Travel the Path Less Trodden: Spotlight: Virginia

Spotlight: Jamestown was the first permanent English colony in the Americas. It was established on May 14, 1607 as James Fort by the Virginia Company of London. Although the Paspahegh Tribe initially welcomed the settlers and saved the colony from starvation, relations soon deteriorated into warfare. During the "Starving Time" (1609-1610), about 80% of the colonists perished, which led to the temporary abandonment of the settlement. It was quickly resettled after the arrival of a relief fleet on June 10, 1610 - celebrated as the Day of Providence. However, the arrival of the fleet led to renewed conflict between the settlers and the natives. It wasn't until the English captured Chief Wahunsenacawh's daughter, Pocahontas, that a peace treaty was finally signed. Pocahontas eventually married one of the English settlers, John Rolfe, helping solidify the uneasy peace between the settlers and the natives. Unfortunately, Pocahontas became sick on a goodwill trip to England, and died soon after. When her father also passed away, leadership of the tribe fell upon her brother, Chief Opechancanough. For more than two decades, he sought to expel the English from the Powhatan lands. He was eventually captured and killed, leading the the decline and eventual demise of the Powhatan Nation. Jamestown served as the capital of Virginia from 1616-1699, at which time the capital was transferred to Williamsburg.
Today, Jamestown forms one corner of what is known as the Historical Triangle (together with Williamsburg and Yorktown) and is comprised of two parts. Historic Jamestowne is an archaeological site on the island where the settlement actually existed, and is co-run by the National Parks System as part of the Colonial National Historical Park. Jamestown Settlement is a living history interpretive site operated by the Jamestown Yorktown Foundation.

Location: Historic Jamestowne is located at 1368 Colonial Pkwy on Jamestown Island on the shores of the James River about 50+ miles southeast of Richmond.

Cost: Historic Jamestowne: $14/adult (only $5 for NPS/PV passholders); active military, access pass holders, and children under 15 are free. A 4-site ticket to Historic Jamestowne, Jamestown Settlement, Yorktown Battlefield and Yorktown Victory Center: $37/adult, $25/youth (13-15), and $14/child (6-12).

Time: Historic Jamestowne is open from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm daily.

Description: Historic Jamestowne is principally an ongoing archaeological site. The Visitor Center shows an immersive “theater in the round” orientation film and exhibits galleries highlighting the history of Jamestown Island from prehistoric times to the present, stretching back 15,000 years. A giant map features “The Atlantic World in 1607.” Of the nearly 2 million artifacts uncovered by National Park Service archaeologists working at Jamestown since 1930's, over 1,000 are on display in the Visitor Center. The artifacts and accompanying exhibit texts relate information about the contributions made by the three major cultures that created the Jamestown story: Virginia Indian, European, and African. This gallery helps tell the story of Jamestown’s growth into James City in the decades after the fort was dismantled.

The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities conducted archaeology around the old church foundations and reconstructed a church in time for the 300th anniversary of the settlement. The 1907 Memorial Church was designed by Boston architects Edmund Wheelwright and Ralph Adams Cram. The church was modeled after St. Luke’s Church in Smithfield and used bricks from two old buildings in Hampton, VA. Glass panels in the floor allow visitors to see the brick foundations of the 17th-century churches, including the one in which the colonists met in 1619 for the first representative assembly in English North America. The Memorial Church is adjacent to but not directly connected to the 17th-century tower. It was officially dedicated on May 13, 1908.

glassed view of original foundations

The Voorhees Archaearium Archaeology Museum displays more than 4,000 artifacts from the colony. Most of the displays focus on the colony's early years - particularly 1607-1624, but at least one display is dedicated to recent discoveries. Visitors learn how these artifacts were uncovered, including archaeological techniques and tools.
New Towne is the residential area that developed eastward of James Fort. It was the heart of the new colony and grew quickly, eventually becoming known as James Cittie. When the NPS took possession of the area, their archaeological efforts focused on this area. Brick walls mark the original foundations, and visitors can explore the ruins of the Ambler House which still remain centuries later.
Daily programs include "Archaeology in Action!" (ongoing - periodically during morning and afternoon hours) and the James Fort Education Walking Tour (11:00 am - noon daily & 2:00 - 3:00 on weekends). During the summer, they do a glassblowing exhibition which is absolutely fascinating.

archeologists in action

Rating: 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - Historic Jamestowne and Jamestown Settlement are two different sites run by two different groups. Tickets to each site are sold separately, but joint tickets are available.
- Historic Jamestowne is closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.
- The glassblowers have a shop where you can buy some of their products. My wife absolutely loves some of the pieces she purchased there.