Jamestown VA '11

Sunday, Oct 9 saw us visiting Jamestown VA.  Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607, it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the USA, following several earlier failed attempts. It would serve as capital of the colony for 83 years (from 1616 until 1699).  In 1699, the capital was relocated from Jamestown to what is today Williamsburg VA, after which Jamestown ceased to exist as a settlement, existing today only as an archaeological site and living history museum

The living history museum has a full blown building with movies and exhibits depicting the N.A. Indians  and colonist life at the time of the settlement.Indian   

Outside the museum grounds one can walk through a N.A. Indian village to see how the native Americans ate, slept, cooked, hunted and socialized 

There is also a full scale replica of the original Jamestown fort and all of its known buildings.

You can walk through all of the buildings

. Craftsmen in costume go about doing the chores that would have been done at the time and answer visitor questions about life in the colonies

A few of the more prominent homes had some small luxuries like tile floors and fireplaces. 

 Most of the buildings are mud daub wall constructing with dirt floors and thatched roofs and minimal furnishings.    

 A short drive beyond the Jamestown living history museum is the site of the actual settlement.  All that remains are some crumbling foundations and the remains of the third church constructed in the fort before the area was abandoned.  The US government owns the land and gives tours of the digs.

Replicas of the three ships that brought the settles are anchored in the harbor.  Visitors can walk through every part of the ship including the crew’s quarters 

One thing I learned is that rank did not always equal luxury.  Above is the captain’s  living quarters... Cramped small and sparse at best.

Above is the ship cook’s quarters and  below the galley… Far more spacious and comfy.

One thing we  definitely learned from this trip is that our colonial predecessors lived a very harsh existence.  They were built of a lot hardier stuff than most oft my generation., that’s for sure