| Jamestown
Settlement Jamestown, VA |
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Chosen for its easily defensible geography and deep river in which to anchor their ships, the area around the river named for King James I was plagued with malaria-carrying mosquitos and terrible winters. Of the original 144 men and boys, more than half had died after only six months. Two years later, 500 colonists lived here, but a year later, only 60 remained (some having returned to England). The winter of 1609-1610 was called the "starving tyme." The native Americans were key in teaching these unprepared immigrants how to feed themselves in a new country, but became angry with their greed and were a constant threat to the colonists. They never did find any gold or silver, but the tenacious colony learned to grow Caribbean tobacco and finally became self-supporting by 1617, ten years after the first landing. |
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"The church has been rebuilt 5 times and the current church is a memorial and not a real meeting house. The only original structure standing at Jamestown is the church tower. 11 settlements had 2 representatives each that met in the church to talk of politics. Today, white grave markers are in the church on the floor."--Harrison |
The
Jamestown Colony |
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"We saw where a storehouse had been. They found clay pipes, pots and jars, candle snuffers, spoons, guns tools and helmets. They also found an oven. I learned that they brushed their teeth with dogwood branches and made buttons out of deer antlers."--Amanda |
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) Glassblowing
- The first colonists built a glass factory in the fall of 1608 to make
bottles, drinking glasses and windows. It was the first factory in North
America, but didn't last long. Today, next to the remains of the original
furnaces, is a working replica of the factory where we watched people making
candle holders. Amanda said, "It looked hard to do. I bet
they have to practice a lot before they can make anything to sell." |
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 Faces
(Click Here
for more faces) |
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Jamestown Island is part of the Colonial National Historical Park, jointly owned and managed by the U.S. National Park Service and the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. The Junior Ranger program is a good way to get kids involved in learning about this early colony. If they complete the booklet (for sale in the gift shop), which requires research in the visitor center museum and outside on the island, they receive a nice patch and a certificate signed by a park ranger. If you want a "step back in time" experience at Jamestown, the commercial "Jamestown Settlement" is the place. We didn't go, but this living museum boasts full-size replicas of the settlers' original ships, costumed interpreters, a re-created James Fort and Indian village, indoor museums and outdoor exhibits depicting the first permanent English settlement in North America. |
The
Insiders' Guide to Williamsburg : Jamestown-Yorktown |
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For Younger Readers |
For Older Readers |
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PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA
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Sent
by wealthy English gentlemen hoping to get rich from gold and silver,
the first settlers were sent to colonize Virginia. Twenty years earlier
the colony at 
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COLOR
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Jamestown
New World Adventure 
The
Double Life of Pocahontas
The
New Americans : Colonial Times 1620-1689
1609
Winter of the Dead : A Novel About the Founding of Jamestown
Pocahontas
: The Life and the Legend
Jamestown
(Keepers of the Ring #2)