Jamestown in James City County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
James Fort
The English settlers in Virginia soon built a fort in order to protect themselves from raids by the Spanish and local Indians. The fort re-created here was described by an English settler in 1610 as triangular in shape with walls of planks and posts. Bulwarks or raised areas at each corner supported artillery. The earliest colonists were instructed to build the “public” building first – a storehouse to hold supplies and exports, an Anglican church, and a guardhouse as headquarters for military activity.
Activities at James Fort centered upon survival, military drills, the business of government, and attempts at profit-making. Difficulty obtaining a steady food supply often led to disease and death. Military training prepared the site for possible attack. The few women in Jamestown gardened, cooked, sewed, and did laundry. When the Virginia colony became better established, more activities moved outside of the fort walls.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Forts and Castles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1610.
Location. 37° 13.343′ N, 76° 47.198′ W. Marker is in Jamestown, Virginia, in James City County. Marker can be reached from Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31), on the left when traveling south. Marker is at the Jamestown Settlement. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Jamestown VA 23081, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ships (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Susan Constant (about 300 feet away); Godspeed (about 400 feet away); Voyage to Virginia (about 500 feet away); Discovery (about 500 feet away); Powhatan Indian Village (about 600 feet away); At Jamestown Began: (about 800 feet away); Jamestown (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jamestown.
More about this marker. The marker contains pictures of the construction of the fort, as well as pictures of a colonist and an Indian crop. “The first buildings in Virginia were supported by wooden posts set into the ground.”
Also see . . . Jamestown Settlement. Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation website entry (Submitted on February 13, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 20, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 13, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 926 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 13, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.