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In 1607, Jamestown was the first colony established in the “New World” we now refer to as America. One hundred and four men traveled from London up the James River in three ships. They set anchor off the shore of Virginia and became the first settlers. The expedition was in fact sponsored by a group known as, The Virginia Company of London. It was the hope of this prestigious group, that this new land would yield a fortune for these investors.
This hope was not easily realized. Many hardships and unexpected circumstances fell upon the first settlers. Due to the swampy climate, disease hit the colony hard and the lack of provisions, caused starvation. These two factors alone were the sources of many deaths among the settlers. However, the courageous pioneers persevered none the less. Slowly, but surely the colony of Jamestown began to prosper. Tobacco growing was to be their future and the more they harvested the more prosperous the colony became.
Today, most of Jamestown is owned by the U.S. government and is included in Colonial National Historical Park. Visitors to the "Historic Triangle" in Virginia will want to tour the Colonial National Historic Park. Here the story of America's past comes to life. The park encompasses five units spanning over 9,000 acres. The Jamestown settlement, Colonial Williamsburg and the Yorktown Battlefield all lie within the 23-mile parkway of the Colonial National Historic Park. The park offers interpretive tours, scenic drives down the Colonial Parkway and historic road tours are also available. Tourist can stroll the abandoned streets of Jamestown and visit the historic buildings in Yorktown.
In Jamestown one can relive the adventure of the founding of America's first permanent English colony. In the re-created colonial fort, visitors discover how the colonists lived and worked. They may even try on armor and watch a musket-firing demonstration. The fort was designed based on written accounts of what the fort was like in the colonial time period. It is a triangular-shaped fort with a wooden palisade wall.
Nearby at the Powhatan Indian Village, visitors discover the world of Pocahontas. The three ships of the voyage to Jamestown, the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery have been replicated. This allows tourist to experience the exciting, four-month passage of the pioneers to the New World. This “hands on” living museum gives visitors the opportunity to steer with a whipstaff, lower cargo into the hold of a ship and examine the contents of a sailor's chest. Tourist can even go below the decks of these full size replicas and try out the beds.
Three indoor galleries tell the stories of Jamestown, from its beginnings in England at “The English Gallery” to their adventures with the Powhatan Indians in “The Powhatan Gallery”. These exhibits of 16th and 17th centuries provide artifacts and illustrations of the era and “The Jamestown Gallery” traces the first century of the Virginia colony. Activities include; exploring the Powhatan houses, grinding corn, weaving marsh grasses into rope, and creating a dugout canoe.
The next stop on the colonial tour of Virginia would lead you to Williamsburg. Colonial Williamsburg has been totally reconstructed as it was in colonial times and is the world's premier living history site. Costumed interpreters reenact the people and the times, encouraging visitors to participate in conversation and activities.
The area was originally known as the Middle Plantation. The Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, actually pre-dates the establishment of the new town. The Bruton Parish remains an active congregation and the church is regularly open for tours and organ recitals. The restoration and reconstruction of the buildings of Williamsburg were the vision of the Bruton Parish Rector W.A.R. Goodwin. His vision was realized in the 1920's when financing for this major task became available through the multi-millionaire John D. Rockefeller. This Historic Area is now operated as a living history museum by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Visitors to Williamsburg can visit residences, shops, taverns and craft shops and experience Virginia's colonial capital, as it was more than two hundred years ago.
On to historic Yorktown, the place where freedom was protected on the battlefield. Yorktown hardly looks like the battleground it once was when then General George Washington defeated England's General Cornwallis in 1781.
The Yorktown Victory Center recounts the history of the American Revolution and the birth of the United States. The indoor museum gallery offer a film exploring America’s past. A tour of the Continental Army Encampment and 1780s Farm are also very interesting exhibits from this era.
The National Park Service provides a variety of visitor programs including the Yorktown Battlefield Museum, Surrender Field, Moore House, Nelson House, Victory Monument, the French Memorial and the Yorktown National Cemetery from the Civil War.
Visiting Jamestown and the “Historic Triangle” is an adventure for old and young alike. It is a learning experience on American History unparalleled to any other. For more information on the sights, sounds and historical attractions in Virginia, contact the Virginia Chamber of Commerce or the National Park Service.
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