_POPULATION_ of approximately 360,000 in the metropolitan area with an
average increase 7,000 per year since 1940.
_INDUSTRIAL RANK_ of 5th in the nation in relative gain in net value of
manufactured products from 1929 to 1947.
_CIGARETTE CAPITAL_ of the Nation, with annual output of more than 110
billion cigarettes—enough to reach the moon and back 10 times, or
encircle the earth 180 times.
_PRINCIPAL INDUSTRIES_ in order of employment rank: cigarettes and other
tobacco products, chemical products including rayon and cellophane, food
and kindred products, furniture and wood products, metals and metal
products, apparel and textile products, paper and paper products,
printing and publishing.
_TRADE CENTER_ of the South Atlantic region, ranking 35th in retail
sales, 29th in wholesale sales, among principal cities of the Nation.
_FINANCIAL CENTER_ and headquarters of the 5th Federal Reserve District;
11 other banks and trust companies; home office of 32 insurance
companies.
_TRANSPORTATION GATEWAY_ with 6 trunk-line railroads, 5 air lines, 6
inter-city bus lines, 50 motor freight carriers, and water freight
service on the James River.
_BALANCED ECONOMY_ with employment widely diversified and strong
consumer goods industries result in unusual economic stability and
resistance to fluctuations in the national business cycle.
_RECREATIONAL:_ 1 public and 5 private golf courses, 30 theatres, a
stadium for athletics, municipal swimming pool, a Civic Center for
opera, large conventions, etc., seating 5,000; 18 parks and 43
playgrounds.
_CLIMATE:_ Equable climate with average temperature, 57.9 degrees F.;
mean annual rainfall, 42.02 inches.
_EDUCATIONAL:_ University of Richmond, Medical College of Virginia,
Richmond Professional Institute of College of William and Mary, Union
Theological Seminary, Presbyterian Training School, Virginia Union
University (Colored), 16 private and 14 parochial schools, 4 business
colleges, 52 public school buildings, state and municipal libraries,
numerous museums, etc.
_MEDICAL CENTER:_ Institutions and specialists of wide renown. Medical
College of Virginia—with schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and
nursing; 17 hospitals with 3,527 beds.