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

Yorke Village

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, April 20, 2013

1. Yorke Village Marker

Inscription. In 1629, the Virginia Council encouraged the settlement of the south bank of the York River. The following year, Governor John Harvey was given a land patent of 752 acres at Wormley Creek, establishing Yorke Village. By the 1650s, settlement had developed so rapidly that the county court had regular meetings at Captain Robert Baldrey’s house at Yorke.

Although the exact size and population of Yorke Village is unknown, history clearly indicates that it served as the social, economic, political, and religious center for this area during a large part of the 1600s. The only significant, remaining feature of the village is the gravestone of Major William Gooch. Dating back to October 1655, it is one of the oldest legible tombstones in America.

The eventual abandonment of Yorke Village coincided with the upriver development of Yorktown as a superior deepwater port in the late 1690s. The original village site is now home to the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center.

Original art by Dennis Crawford. Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard TRACEN Yorktown.

Erected 2010 by York County.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1655.

Location. 37°

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14.08′ N, 76° 30.279′ W. Marker is in Yorktown, Virginia, in York County. It can be reached from the intersection of Water Street and Comte de Grasse Street, on the right when traveling west. Located along Yorktown's Riverwalk. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Yorktown VA 23690, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Peninsula,

in Coastal Virginia,

and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

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: York “Under The Hill” (within shouting distance of this marker); York Under Siege 1781 (within shouting distance of this marker); An Archer House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); In Memory of the Men of the French Fleet (about 400 feet away); French American Revolutionary War Memorial (about 400 feet away); Monument to the Alliance and Victory (about 500 feet away); Remembering Ancestors (about 500 feet away); Yorktown’s Waterfront (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Yorktown.

Other markers no longer nearby. The Brig Betsy (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); Yorktown's Sunken Fleet (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); Pirates in Yorktown? (was about 400 feet away but has been confirmed missing); Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater (was about 400 feet away but has been confirmed missing).

Also see . . . York County Historical Museum

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, April 20, 2013

2. Yorke Village Marker

. (Submitted on April 21, 2013.)

Signs of the Past on the Riverwalk image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, April 20, 2013

3. Signs of the Past on the Riverwalk

While walking along the waterfront, we invite you to discover some of Yorktown’s past by reading the signs placed along the way.

Although Yorktown is best known for the Siege of 1781 that resulted in the surrender of the British army to the Allied forces, there is much more to know about our past … and present. Read on to learn about interesting events, geography, and structures.

York County collaborated with the National Park Service,Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (Yorktown Victory Center),Watermen’s Museum and York County Historical Museum todevelop these overviews. If a sign intrigues you, visit one of our museums to learn more.

We welcome your questions or comments. For more details about information on signs along the Riverwalk, visit www.yorkcounty.gov/ychm.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 21, 2013, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 786 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 21, 2013, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.