The Piedmont of Virginia is a long swath of country extending from the North Carolina border up to the Potomac River. It is a varied region that includes sparsely-settled rural counties evocative of the Old South, the state capital of Richmond, and the important cultural center of Charlottesville. Southside Virginia--the part of the Piedmont that is south of the James River--was long famed mostly for its production of tobacco and textiles. Both industries have suffered in the recent past, and have yet to be adequately replaced. However, the combination of low cost of living and equable climate have made this area consistently among the most highly-rated retirement regions in America. Among the major communities are Danville (briefly the last capital of the Confederacy) and Lynchburg. Richmond is one of the largest cities in Virginia, and one of the most historically significant cities in the entire country. It not only served as the Confederate capital for four years, but also was one of the cradles of the independence movement in colonial America. Today, it is a thriving, modern community which still retains a solid core of antebellum gentility. Charlottesville, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is irrevocably associated with the memory of Thomas Jefferson, who helped found the University of Virginia here, and designed the early campus. Charlottesville itself is a small city with a quality of life so desirable that in 2004 it was named the best place to live in the entire United States. [Less...]