Near Williamsburg in James City County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Headright System
Greensprings Interpretive Trail
Photographed by Evan Dwyer, February 14, 2026
1. The Headright System Marker
Inscription.
The Headright System. . One of the most important features of the Virginia Company's Great Charter of 1618 was the headright system. It was a land policy that provided prospective immigrants with an incentive to leave overcrowded England to seek their fortunes in Virginia. It also encouraged wealthy investors to underwrite the cost of outfitting and transporting prospective colonists. The opportunity to reap substantial profits from growing tobacco (a commodity so marketable that it gained acceptance as currency), coupled with the prospect of owning land, combined to fuel the spread of settlements. An individual could acquire 50 acres of land by underwriting the cost of another person's transportation. Successful planters, by bringing indentured servants to Virginia to work on their plantations, were able to amass substantial amounts of land while fulfilling their need for labor.
One of the most important features of the Virginia Company's Great Charter of 1618 was the headright system. It was a land policy that provided prospective immigrants with an incentive to leave overcrowded England to seek their fortunes in Virginia. It also encouraged wealthy investors to underwrite the cost of outfitting and transporting prospective colonists. The opportunity to reap substantial profits from growing tobacco (a commodity so marketable that it gained acceptance as currency), coupled with the prospect of owning land, combined to fuel the spread of settlements. An individual could acquire 50 acres of land by underwriting the cost of another person's transportation. Successful planters, by bringing indentured servants to Virginia to work on their plantations, were able to amass substantial amounts of land while fulfilling their need for labor.
Marker is near Williamsburg, Virginia, in James City County. It can be reached from John Tyler Highway (Virginia Route 5) east of Greensprings Road, on the right when traveling east. Marker is on the Greensprings Interpretive Trail. The address given is for Jamestown High School, which includes the northern trailhead and parking area. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3751 John Tyler Highway, Williamsburg VA 23185, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Virginias Peninsula, in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Tidewater, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker:
Credits. This page was last revised on March 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 13, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 12 times since then. Photos:1, 2. submitted on March 13, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
