Yorktown to Norfolk in 230 Years

We finally left our campground in Williamsburg this morning.  Five nights was the longest time we’ve stayed anywhere so far.  Maybe we’re slowing down a bit, or maybe there was just a lot to do in the Williamsburg area.  Being in a place where we could use public transportation for two of the days was also a plus and meant we didn’t have to unhook and move the RV.  It was a very easy and enjoyable visit.

We returned to the Colonial Parkway and headed to Yorktown, which is a part of Colonial National Historical Park.  Yorktown was the last major battle of the American Revolution, and the American victory here in 1781 secured independence for the United States.  We drove the battlefield tour that traces the American and French siege lines of the Battle of Yorktown.  We stopped at the Moore House, where officers from both sides negotiated the surrender terms for British General Cornwallis’s army.  



British Inner Defense Line at the Yorktown Battlefield



Moore House

The most interesting item on display at the Yorktown visitor center was General George Washington’s military tents, dubbed “An American Treasure.”  The story of how the tents were saved by Washington’s grandson and later secured by a slave during the Civil War was just amazing.

We made our way south through traffic and tunnels to tour the Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world.  We saw aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates and one of the busiest airfields in the country.  



Retired Aircraft on Exhibit

Another Plane on Exhibit

We also drove by historic houses that were built for the Jamestown Exposition of 1907.  Coincidentally, we had just visited Jamestown yesterday.  I was completely unfamiliar with this exposition. The land on which Naval Station is located was originally the site of the exposition, a celebration of the 300th anniversary of the establishment of the first permanent English settlement in America. 

The exposition planners invited each of the states to contribute a building that celebrated its history.  Twenty-one states responded.  Many of the houses that were built have been preserved and are located on what is now known as Admirals Row.  It was really interesting to see the houses that were selected by each state.



Missouri House from the Jamestown Exposition

We finally left the state of Virginia after a most enjoyable visit and headed toward the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Where It All Began

After taking the day off yesterday, we resumed our touring today at Jamestown, Virginia. 



Kitty Said "Let's Go"

In 1607, a group of 104 men and boys sailed up the James River to establish the colony of Virginia, thus making Jamestown the first permanent English settlement in North America.  Historic Jamestowne, a part of Colonial National Historical Park, which also includes Yorktown and the Colonial Parkway, is jointly managed by the National Park Service and Preservation Virginia.



For a place that contains few above-ground structures, it is a surprisingly compelling site.  For me, it’s not just the seventeenth century history that’s interesting.  I was especially fascinated by the history of archeological investigations at the site, and not just because I’m married to an archeologist!  The National Park Service conducted the first archeological excavations in 1934 after acquiring the area of Jamestown known as New Towne.  J.C. Harrington, who directed the project, is often known as the father of modern historical archeology.

It was always assumed that all traces of the original 1607 James Fort had been lost to shoreline erosion.  Dr. William Kelso thought otherwise, and in 1994 Preservation Virginia launched the Jamestown Rediscovery Project.  Amazingly, more than ninety percent of the original fort has been located and more than one million artifacts have been discovered. 

Tim Surveying the Ongoing Archeological Excavations;
The Original 17th-Century Church Tower and
1907 Memorial Church Are in the Background



Excavation Site of the 1608 Church

Many of the findings of the Jamestown Rediscovery Project are on exhibit at the Voorhees Archaearium.  It’s a wonderful museum totally devoted to interpreting the archeological discoveries at Jamestown.  The most amazing exhibit is the one entitled “Who Shot JR,” which features the skeleton of a man killed by gunshots.  The way in which science and modern technology have enabled the archeologists to learn more about this individual is fascinating.  The museum was my favorite part of our visit to Jamestown.


The Archaearium Is Cantilevered Over the Site of the Statehouse

After exploring the Archaearium, we wandered around the New Towne where the original foundations have been reconstructed.  The original foundations have been reburied to preserve them.  Our last stop was the glasshouse, where we watched glass blowing near the original 1608 glasshouse ruins.

Foundations of the Original Settlement Along the James River



Reconstructed Foundations in New Towne



The Glass Blower at Work

We returned to our campground via the Colonial Parkway, a twenty-three mile scenic byway constructed by the National Park Service to link Virginia’s Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown.  My favorite features of the road are the beautiful brick, arched bridges.  It was a beautiful drive.

Bridges Along the Colonial Parkway