it is still active today.

For over 300 years, Assateague Island, Virginia, has been home to the many wild ponies that roam the beaches. No one knows how the "ponies" got on the island, but one myth says that they are descendants of mustangs that swam there from a shipwrecked Spanish galleon (a large sailing ship). The island is one continuous, gently curving barrier to the waves and wind of the Atlantic Ocean. The Assateague Island we know today is still a natural barrier island. It's also over a quarter of a mile farther inland than it was in 1866. The island has re-created itself in a different place.

When the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel opened on April 15, 1964, the Bridge-Tunnel was selected "One of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World" in a worldwide competition that included more than one hundred major projects. In this picture you can see movement, location, humans and environment, region.

Starting in spring each year, sun lovers flock to Virginia Beach to vacation along the Atlantic Ocean. There is a 3-mile area along the city's oceanfront Boardwalk to pull up your towel. You won't be alone, there are numerous hotels and restaurants overlook the beach.

The Coastal Plain consists of beaches, saltwater and brackish marshes, freshwater swamps, and forests. This region is the southernmost extent of many northern species and the most northerly limit of many southern plants and animals. It's also the site of the first settlement, Jamestown.