Jamestown
So, a few months ago I was bored and flipping through channels on TV. Since I enjoy history I watch a lot of that type of shows. There was nothing on those channels either… I thought well now what am I going to do? Then I got to a channel that showed Historic Jamestown. Now I have to admit that I really hadn’t thought much about Jamestown since my high school history class. And trust me that’s been a long time ago!! I saw the Disney cartoon Pocahontas, but I was guessing that there was no talking Grandmother Willow tree in the real story. I sat and watched and thought…this may be a great place to visit!
I usually like driving and this trip was no different, but I would be going alone. None of my friends were really interested in seeing the first settlement in the Americas. I knew it was going to be a cool and fun experience for me. I took off for an adventure of historic proportions!
The Virginia Company landed in the Americas in May 1607 and decided to build a settlement 60 miles in from Chesapeake Bay. It wasn’t long after they landed that the Powhatan Indians attacked the settlers. After the attack, they quickly built a fort.
The fascinating thing for me was that there are still foundations to homes that were built so long ago. I walked along the streets and thought about what it would have been like to live in a new world. I have moved across the US before for jobs, but to move to a place where no one had ever really been before, you had to love adventure.
The Church
Now the church is the only structure that stands. They believe that it was built in 1617 to replace the old church where Pocahontas and John Rolfe were married in 1614. That’s right Pocahontas did not marry John Smith as many people believe. In fact, the whole story about her throwing herself over his body so her father would not kill him is mostly fictional. However, standing in that church was awe-inspiring. Knowing the history of what happened there and the people involved gave me goosebumps.
Preservation Virginia acquired the 22.5 acres to preserve the history of the site. They have found many interesting things including the skull of a young woman. Using modern-day technology they were able to make a replica of what this young woman might have looked like…it was very fascinating to see someone from that time period.
Just down the road was the Jamestown Settlement, which is a replica of the original fort and the Powhatan Village. On the river, they also have a replica of what the original ship would have been like. There are settlers dressed in period costumes and demonstrations of everyday life at the settlement. All in all, it is a great addition to seeing the Historic site and I would recommend that you visit both, knowing that it was because of these brave men and eventually women that we have the nation we have today!
Read another adventure by Cliff Locke
