What happened to Virginia on the Waltons? Here's the truth behind her disappearance

Although many millennials and gen-z’s might not be aware of this, The Waltons was one of the most popular American drama series in the 70s. Helmed by Earl Hamner, the show was based on the 1961 book Spencer's Mountain. It had an extremely successful run for nine seasons, and along the course of this time, fans of the show developed a deep connection with the characters. Lately, many fans on Twitter have been reminiscing to the good old days when The Waltons used to air on TV. However, even though the show ended in 1981, it is still unclear what happened to Virginia on The Waltons.

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What happened to Virginia on The Waltons?

Fans of the show, who often choose to reminisce upon its characters and story, will remember that Virginia Walton was not introduced to them until Season 8, in the episode titled The Idol, which is set in the year 1944. She was the first and only daughter of Ben Walton (John Boy’s younger brother), and his wife, Cindy. Virginia Walton was only ever depicted on screen as a baby (in the show’s final two seasons) and a toddler in the 1982 reunion special Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain. However, fans came to know that she had died at the age of 17, int he fourth TV film, A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion. It was never clearly mentioned what had caused young Virginia’s demise on the show. However, this did not stop shocked fans from speculating.

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How did Virginia Walton die?

According to a report in Distractify, one of the most popular theories about Virginia’s demise claims that the young girl died by drowning. However, there is no way of knowing, what happened to her, for sure, as it was never stated on the camera. The fourth Waltons film is set in 1963. During the course of the film, it was revealed that it had been two years since Virginia had passed away, meaning that she died in 1961.

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The Waltons: About the iconic show

The Waltons is a heartwarming series about a family in rural Virginia, who is trying to survive during the Great Depression and World War II. The main story is set in Walton's Mountain, a fictional mountain-area community in fictitious Jefferson County, Virginia. The time period covered in the series spans from 1933 to 1946, during the Great Depression and World War II. During this time the US presidential administrations of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S Truman were in office.

The story is about the family of a man named John Walton Jr. (known as John-Boy) and his six siblings, his parents John and Olivia Walton, and the paternal grandparents Zeb and Esther Walton. John-Boy who is the oldest of the children becomes a journalist and novelist. Hence, each episode is narrated at the opening and closing by a middle-aged John Jr.  

Image Source: CBS (Official Website)