While we were in Williamsburg, we also visited Jamestowne which dates back to 1607 as the first permanent English settlement in America. Unfortunately, G's knee was really bothering him after a full day at Colonial Williamsburg, and he could barely walk, so we had to limit our time here. We had to forgo Yorktown altogether.
We decided to pass over the original site of Jamestowne where archaeologists are still uncovering foundations and artifacts and decided to explore the Jamestowne Settlement which is a living history museum.
In 1607, 13 years before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts, a group of 104 English men and boys began a settlement on the banks of Virginia's James River. They were sponsored by the Virginia Company of London, whose stockholders hoped to make a profit from the resources of the New World. The community suffered terrible hardships in its early years, but managed to endure, earning the distinction of being America's first permanent English colony.
Today at Jamestowne Settlement, the story of the people who founded Jamestown and of the Virginia Indians they encountered is told through film, gallery exhibits and living history. Expansive gallery exhibits and an introductory film trace Jamestown's beginnings in England and the first century of the Virginia colony and describe the cultures of the Powhatan Indians, Europeans and Africans who converged in 1600s Virginia.
Outdoors, visitors can board replicas of the three ships that sailed from England to Virginia in 1607, explore life-size re-creations of the colonist's fort and a Powhatan village. In the outdoor areas, costumed historical interpreters describe and demonstrate daily life in the early 17th century.
The Church
The three ships: The Susan Constant, the Discovery and the Elizabeth.
The Susan Constant carried passengers and cargo.
The Discovery carried cargo with a tiny crew.
The Elizabeth brought passengers and cargo.
Bunks
The galley.
The galley.
More bunks
The James River Ferry
Path to the Indian Village
Powhatan Indian Village
The Indians must have all been out hunting and gathering as there wasn't a single one is sight.
Christy,
ReplyDeleteWhat awesome photos! Looks like some interesting places to visit. Thanks for sharing the history lesson and the photos!
We love you guys!
-Trevor & Roni
I love the photos, especially the ship bunks! Jamestown looks like a fun place to visit.
ReplyDeleteI am told I also have some Indian ancestors, somewhere on my dad's side, but have no clue who they were or what tribe they are from.