The City of Petersburg, Virginia, is a historic city committed to providing excellent service and fostering community pride. Petersburg is roughly 25 miles south of Richmond, the state capital, in central-eastern Virginia. The community is ideally placed on the Appomattox River's fall line. In 1748, the city obtained its charter, and in 1850, it was designated as a city. Petersburg was the home of Fort Henry during the colonial period, and it served as a hub for transportation and commerce. Petersburg became a key transfer station when the railroad grew in the 1830s. During the Civil War, the city was also crucial to Union ambitions to conquer Richmond. Fort Lee and the United States Army's Sustainment Center of Excellence is now located in Petersburg.
