By Debi Lander
mail@floridanewsline.com
For decades, historians believed that the 1607 English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia, lay underwater in the James River. Jamestown is considered the first permanent English settlement in the Americas, although Floridians know that Spaniards settled St. Augustine in 1565.
In 1994, under the leadership of Dr. William Kelso, Jamestown Rediscovery, an archeological dig was launched in hopes of locating the assumed lost fort. Within three archeological seasons, Kelso and his team uncovered enough evidence to prove the remains of James Fort existed on dry land. Better yet, the search led them near the remains of the 17th-century church tower and to the graves of four founders.
This discovery became exciting news about America’s birthplace and renewed interest in the Jamestown story. Today, visitors to the Historic Jamestown Settlement begin their experience at the state-of-the-art visitor center. I was immediately impressed with the museum’s size, scope, and elaborate interactive displays. A 4-D film provides an overview of Jamestown’s beginnings. Depending on your interest, you’ll need at least 30 minutes, while those wanting to learn more could spend several hours.
After you tour the museum, head outside to see the recreated Paspahegh town or Powhatan Indian Village. This area reflects the typical daily life of the Virginia tribe. Within the wooded clearing, see reed-covered houses dotted with cooking circles, dugout canoe, and a ceremonial circle. Learn about the culture of the Indigenous people from costumed interpreters. Personalities like Captain John Smith, John Rolfe, Powhatan, and Pocahontas lived here.
The Indian reserve leads down to the river’s edge, where docked replicas of the ships, the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery await. Take the time to go aboard and imagine how the original 104 voyagers spent their cramped days and nights aboard the vessels.
Another walkway leads to the reconstructed triangular-shaped James Fort, which encloses multiple wooden buildings and offers more costumed interpreters. Life within the fort wasn’t easy, but here, free, enslaved, and indentured people mixed during their struggles with early colonization.
To complete the tour, visitors must drive a short distance to Jamestowne Island, a National Park Historic landmark and site of exciting ongoing archeological digs. There, you’ll find an outline of the original fort, a statue of John Smith near the shoreline, and likely working archeologists. The Archaearium Museum showcases relics from the 1607 – 1624 Virginia Company period.
You’ll also see the site of the original 1608 church, named one of 2010’s 10 most significant archaeological discoveries in the world by Archaeology Magazine. The church was where Chief Powhatan’s daughter Pocahontas married John Rolfe on April 5, 1614.
A well-known episode involving Pocahontas occurred in 1607 when she reportedly intervened to save the life of Captain John Smith. According to Smith’s account, when captured by Powhatan’s forces, Pocahontas, then around 10 years old, pleaded with her father to spare Smith’s life. While historians debate the story, she is credited for providing diplomacy and understanding.
In 1619, the church was the site of an important and historic series of meetings: those of the first elected legislative body in America, the Virginia General Assembly. Unfortunately, the church burned during Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676. Repairs were made, and the church continued to serve until approximately 1750. Today, the site includes the remains of the 17th-century tower. While 10 feet of its height and the original nave were lost, preservation groups stepped in. They erected a new church for the settlement’s 300th anniversary with glass panels to see the original foundations.
To learn more about colonial America, visit all three sites within Virginia’s Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Yorktown, and Colonial Williamsburg. Online: HistoricJamestowne.org or jyfmuseums.org
Visit www.bylandersea.com to read more of local travel writer Debi Lander’s stories and travel tips.
Photo courtesy Debi Lander
Aboard the Susan Constant.
