At the west end of the Colonial Parkway is Jamestown, the oldest British settlement on North American soil. It was established on Jamestown Island on May 13th 1607 by Captain John Smith. Not much is left of the original settlement apart from the foundations of the church tower (1639), the churchyard (probably the oldest British churchyard in North America) and the outlines of a few other buildings.
In the Jamestown Settlement are a re-creation of a Powhatan Indian village and replicas of the three ships that brought the settlers from England.
A memorial stone commemorates Pocahontas (c. 1595-1617), the daughter of an Indian chief who married John Rolfe and contributed to the reconciliation between Indians and Europeans. There is also a very interesting reconstruction of a 17th c. glassblower's workshop, in which glasses are made on old models.
The settlement was built in 1957 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Jamestown's founding. An indoor museum and three exhibition galleries focus on the conditions that that led to England's colonizing the New World, the history and culture of the Powhatan Indians and Jamestown over the first 100 years.
Hours:
June 15 to August 15: 9am-6pm
August 16 to June 14: 9am-5pm
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
The historic vessels, Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery landed in Virginia in 1607, and the occupants would go on to build America's first permanent English colony. Today replicas of these three ships can be found docked at Jamestown, next to the National Historic Site.
Crow's nest through the rigging of one of the ships at Jamestown, Virginia.
This shrine is dedicated to the memory of the Reverend Robert Hunt (1568-1608), the first Anglican minister of the colony. It commemorates the earliest celebration of the Holy Communion in 1607.
The Powhatan Indian village has costumed interpreters that demonstrate the Powhatan way of life. The village, consisting of several dwellings', a garden and a ceremonial dance circle. Based on eyewitness drawings made of coastal Indians by John White, an Englishman involved in an unsuccessful attempt to colonize Virginia about 20 years before Jamestown, and on archaeological findings.
Triangular James Fort is a re-creation of the one constructed by the Jamestown colonists on their arrival in 1607. The structures with thatched roofs represent Jamestown's earliest buildings, including homes, a church, a store- house and an armory.
The center offers information and literature to visitors and features models, dioramas, paintings, and other objects that have been found during archeological excavations of the Jamestown settlement.
Hours:
9am-5pm
Always closed on: Christmas - Christian (December 25)
New Towne located in Jamestown is part of Colonial National Historical Park. Although none of the original buildings are still standing, the foundations are still in place. On a .5 mile walk each of the foundations is marked by a historical plaque detailing what was once on that spot.
The Old Church Tower in Jamestown is a landmark structure. The tower is visible from various points throughout Jamestown. Visitors can walk into the base and see the width of the extensive walls in this historic building.
John Smith was a traveler and soldier. He was named to the first Council in May, 1607. He learned the Indians' language and became the colony's principal Indian trader. He became Virginia's most effective propagandist and historian. The statue by William Couper was erected in 1909.
The statue of Pocahontas is located in Jamestown. The beautiful work by William Ordway Partridge is set in a pleasant surrounding and was erected in 1922 in the Old Town area of the city. Pocahontas was a key player in keeping the relations between the Indians and the settlers orderly through her marriage and conversion to Christianity. Pocahontas is actually buried in England at St George's Church.
Located in Colonial National Park in Jamestown, the Tercentenary Monument is a large obelisk. The Tercentenary Monument was erected in 1907 to mark the 300th anniversary of Jamestown. The monument is 103 feet high and is located on the banks of the river. Inscribed upon the monument are important dates in the settling of Jamestown and relevant to the history of the United States.
Old desk in the House of Burgesses Monument in Jamestown.
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Tercentenary Monument / House of Burgesses Monument, Jamestown
Discovery, Godspeed and Susan Constant, Jamestown
Jamestown
