Yorktown in York County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Yorktown
Historic Yorktown
— Colonial National Historical Park —
"This Yorktown, or Little-York, is a small city of approximately 300 houses: it has, moreover, considerable circumference. It is located on the bank of the York River, somewhat high on a sandy but level ground. It has 3 churches, 2 reformed English and 1 German Lutheran…and 2 Quaker meeting houses, and a beautiful court or meeting house…"
Johann Conrad Doehla, Anspach-Bayreuth Battalion, British army, July 3, 1781
Travel a short distance along this walkway to discover historic Yorktown.
Established in 1691, by the 1750s the town was a thriving seaport supporting a prosperous waterfront business district with wharves, warehouses and pubs. Stately and moderate homes, outbuildings, stores, churches, taverns and government buildings filled the bluff overlooking the river.
The town was extensively damaged during the 1781 siege and never recovered its colonial prominence.
Explore Yorktown and discover among a still active community sights that reflect the town's past glory: earthworks encircling the town, the 1881 Monument to the Alliance and Victory, and 18th century buildings, including the home of a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
"I have this day visited the town of York, to witness the destructiveeffects of the siege. It contains about 60 houses…many of them are greatly damaged and some totally ruined, being shot through in a thousand places and honey-combed ready to crumble to pieces."
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Dr. James Thatcher, Surgeon, Continental Army, October 22, 1781
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical date for this entry is July 31, 1781.
Location. 37° 13.867′ N, 76° 30.183′ W. Marker is in Yorktown, Virginia, in York County. Marker is on Colonial National Historic Parkway north of Ballard Street, on the right when traveling north. Located north of the Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1000 Colonial Parkway, Yorktown VA 23690, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Yorktown Bicentennial Pine Trees (here, next to this marker); Don't Tread on Me! (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Cornwallis Headquarters (about 600 feet away); Tobacco Road (approx. 0.2 miles away); Home of Thomas Nelson (approx. 0.2 miles away); Victory Monument (approx. 0.2 miles away); British Inner Defense Line
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, November 25, 2015
2. Yorktown Marker
Also see . . . Yorktown Battlefield. Colonial National Historical Park, National Park Service (Submitted on November 25, 2015.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 25, 2015, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 356 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 1, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on November 25, 2015, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.
