On Old Stage Road (Virginia Route 30) 0.1 miles south of Richardson Road ( Route 705), on the right when traveling east.
New Kent County. Area 191 Square Miles. Formed in 1654 from York, and named for an English county. The White House, where Washington's wife lived, was in this county, and here he married her.
James City County. Area . . . — — Map (db m29299) HM
Capital-Montgomery
Although the French settled Alabama, they ceded it to England after the French and Indian War. In 1783, England ceded the northern part to the United States and the southern part to Spain, but by 1795 most of the area was . . . — — Map (db m98070) HM
Capital-Juneau
The Russians were the first to settle Alaska, and maintained control of the region until the mid 19th century, despite Spanish and British claims. In 1867 Russia sold Alaska to the United States and an administrative district was . . . — — Map (db m97821) HM
On Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31) east of Colonial Parkway, on the right when traveling north.
Angelo (Angela) was likely born in the West African kingdom of Ndongo, part of present-day Angola, Captured and sold to slave traders, she was forced onto a Portuguese ship. Two English privateers, the White Lion and the Treasurer, . . . — — Map (db m184276) HM
On Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31) south of Greensprings Road ( Route 614), on the left when traveling south.
About 1617, Deputy Governor Samuel Argall established a settlement on 300 acres near here. Situated on land that had been formerly inhabited by the Paspahegh Indians, the group of dispersed buildings was incorporated into the 3,000-acre Governor's . . . — — Map (db m66909) HM
Spanish Jesuits organized missions in the area after 1700, but Spain did not establish settlements until 1775-76 with the founding of Tucson. When Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821, the area was controlled by Mexico. Most of the area . . . — — Map (db m97819) HM
Capital-Little Rock
In 1673, Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet visited the Arkansas region. After La Salle claimed it for France in 1682, colonization began. The first settlement was established in 1686 by Henri de Tonti. Although France ceded . . . — — Map (db m98074) HM
On Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31) south of Greensprings Road ( Route 614), on the left when traveling south.
In the first few years of the English settlement at Jamestown, colonists built small, isolated, fortified structures—called blockhouses—around the perimeter of the main settlement to provide refuges, observation posts, and rallying . . . — — Map (db m66908) HM
West Central African canoes were constructed in similar fashion to Powhatan canoes, from a single log. They varied in size and were used for fishing and transporting people and goods in trade. A variety of boats and ships were constructed in . . . — — Map (db m270660) HM
By 1640, Jamestown potters were making thick-walled jugs, bowls, and pots for everyday use. Symmetrical design and an occasional slip-coat of color show that skilled artisans were at work. The local ware fired red, due to the iron-rich Tidewater . . . — — Map (db m17401) HM
Capital-Sacramento
Although explored primarily by Spain, Sir Francis Drake, sailing for England, also touched the California coast in 1579. After the establishment of Spanish missions, California became a territory of Mexico in 1825 following . . . — — Map (db m194657) HM
Capital-Denver
Although the region was explored first by the Spanish, this possession was controlled by the French. The dispute was settled in 1763 in favor of the French. Few attempts were made to colonize it until the mid-19th century. The . . . — — Map (db m97579) HM
One of the original colonies
Capital-Hartford
Dutch residents from New Amsterdam established a trading post near present-day Hartford in 1633, but it was the English from the Massachusetts Bay Colony who made the initial move to colonize the . . . — — Map (db m97843) HM
One of the thirteen original colonies.
Capital-Dover
Delaware was explored by Henry Hudson for the Dutch in 1609, but was named for Lord De la Warr, an early English governor of Virginia. In 1638 Peter Minuit established the first successful . . . — — Map (db m97831) HM
Death and disease stalked the colony year-round. Over the first 18 years, six of seven residents of Jamestown perished – over 6,000 deaths. Dr. Lawrence Bohun arrived at Jamestown in June of 1610, and stayed until the spring of 1611. . . . — — Map (db m17400) HM
Colonists marvelled at the deep, tall forests of Virginia – then set to clearing them away. The “goodly tall Trees” became firewood, fort walls, house frames, boat planks, barrel staves, industrial fuel, and lumber exports. . . . — — Map (db m17391) HM
On Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31) north of Greensprings Road ( Route 614), on the left when traveling south.
The first documented Africans in mainland English America arrived at Point Comfort (in present-day Hampton) late in Aug. 1619. Colonial officials traded food for these “20 and odd” Africans, who had been seized from a Portuguese slave ship en route . . . — — Map (db m194714) HM
On Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31) at Greensprings Road ( Route 614), on the right when traveling north on Jamestown Road.
Skilled craftsmen of Polish origin recruited by the Virginia Company began arriving in Jamestown aboard the Mary and Margaret about 1 Oct. 1608. Poles contributed to the development of a glass factory and the production of potash, . . . — — Map (db m66905) HM
The Powhatan Indians of Virginia used a variety of methods in fishing - hook and line, nets, traps, and spears. Fishing with fire, a means of attracting fish in order to spear them, was sometimes done at night. Upon arrival in Virginia, the . . . — — Map (db m270657) HM
Capitol-TallahasseeThe first permanent European settlement in America was established by the Spanish in 1565 at St. Augustine. In 1763 following the French and Indian War (in which Spain sided with France), Britain received Florida but returned it . . . — — Map (db m97413) HM
On Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31) south of Greenspring Road ( Route 614), on the left when traveling south.
On 2 Sept. 1781, about 3,000 French troops of the Gatinois, Agenois, and Touraine Regiments arrived at Jamestown from the West Indies. Commanded by the Marquis de Saint-Simon, they camped near here before participating in the siege of Yorktown. On . . . — — Map (db m90954) HM
One of the thirteen original colonies
Capital-Atlanta
To stop French claims to the area, Pedro Menendez de Aviles attempted a coastal Spanish settlement in 1565. England claimed the territory in the 17th century, but did not colonize it until . . . — — Map (db m194653) HM
Among the ruins of New Towne was a seven-foot pit, dug in colonial times. Not deep enough for a well, the hole tapered from 14 feet wide at the rim to 6 feet wide at the sandy bottom. In Britain in the 1600s, perishables were often stored in huts . . . — — Map (db m17398) HM
Capital-Honolulu
The islands were first settled by Polynesians from other Pacific islands by the 9th century. After James Cook first visited the islands in 1778, they were frequented by traders, but the British made no effort to colonize . . . — — Map (db m194656) HM
The colonists at Jamestown produced most of their own brick and tile locally at each building site. Bricks were used for houses, wells, and walkways; tiles for floors and roofs. Three kilns have been excavated at Jamestown, each producing bricks of . . . — — Map (db m17403) HM
Capital-Boise
Lewis and Clark blazed a trail through Idaho in 1805, followed by English and American fur traders. Thousands of pioneers followed the Oregon Trail through southeast Idaho in the 1830s and 1840s, although the first settlement was . . . — — Map (db m97656) HM
Capital-Springfield
The French established settlements at Cahokia in 1699 and at Kaskaskia in 1720, in what was then the province of Louisiana. After the French and Indian War, the region was ceded to the English. During the American Revolution, . . . — — Map (db m97970) HM
Capital-Indianapolis
In the early 18th century, French occupation of the area began with the construction of three forts between 1715 and 1733: Miami, Quiatenon, and Vincennes, the latter becoming a permanent settlement. In 1763 France ceded . . . — — Map (db m194679) HM
Capital-Des Moines
The area was a part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. After the defeat of the Indian chief, Black Hawk in 1832, settlers flocked to the region. Dubuque was permanently founded in 1833. Iowa was included in the boundaries of . . . — — Map (db m97416) HM
For the first years at Jamestown, the English needed food from the natives in order to survive. The Powhatans for their part sought the colonists’ commercial goods: iron tools and pots, hatchets and knives, bells and glass beads. Exchanges could be . . . — — Map (db m17395) HM
Near Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31), on the left when traveling south.
The English settlers in Virginia soon built a fort in order to protect themselves from raids by the Spanish and local Indians. The fort re-created here was described by an English settler in 1610 as triangular in shape with walls of planks and . . . — — Map (db m40261) HM
Jamestown island formed many thousands of years ago from a series of shoals along the James River. When colonists arrived in 1607, an isthmus connected the island to the mainland, and a “paradise” of virgin hardwoods covered the land. . . . — — Map (db m17404) HM
Capital-Topeka
Claimed by France in 1682, the area was ceded to Spain in 1763, reverted back to France in 1800, and in 1803 became part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1817 it became part of the unorganized Indian Territory. A battleground for . . . — — Map (db m194647) HM
Capital-Frankfort
Following possible visits to the area in the 17th century, particularly by Gabriel Arthur, actual exploration was not made until Thomas Walker went to the region in 1750. He was followed in 1751 by Christopher Gist. In 1767, . . . — — Map (db m97960) HM
On Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31) south of Greenspring Road ( Route 614), on the left when traveling south.
On behalf of a grateful nation, President James Monroe invited the Marquis de Lafayette to visit the United States, his adopted country. Lafayette’s tour of all 24 states in 1824 and 1825 drew large crowds and sparked a renewal of patriotism. On 22 . . . — — Map (db m90955) HM
Capital-Baton Rouge
Following Cabeza de Vaca, this area was further explored by Hernando de Soto in 1541, and claimed for France in 1682 by La Salle, whose attempt at establishing a colony five years later ended in his death. In 1699 Pierre . . . — — Map (db m97965) HM
Capital-Augusta
John Cabot probably explored Maine for the English in 1498, and in 1607 a temporary English colony was established on the Kennebec River. In 1622 Sir Ferdinando Gorges and John Mason received a land grant in the area. After a . . . — — Map (db m194680) HM
One of the thirteen original colonies
Capital-Annapolis
In 1632, King Charles I of England granted land to George Calvert, Lord Baltimore. At Calvert’s death, his son succeeded to the title and organized a colonial expedition. Settlers . . . — — Map (db m97858) HM
One of the thirteen original colonies
Capital-Boston
A group of zealous Puritans known as the Separatists or “Pilgrims” left England and established a colony at Plymouth in New England in 1620. In 1626, a Puritan settlement was . . . — — Map (db m97856) HM
Capital-Lansing
Although settled by French missionaries and fur traders, the area came under British control after the French and Indian War. When the United States took charge after the American Revolution, Michigan became part of the Northwest . . . — — Map (db m194681) HM
Capital-St. Paul
Daniel Greysolon, Sieur Duluth, let an expedition to the area in 1679. French fur traders worked in the region until France ceded it to England after the French and Indian War in 1763. The eastern portion became part of the . . . — — Map (db m194660) HM
Capital-Jackson
The first permanent settlement in this area was established near present day Biloxi. After the French and Indian War, the territory was ceded by the French to the English, who in turn surrendered it to Spain following the American . . . — — Map (db m97967) HM
Capital-Jefferson City
Permanent settlement in the area was not established by France until the 1730s. In 1763 France ceded this region which was part of the Louisiana territory to Spain, who ceded it back in 1800. France sold the region to the . . . — — Map (db m98072) HM
Capital-Helena
Fur trappers worked in the region as early as the 1740s. Acquired as a portion of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Lewis and Clark explored the area in 1805. The region offered American fur traders a profitable business and the . . . — — Map (db m97610) HM
Capital-Lincoln
After La Salle claimed much of the region in 1682, France controlled the territory for a time and then ceded it to Spain. The area was sold back to France and then to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. . . . — — Map (db m194911) HM
Capital-Carson City
This area was claimed by Mexico in 1820. In 1825 Jedediah Smith entered the region and in 1845 John Fremont led an expedition there. This area was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican War and was originally . . . — — Map (db m194659) HM
One of the thirteen original colonies
Capital-Concord
While the French were the first to explore this area, it was John Smith’s explorations, maps, and reports of the region in 1614 which led to its eventual settlement. In 1622, John Mason . . . — — Map (db m194678) HM
One of the thirteen original colonies
Capital-Trenton
Dutch merchants established trade with the Lenape Indians and set up trading posts at present day Jersey City in 1618 and Fort Nassau in 1624. Swedish settlers came to the area in 1638. . . . — — Map (db m194655) HM
Capital-Santa Fe
The region was controlled by the Spanish and in 1609-10 Santa Fe was founded and became the colony’s capital. Mexico won its independence in 1821 and controlled the region after that. Most of New Mexico was acquired by the United . . . — — Map (db m97668) HM
One of the thirteen original colonies
Capital-Albany
Following the explorations of Verrazano in New York Bay, French explorer Samuel de Champlain and English explorer Henry Hudson (employed by the Dutch) investigated this area in 1609. By the . . . — — Map (db m97934) HM
One of the thirteen original colonies
Capital-Raleigh
Queen Elizabeth I of England granted Sir Walter Raleigh the right to establish a colony in 1584. Two settlements at Roanoke Island (1585, 1587) were unsuccessful, the second now known as . . . — — Map (db m97936) HM
Capital-Bismarck
This area was sold to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Lewis and Clark explored the region in 1804-5 and settlement attempts were made around 1812 by Scottish and Irish families. In 1818 the United . . . — — Map (db m194649) HM
Capital-Columbus
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, French and English traders competed and clashed in the region. In 1763, at the end of the French and Indian War, the land was ceded to the English. The United States acquired the area . . . — — Map (db m97964) HM
Capital-Oklahoma City
Though claimed by Robert LaSalle for France in 1682, the region remained inhabited primarily by Indians. In 1803 the United States bought the area in the Louisiana Purchase. First set aside as a new homeland for displaced . . . — — Map (db m97666) HM
Within three days of reaching the New World, the first Jamestown colonists had assembled a small boat to go exploring in the roadless wilderness. Once settled, they gathered raw materials of boat building for export as well as for their own use: . . . — — Map (db m17396) HM
Capital-Salem
After England claimed the region, fur trading posts were established in the 1790s. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark explored the region in 1805, and John Jacob Astor founded his fur trading post in 1811. The first American . . . — — Map (db m194648) HM
One of the thirteen original colonies
Capital-Harrisburg
Although Captain John Smith entered the Susquehanna River in 1608 and Henry Hudson entered Delaware Bay in 1609, the region was not explored extensively until Cornelius Hendricksen came . . . — — Map (db m97833) HM
Near Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31), on the left when traveling south.
At the time of the English arrival in Virginia, the tribes of the Powhatan chiefdom were living in communities of varying sizes. Larger towns contained the residences of chiefs as well as specialized structures such as storehouses and a temple. . . . — — Map (db m40257) HM
Near Colonial Parkway 1.2 miles east of Jamestown Road ( Route 31), on the right when traveling west.
The Middle Passage
For more than 350 years, approximately 12 million Africans were transported across the Atlantic Ocean in the largest forced migration in history. Two million, unknown and forgotten, died during the voyage. Of the ten . . . — — Map (db m147817) HM
One of the original colonies
Capital-Providence
Roger Williams established the first settlement at Providence in 1636 with a group of followers from Massachusetts Bay Colony who sought freedom of worship. Portsmouth and Newport were founded . . . — — Map (db m97943) HM
On Colonial National Historical Parkway 2 miles south of Humelsine Parkway ( Route 199), on the left when traveling south.
“…announce the landing of three thousand French troops under the Marquis [de Saint-Simon] at Burrels Ferry.... They... will... proceed with flat bottom boats and the others where they will again land at James Island their troops this . . . — — Map (db m209690) HM
Near Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31), on the left when traveling south.
In December 1606, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery left England with 105 colonists and supplies of food, tools, livestock, and military equipment to start a new colony in Virginia. The English investors who funded the colony . . . — — Map (db m40255) HM
England – and Jamestown – imported silk from the Mediterranean and the Orient. In 1619 the Colony Secretary bragged that the cow keeper and the collier’s wife had suits of “fresh flaming silk.” Spinning fibers from the . . . — — Map (db m17393) HM
One of the original colonies
Capital-Columbia
The Spanish attempted a settlement in 1526, but it was shortly abandoned. A group of French Huguenots established a colony on Parris Island in Port Royal Sound in 1562 which lasted about a year. . . . — — Map (db m97893) HM
Capital-Pierre
The Dakotas became a part of the United States as a result of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Fur traders moved into the area following the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804. The state was formed from the 1861 Dakota Territory, . . . — — Map (db m97583) HM
Capital-Nashville
King Charles II of England included this territory in the Carolina grants made in 1663 and 1665. Following French explorations, Englishmen James Needham and Gabriel Arthur explored the region in 1673 and visited Cherokee Indian . . . — — Map (db m97962) HM
Capital-Austin
Spain established several missions and controlled the region until 1821 when Mexico gained its independence. At that time, the United States reached agreement with Mexico allowing Americans to colonize the territory, and Stephen . . . — — Map (db m194912) HM
To the right, just beyond this narrow marsh, lay the 80-acre “Island House” tract which was “planted and seated” prior to 1619 by Richard Kingsmill, “ancient planter,” burgess, and man of property and affairs. His . . . — — Map (db m17363) HM
King James called smoking “a filthy novelty,” but tobacco proved the salvation of his
Virginia colony. Seeds from South America and the West Indies, grown in Virginia’s soil and climate, produced a pleasing leaf. From 1615 to 1619, . . . — — Map (db m17394) HM
Near Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31) at Colonial National Historic Parkway, on the left when traveling south.
The Greate Road, also called the Maine Cart Road and the Great Old Road, connected the isthmus of Jamestown with the mainland between the James and Back Rivers. Originally, it was a path established and used by Native Americans.
In May 1607, . . . — — Map (db m66898) HM
By the 1600s, hardwood lumber was scarce in England. Early exports of the colony were potash, used in the manufacture of glass, and soap ash, which yields liquid soap. The ashes of hardwood logs were mixed with water, strained, and heated to a . . . — — Map (db m17399) HM
On Colonial National Historical Parkway 0.9 miles south of Jamestown Road ( Route 31), on the right when traveling south.
This modern road crosses to Jamestown about on line with a natural isthmus which existed in Colonial times. The sandy strip that made Jamestown "a semi-island" was washed away in the 1700's. — — Map (db m305081) HM
Capital-Salt Lake City
Although the Spanish first explored the area, English and American fur traders soon entered the region. Mass migrations of Mormons driven from eastern states began in the 1840s. In 1848 the territory was ceded to the . . . — — Map (db m194651) HM
Capital-Montpelier
English colonists from nearby Massachusetts established the first permanent settlement in 1724. Following a dispute over the territory between New Hampshire and New York, King George III granted it to New York. New Hampshire . . . — — Map (db m97944) HM
The first permanent English settlement in North America and the first of the thirteen original colonies.
Capital-Richmond
A permanent settlement was established by England’s Virginia Company of London in 1607 under its original charter. In . . . — — Map (db m194654) HM
The plentiful grape vines in the New World raised hopes of a profitable wine making industry. Native and imported varieties produced a drinkable vintage, but the wine often spoiled during shipment to England. The venture failed. A local market did . . . — — Map (db m17402) HM
Near Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31), on the left when traveling south.
The ships traveled to Virginia using the favorable southerly route across the Atlantic Ocean, taking advantage of trade winds and stopping at numerous islands to resupply. Cramped, unsanitary conditions and unrelenting boredom created tension and . . . — — Map (db m40260) HM
Capital-Olympia
Washington was explored in the 18th century by Spanish, American and British travelers, specifically Captain George Vancouver in the 1790s. Lewis and Clark opened the area for American activity in their 1805 explorations. In 1818, . . . — — Map (db m97654) HM
Near Colonial Parkway, on the right when traveling west.
This well was in use in the first quarter of the 17th century, dating to the early years of Jamestown. When no longer usable, wells were used as a place to put garbage. This added many unwanted item, mixing with the few items that had been . . . — — Map (db m45258) HM
Capital-Charleston
The region was a part of the original colony of Virginia, but was settled primarily by Scotch-Irish and German settlers. Conflicts arose between western Virginians and those in the east after the American Revolution, . . . — — Map (db m97456) HM
Capital-Madison
After France formally claimed the region, fur trading posts were established in the area. As a result of the French and Indian War, French supremacy in Wisconsin ended with the occupation of the region by the British in 1763. The . . . — — Map (db m97418) HM
Capital-Cheyenne
Wyoming was home to more than a dozen Indian tribes when the first American traders entered the area. The region was acquired in portions by the United States: the east in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the west in the Oregon . . . — — Map (db m97657) HM
Near Colonial National Historical Parkway 0.6 miles south of Jamestown Road ( Route 31), on the right when traveling south.
...walking into the woods...we espied a pathway like an Irish pace (a pass through woods between bogs)...we traced along some foure miles...the ground all flowering over with faire flowers of sundry colours....
George Percy, . . . — — Map (db m306083) HM
Here on Glasshouse Point the Jamestown settlers, in 1608, built furnaces, made glass, and shipped a "trial" of it to England. This marked the beginning of our American glass manufacture, one of the nation's first "industrial" enterprises. The . . . — — Map (db m307526) HM
Near Colonial National Historical Parkway 0.6 miles south of Jamestown Road ( Route 31), on the right when traveling south.
In 1931, Jesse Dimmick found a piece of slag near where you are standing and excavated three stone structures and glass fragments, evidence of the early glassmaking industry. The National Park Service conducted additional excavations in 1948. . . . — — Map (db m306073) HM
Near Colonial National Historical Park 0.6 miles south of Jamestown Road ( Route 31), on the right when traveling south.
Glass was in demand in 17th-century England, and its manufacture required highly skilled craftsmen. In 1608, German glassmakers (referred to as Dutchmen by John Smith) arrived in the Second Supply and successfully completed a "tryle of glass" at . . . — — Map (db m306062) HM
Near Colonial National Historical Parkway 0.6 miles south of Jamestown Road ( Route 31), on the right when traveling south.
The Glass Packaging Institute contributed to the erection of this replica of the Glasshouse. The first exhibit structure constructed by the Jamestown Glasshouse Foundation was destroyed by fire in October 1974 and has been replaced by this building . . . — — Map (db m306066) HM
Near Colonial National Historical Parkway 1.5 miles south of Jamestown Road ( Route 31), on the right when traveling south.
The Church Tower restoration project was made possible by meaningful and nationwide donor support. Special thanks to major benefactors, including:
Jamestowne Society
Randolph D. Rouse Foundation
Robert G. Cabell III and Maude Morgan Cabell . . . — — Map (db m306086) HM
In Memory of the Colonial Governors and Presidents of the Council Officially Resident at Jamestown
1607-1698
Edward Maria Wingfield ·
John Ratcliffe ·
John Smith ·
John West ·
William Berkeley ·
Richard Remp ·
Thomas West, . . . — — Map (db m305178) HM
Near Colonial National Historical Parkway 1.5 miles south of Jamestown Road ( Route 31), on the right when traveling south.
The 2019 restoration of Jamestown's Memorial Church was made possible thanks to the generosity of the following friends:
The General Society of Colonial Wars
James City County
The Jamestowne Society
The National Society of the Colonial . . . — — Map (db m305080) HM
Near Colonial National Historical Parkway 1.5 miles south of Jamestown Road ( Route 31), on the right when traveling south.
The embankment and earth mounds before you are the remnants of a Confederate Civil War earthwork named Fort Pocahontas. One of five Civil War forts constructed on Jamestown Island, this shore battery of 18 guns was positioned to stop Federal . . . — — Map (db m306060) HM
Near Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31) 0.4 miles south of Greensprings Road ( Route 614), on the right when traveling south.
(panel 1)
John Smith Explores the Chesapeake
Captain John Smith explored the Chesapeake Bay in the early 1600s seeking precious metals and a passage to Asia. He traveled the James, Chickahominy, and York rivers in 1607, and led two . . . — — Map (db m97301) HM
On Forge Road at Richmond Road (U.S. 60), on the right when traveling east on Forge Road.
First called John Lewis's Ordinary and then Fox's, Burnt Ordinary received its name in Jan. 1780 when, according to the Virginia Gazette, Fox's Ordinary burned to the ground. Later, in Oct. 1781, when the French army's wagon train passed by, . . . — — Map (db m16846) HM
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