Surry in Surry County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Working the Land

Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail

— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —

Working the Land Marker-Panel 1 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, September 20, 2016

1. Working the Land Marker-Panel 1

Inscription. Indians cultivated fertile lands along the James River for centuries before the colonists arrived in 1607. They grew squash, corn, and beans to supplement their diet of native plants, fish, shellfish, and game. When the soils at a house site became depleted, the Indians allowed the area to replenish itself while they established a new dwelling and agricultural plot elsewhere.

English colonists primarily grew tobacco for profit. Introduced at Jamestown in 1612, tobacco quickly exhausted prime croplands and required vast unspoiled acreage. It spurred tremendous changes on the landscape.

(Inscription above the image in the upper right)
European colonists learned here to grow tobacco from the Indians.

(Inscription above the image on the lower right)
A drawing of a Canadian Algoecquian village, by John White, 1585, home styles and agricultural practices varied regionally, but maize (corn) and tobacco were common products.

Learn more about 17th-century landscapes and industry at these places:
*Jamestown Settlement, you can visit the re-created James Fort to see colonial farming practices.
*Chippokes Plantation offers canoe trips on most weekends April through Labor Day. Advance reservations are recommended.
*At Historic Jamestowne, watch modern artisans produce the glass objects glassblowers in 1608

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Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Exploration • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1607.

Location. 37° 8.765′ N, 76° 44.304′ W. Marker is in Surry, Virginia, in Surry County. Marker is on Chippokes Park Road. The marker is located in Chippokes Plantation State Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 695 Chippokes Park Road (VA665), Surry VA 23883, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Captain John Smith’s Adventures on the James (here, next to this marker); Quiyoughcohannock Indians (approx. 2½ miles away); A Final Resting Place for Six Unknown Colonists (approx. 2.6 miles away); Lower Surry Church (approx. 2.6 miles away); Hog Island (approx. 2.8 miles away); Bacon’s Castle (approx. 2.9 miles away); Jamestown Ferry (approx. 3.7 miles away); Lawne’s Creek Church (approx. 3.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Surry.

Captain John Smith explores the Chesapeake Marker-Panel 2 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, September 20, 2016

2. Captain John Smith explores the Chesapeake Marker-Panel 2

Launch Your Jouney-Panel 3 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, September 20, 2016

3. Launch Your Jouney-Panel 3

Working the Land Marker-near the water image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, September 20, 2016

4. Working the Land Marker-near the water

Chippokes Plantation State Park banner image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, September 20, 2016

5. Chippokes Plantation State Park banner

Credits. This page was last revised on June 14, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 26, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 310 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 26, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.