Historic Jamestowne, VA (7-15-16)
Read MoreFirst Landing @ Cape Henry
This cross commemorates the wooden one erected by the colonists upon their arrival in the New World. The inscription reads:
"HERE AT CAPE HENRY FIRST LANDED IN AMERICA, UPON 26 APRIL 1607, THOSE ENGLISH COLONIST WHO, UPON 13 MAY 1607, ESTABLISHED AT JAMESTOWN VIRGINIA, THE FIRST PERMANENT ENGLISH SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA." #1 -- Governor Yeardley's Lot (ca. 1620)
Directly behind the visitor center is the former lot where the home of Governor George Yeardley stood. Yeardley arrived at Jamestown in 1610. He served locally as Captain of the Guard and Lieutenant Governor before being appointed Governor of Virginia in 1618. On this seven-and-a-half acre lot lived Yeardley and his family of five, along with 24 servants...
3 -- Pocahontas Statue
Only twelve when the colonists first landed at Jamestown. Young Pocahontas was a frequent visitor to the settlement and became good friends with John Smith. Later she married an Englishman named John Rolfe and even traveled back to England with him in 1616. Unfortunately, she never made it back to Virginia. She died on the return voyage in 1617 at age 22. Though her life wasn't quite like Disney has portrayed it, Pocahontas' role in maintaining positive relations between the colonists and the native tribes in those crucial early years cannot be understated...
5 -- James Fort (ca. 1607) - Interior
Shortly after the colonists chose the spot they wanted to settle they soon set about building a simple fort to provide protection from the natives. The walls were, understandably, built first. It was a simple, triangular design with three rounded bulwarks at each corner. Within the walls were then built storehouses, barracks, private homes, and a church. One thought lost to the ravages of nature, the fort was re-discovered in 1994 and much of what is seen here today is the result of work since then.
5 -- James Fort (ca. 1607)
A model representation of what the 1607 James Fort looked like based on archaeological evidence. The diagonal brown line cutting through the middle is the shoreline of the present-day James River. You can see, then, that most of the original fort structures have been preserved...
5 -- James Fort (ca. 1607) - Burials
The summer of 1607 took a brutal toll on the newly arrived Jamestown settlers. Of the 104 people that landed in April only 38 remained by the end of the season. To hide the fact that their numbers were dwindling from the natives (which might encourage attack) the dead were interred within the fort walls. Simple crosses mark the spots where these earliest settlers were buried...
5 -- James Fort (ca. 1607) - Burials
The summer of 1607 took a brutal toll on the newly arrived Jamestown settlers. Of the 104 people that landed in April only 38 remained by the end of the season. To hide the fact that their numbers were dwindling from the natives (which might encourage attack) the dead were interred within the fort walls. Simple crosses mark the spots where these earliest settlers were buried...
6 -- James Fort (ca. 1607) - John Smith Statue
Though only a resident of Jamestown from 1607-1609, perhaps no other single person was more instrumental in the success of the colony than John Smith. Elected upon arrival to the governing council of the town, his strict "he who shall not work, shall not eat" policy is an example of the strong leadership that the colonists needed in those first trying years...
5 -- James Fort (ca. 1607) - The Barracks
This large wooden structure was constructed along the southern wall of the fort and was home to soldiers and workers in the fort. It had a large central chimney and a cellar which, over the years, collected a lot of 'trash' which archaeologists would later find very useful in their study of the site...
5 -- James Fort (ca. 1607) - The Barracks
This large wooden structure was constructed along the southern wall of the fort and was home to soldiers and workers in the fort. It had a large central chimney and a cellar which, over the years, collected a lot of 'trash' which archaeologists would later find very useful in their study of the site...
Fort Pocahontas (ca. 1861)
This high grassy berm marks the remains of a Confederate Civil War earthwork constructed here in 1861. One of five such forts on Jamestown Island alone, this one was named Fort Pocahontas. It displayed 18 guns and was intended to protect shipping traveling up the James River to Richmond. Its guns also helped test the strength of ironclad vessels before sending them out into battle. The fort was abandoned in May of 1862 without a fight...
8 -- The Statehouse Complex (ca. 1663)
These reconstructed brick 'foundations' mark the now-buried outline of the first purpose-built legislative building in America. Up until 1663 Virginia government officials would meet in other large structures of the community, such as the church. As Jamestown and the colony grew it was decided that a dedicated government building was necessary and, thus, the Statehouse was built. It had a very short life span however. In 1699 it was decided to move the capitol of the colony to nearby Williamsburg and the Statehouse was abandoned...
9 -- Voorhees Archaearium
As one of the most significant archaeological sites in the United States, it makes sense that a seperate museum has been constructed to depict all the work that has gone on here. Inside are thousands of artifacts recovered from the site and many informative displays which explain the meticulous process through which each are recovered...
The Greate Road (ca. pre-1607-1700's)
Looking towards New Towne along the Greate Road. It lies along a Paspahegh Indian trail which pre-dated the Jamestown landing. The new settlers soon adopted it as the main thoroughfare from the island to points inland. Eventually to Williamsburg. Heavy wagon traffic widened the road to 30-feet in places and in a couple spots between Jamestown and Williamsburg evidence of the road remains to this day...
The Greate Road (ca. pre-1607-1700's)
Looking towards the 1607 James Fort and Memorial Church along the Greate Road. It lies along a Paspahegh Indian trail which pre-dated the Jamestown landing. The new settlers soon adopted it as the main thoroughfare from the island to points inland. Eventually to Williamsburg. Heavy wagon traffic widened the road to 30-feet in places and in a couple spots between Jamestown and Williamsburg evidence of the road remains to this day...
10 -- Warehouse Site (ca. 1638-1699)
By the late 17th Century numerous warehouse stood shoulder-to-shoulder along the Jamestown riverfront. One such warehouse stood here. It was built by one William Parry and later sold to John Bland II. These important buildings housed both outgoing and incoming cargo for the growing colony...
New Towne
By 1623 residents of Jamestown had spread out beyond the walls of the 1607 fort. A townsite was plotted out to the east of the fort along the river. It consisted of two parallel streets lined with both residential and commercial structures. By 1624 some 183 people resided in this 'new towne' which was quickly named James City. James City grew signifigantly over the next 50 years but came to an abrupt end in 1676. In that year, during what is now known as 'Bacon's Rebellion' James City was burned to the ground. An attempt was made to rebuild it but it never fully recovered. Finally, when the Statehouse was moved to Williamsburg in 1699, James City all but ceased to exist...
Dave Kathy Weemhoff
on September 14, 2016Fantastic visual - factual historical reminders of our past!