Taking a Trip Back in Time
What to see and do at the Jamestown Settlements
A trip down the Colonial Parkway ends with a fork in the road: to the left, the entrance to Historic Jamestowne, to the right, the route to the Jamestown Settlement. What to do? Go to both. Despite some overlap, the sites complement each other as they share the unfolding story of the first permanent English settlement in America.
Historic Jamestowne encompasses the area on Jamestown Island where three English ships landed in May 1607. Archaeological digs have allowed scientists to alter conventional concepts of what Jamestown looked like. The Jamestown Settlement, meanwhile, is a "living history" venue with a tactile approach.
In a shift from past anniversary observances—the word celebration is avoided—Jamestown curators and organizers have taken pains to ensure that the exhibits examine the dark underbelly of colonialism, which included slavery and the displacement of indigenous peoples. "We wanted to be able to say that the beginnings of democracy started at Jamestown," says Sandy Rives of the National Park Service, "and that it had its problems."
Here's what to expect on your visit:
HISTORIC JAMESTOWNE
At your first stop, the Glasshouse, artisans use centuries-old methods to re-create an industry that ultimately failed but was among the first commercial ventures in the United States. The blowers dip metal rods into a kiln to get a dollop of molten glass, then form vases and the like. You'll want to watch for a while—kids often have to be pulled away.
From the Glasshouse, a scenic drive along the James River brings you to Historic Jamestowne, where you can watch a film and take in a gallery. The aims of Historic Jamestowne, administered by the Park Service and the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, are to preserve historic resources and illustrate connections between present and past. Considering those lofty goals, it's jarring to see the 103-foot-tall obelisk built for the Jamestown Tercentenary as well as the 1922 statue of Pocahontas in historically inaccurate Plains Indian garb. Among other modern touches: "virtual viewers," binoculars fitted with television screens that superimpose colonial scenes over the current landscape.
The Jamestown fort itself is a triangular encampment surrounded in part by wooden palisades. Archaeologists are constructing a barracks they believe might have stood there. Nearby, the remains of a church bell tower represent a key moment in American history: In 1619, the church held the first representative assembly of colonial leaders, considered the precursor of Congress. A reproduction was built over the original foundation, visible through glass panels.
Just a short walk from the fort, the new Archaearium holds some of the more than 1 million artifacts unearthed in the Jamestown Rediscovery project. The museum was built on pilings so as not to disturb the treasure below—the foundation of Jamestown's last statehouse. From skeletons to tools to a trumpet mouthpiece, the museum includes a wealth of unusual objects.
JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT
An exhibit explores the three cultures that came together here. Lighted maps show the encroachment of English settlements and deterioration of Indian towns. Here, too, are the replicated bow of a ship and a re-creation of a 17th-century English street. A guided tour—take it; it's free with admission—brings you first to the village of Powhatan where, in a traditional dwelling of bent hardwood, you can test sleeping benches and try your hand at scraping hair off deer hides using sharpened oyster shells.
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.
This story appears in the January 29, 2007 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.