Taking a Trip Back in Time
What to see and do at the Jamestown Settlements
At the bustling fort area, you can watch blacksmiths forging metal and soldiers firing matchlock muskets in military drills. Thatched-roof buildings include a merchant's office and governor's house.
Down at the pier, meanwhile, you can board replicas of the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery. If you descend to the 'tween deck, the 6-foot-high space where settlers were kept, remember that half of it was taken up with cargo; settlers lived on top of the load, crawling and cramped for weeks on end. Portholes were kept closed, chamber pots were rarely emptied, and on one ship, the first bath was recorded three months into the trip.
Complete your visit along the scenic Island Drive. At the far end is Black Point, the first land sighted by the colonists as they sailed up the waterway. On a tiny beach, you can stand on a rock, take in the panoramic view, and feel a little bit as if you just landed in the New World.
Upcoming Events
FEBRUARY 10: 2007 State of the Black Union: African-American Imprint on America. The daylong symposium at Hampton University in Hampton, Va., features panelists Jesse Jackson and Princeton Prof. Cornel West.
MARCH 30-APRIL 15: Nauticus, the National Maritime Center in Norfolk, Va., hosts a visit by a reproduction of the boat that Capt. John Smith took on a major voyage through the Chesapeake Bay.
APRIL: An Enduring Legacy: The U.S. Navy and the 1907 Jamestown Exposition traces the importance of the Jamestown Exposition to the Virginia region. http://www.nauticus.org
APRIL 26-MAY 26: Journey Up the James. The replica Godspeed sails from the Chesapeake Bay up the James River, stopping first at Virginia Beach's Cape Henry as it re-creates parts of the settlers' original voyage. It continues to Hampton, Newport News, Claremont Surry, and Jamestown before heading to Richmond and Chesterfield County's Henricus Historical Park.
APRIL 27: The World of 1607. The exhibition includes major artifacts from collections around the world, including a 15th-century copy of the Magna Carta and a 16th-century African ivory carving.
MAY (date uncertain): A visit by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who also attended the commemoration of Jamestown's 350th anniversary.
MAY 11-13: America's Anniversary Weekend at Historic Jamestowne and Jamestown Settlement and Anniversary Park. Thousands of visitors are expected for concerts, plays, fireworks, special exhibits, an artisans' village, and demonstrations.
MAY 19 & MAY 22: Pocahontas. A family opera based on her story and specially commissioned for the Jamestown anniversary. The opera will be performed May 19 in Norfolk and May 22 in Williamsburg.
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