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

Werowocomoco

Photographed by J. J. Prats, November 5, 2016

1. Werowocomoco Marker

Inscription. The site of Werowocomoco is located nearby at Purtan Bay. This Algonquian Indian settlement was the center of power of the Powhatan paramount chiefdom when the English established James Fort in 1607. Captain John Smith was brought to Werowocomoco as a captive in December 1607 where he met the Powhatan leader Wahunsonacock and his daughter Pocahontas. Archaeologists working closely with present-day members of Virginia Indian tribes investigated the site from 2002 to 2010. They documented that Werowocomoco was an extensive settlement, including trenches defining an area of restricted access or sacred space, from the 13th century through the early 17th century.

Erected 2016 by Department of Historic Resources. Marker was cast in 2013. (Marker Number NA-11.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Indigenous Peoples and Communities. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1607.

Location. 37° 24.909′ N, 76° 31.757′ W. Marker is in Gloucester, Virginia, in Gloucester County. It is on Main Street at the Courthouse Circle (Virginia Route 14), on the right when traveling west. Marker cannot be

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seen when heading east because it is on the other side of the circle. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gloucester VA 23061, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Middle Peninsula

and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Tidewater,

and in the Chesapeake Bay Region.

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: The Birdsall Building (a few steps from this marker); The Daffodil Industry (a few steps from this marker); Gloucester Continues to Celebrate the Daffodil (a few steps from this marker); A Sacred Place (within shouting distance of this marker); Daffodils Arrived Here With the Colonists (within shouting distance of this marker); Court House (within shouting distance of this marker); In Memoriam John Clayton (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named In Memoriam John Clayton (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gloucester.

Also see . . . Wikipedia Entry. “Since 2003, a team of archaeologists and related researchers has been working at this site. They and the landowners initiated consultation with the Virginia Council on Indians to plan and execute excavations on the site. Representatives of local Virginia Indian tribes, some of whom are descendants of the tributary tribes of Powhatan, continue to advise the research. Excavations at the site since 2003 have revealed evidence of a large town, including two 200-foot long,

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 26, 2021

2. Werowocomoco Marker

curved, earthwork ditches built 1,000 feet from the river bank about 1400, two hundred years before the English first visited the area. In 2006 the Werowocomoco Archeological Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the future, scholars hope to find more evidence about the political nature of the Powhatan polity.” (Submitted on November 9, 2016.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 9, 2016, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,285 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 9, 2016, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 2. submitted on June 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.