Petersburg

Petersburg is an independent city on the Appomattox River in the state of Virginia, located about 23 miles (37 km) south of Richmond. The city spreads over several hills, with the downtown area near the river and residential neighborhoods extending toward higher ground.

The settlement began in the 1730s as a trading post along the river and received its town charter in 1748. Between 1864 and 1865, one of the longest sieges of the American Civil War took place here, eventually leading to the Confederate retreat.

The name comes from Peter Jones, an early landowner along the Appomattox River whose property became a settlement around 1733. Visitors can walk the streets of the old downtown and see how many homes and commercial buildings are made of brick, showing the craft traditions of two centuries.

The city is accessible from several interstate highways that run north and south, with the downtown area reachable in a few minutes from the junction. Visitors find free parking along many streets in the historic district, from where they can continue on foot.

Pocahontas Island, a small river island within the city limits, was among the first free Black communities in the Southern United States and remains a residential area today. Many of the wooden houses date back to the 19th century and stand right on the water.

Location: Virginia

Inception: December 17, 1748

Elevation above the sea: 40 m

Shares border with: Colonial Heights, Chesterfield County, Dinwiddie County, Prince George County

Website: http://petersburg-va.org

GPS coordinates: 37.21295,-77.40042

Latest update: December 15, 2025 00:22