Most people have heard of or visited cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia like Alexandria, Richmond, Roanoke, and Williamsburg. But very few know much about Lynchburg, a city bursting with charm and history. Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or the "Hill City." Lynchburg was established by charter in 1786 at the site of Lynch's Ferry on the James River. It became a major hub of commerce and manufacturing in the 19th century, and by the 1850s, Lynchburg was one of the richest towns per capita in the U.S., with tobacco, iron, and steel among its chief industries. From April 6-10, 1865, Lynchburg served as the Capital of Virginia. A Confederate supply base during the Civil War, it was the site of the Battle of Lynchburg, where the Confederates managed to repulse a Union attempt to capture the city. Moreover, Lynchburg holds the distinction of being the ...

On November 19, 1863, at the dedication of a military cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln delivered what's considered one of the most memorable speeches in American history. In fewer than 300 words, Lincoln articulated why the Union was engaged in the bloody conflict and what was at stake if the North didn't come out victorious. The Battle of Gettysburg, fought roughly four months earlier, was the single bloodiest battle of the Civil War. More than 45,000 men were killed, injured, captured or went missing over the course of three days. The battle also proved to be the key turning point of the war: General Robert E. Lee’s defeat and retreat from Gettysburg signaled the last Confederate invasion of Northern territory and the beginning of the end for the Confederates. An attorney named David Wills bought 17 acres of pasture to turn into a cemetery for the more than 7,500 who died. Wills invited Edward Everett, one of t...