Thursday, April 26, 2007

A History Lesson for you.

I have a history lesson for you. If you viewed my post yesterday then you know that I posted a photo and asked everyone to guess who it was. Did you know?
Well if you guessed Captain John Smith you guessed right.



I also told you I would let you know where I had been. On Tuesday my husband and I took a day trip to Historic Jamestown, Virginia. A couple of years ago we went to Jamestown Settlement but I had not been to the historic area since my kids were young and my husband had never been. (Historic Jamestown and Jamestown Settlement are two different places located next to each other)

The 400th anniversary celebration is coming up and I knew I wanted to visit, but did not want to get caught up with all the tourist. Since my hubby and I both had a day off in the middle of the week, we decided it would be a great time to go. We had a wonderful day walking around.

Although most people think that Jamestown was the first place that the English landed at, it was actually in Virginia Beach at a place now known as Cape Henry and today April 26th is the 400th anniversary of that landing.

"Here, on the windswept sands, led by their chaplain Reverend Robert Hunt, the colonists must have knelt in prayer giving thanks for this new land and their safe voyage. Now they were ready to follow the company's instructions and push deeper into Virginia and seek a suitable site for settlement."

On May 13th 1607, the group landed in a new site and named it Jamestown in honor of their King, James the 1st and it became the first permanent English settlement in North America.

Join me as we tour Jamestown Virginia and be sure and click on each photo to enlarge them for the full effect


Our first stop was at the Glass House




We were able to view the




Men were there making things just like they did in the orginial house.



There is even a area where you can buy what they make.


From there we drove a short distance to the entrance.

Where you can see the orginial fort


From there we walked around the old church

Inside you can view the orginial bricks. They are kept in glass to preserve them

Outside is a cemetary where some of the orginial settlers are buried


While walking around viewing these graves I felt an overwhelming sadness.
Did you know that only 60 of the original 214 settlers at Jamestown survived.
Amoung those who survived was a man named John Dods. He is listed on the orginial list of settlers and also can be found on the 1624 Census. This name is important to me because he is a direct bloodline to my children, and grandchildren. My ex husband has done extensive research on his side of the family to document this. It was exciting to walk on land that he once walked.
Since Jamestown was established on the banks of the James River


And surrounded by swamps



People had to dig wells





As we passed some of the ruins of the old houses



I couldn't help but wonder what life must have been like. It wasn't until around 1608 that women arrived and families were formed.
Plantations were also established





Trading was done with the local Indians like Pocahontas


and after many years of hard work, our nation was established!

I hope you enjoyed the photos I took. I have about a hundred more taken between my husband and myself. It was hard to pick just a few for our history lesson, so I am including a small slide show of some of the others.



Also if you would like to know more Jamestown history visit this site
Also please come back on Saturday when I post special photos that I am saving for the Photo Hunt this week. They will reflect this weeks theme of something RARE.

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6 Comments:

Blogger Carrie said...

That was very interesting. I have to come to Virginia some day because of all the history

April 26, 2007 at 1:42 PM  
Blogger Patty said...

Carrie, that photo I sent you from the scavenger hunt is the lighthouse at Cape Henry (va beach) so you do have a piece of VA. History :)

April 26, 2007 at 2:35 PM  
Blogger Sandi said...

My husband and I visited Jamestown several years ago when I had a conference in that area - it's really an interesting place. So much history and beauty.

April 26, 2007 at 3:15 PM  
Blogger Carole Burant said...

Now there's a place I would love to visit! I love seeing old buildings, ruins, settlements, etc, and like you, often wonder what it was like to live back then. I so enjoyed each and every picture...I enlarged all of them and looked at every detail:-) You and I seem to like the same kind of historical places to visit!! Thanks so much for sharing this day trip with us!! xox

April 27, 2007 at 5:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I live about 10 miles from there, I just love Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg. You took some awesome photos.

Mine is up too.

April 28, 2007 at 8:04 AM  
Blogger Ligeia said...

I missed the previous post, but, I KNEW WHO IT WAS! Have you considered adopting me?

April 28, 2007 at 9:42 AM  

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