James (river, Virginia)

James (river, Virginia), longest river in Virginia, formed at Iron Gate, western Virginia, by the union of the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers. It flows generally southeast to Lynchburg, then northeast to Scottsville, in central Virginia, where it turns southeast passing Richmond. Below Richmond, the river generally widens into Hampton Roads, the estuary through which it flows to empty into the Chesapeake Bay. The James River is navigable to Richmond by larger vessels. The total length of the river is 550 km (340 mi). The falls at Richmond furnish abundant waterpower for the industries of the city. Tributaries of the James include the Appomattox and the Rivanna rivers. Jamestown, which was the first permanent English settlement in America, was founded on the banks of the James River in 1607.