Chesterfield, VA

Chesterfield is a town located in Henrico County, Virginia, United States. The population was 10,868 at the 2010 census. Chesterfield is home to the world's largest collection of Thomas Jefferson memorabilia and Monticello.

The land that would become Chesterfield was first settled in 1654 by English colonists who named it after the city of Chester in Cheshire, England. The town was chartered on February 2, 1728 and incorporated as a town on March 1, 1802.

In 1749, General Edward Braddock led an ill-fated attack against the French at Fort Duquesne near present-day Pittsburgh. After being routed by the French forces, Braddock and his troops retreated to Chesterfield for refuge. There they were met by local dignitaries who offered them food and shelter. As a result of this encounter, Chesterfield became known as "the town that saved Washington".

The early economy of Chesterfield was based largely on tobacco cultivation and slave labor. However, with the onset of the American Revolution in 1775, trade began to decline as British merchants closed their businesses in Virginia. This decline was further exacerbated by the Embargo Act of 1807 which caused a sharp decrease in tobacco exports to Europe. By 1800, tobacco cultivation had all but ceased and most residents had turned to other forms of agriculture or commerce.

With railroads now available throughout Virginia (and America), new economic opportunities began to emerge in Chesterfield during the late 19th century. Textile mills were established along the James River; however these businesses eventually went out of business due to competition from overseas manufacturers. Other new businesses included furniture factories; however these too eventually succumbed to foreign imports or technological advances that made traditional manufacturing methods obsolete。 In recent years there has been renewed interest in commercial real estate development within Chesterfield due its proximity to Richmond (just 30 minutes away) as well as its large population base (over 50% growth since 2000).