Jamestown

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Jamestown was founded on 14 May 1607 and is commonly regarded as the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States (following several earlier failed attempts). It was also the first capital of the colony for 92 years until 1699 when it was relocated to Williamsburg.

We visited Jamestown while taking Adam's parents down to the Williamsburg area. Located at the opposite end of the Colonial Parkway to Yorktown (the end of British involvement in the development of the US) there is nothing much of the original settlement remaining. There is an old church, which is actually the third church that was built and a replica fort wall that surrounded the initial settlement.

They have done a lot of archaeological work going on around the area to discover exactly how they lived back in the early times. At the Jamestown visitor center, they have some good displays depicting life in Jamestown in the 1600's and follows the events in the town through to when the capital relocated to Williamsburg and beyond.

Jamestown where Pocahontas comes into the American story. It is said that she saved the lives of the colonists on more than one occasion. She brought them food and clothing to help them survive the harsh winters that were happening in the early 1600's.

The old church at Jamestown

Statue of Pocahontas

Inside the old church. On the sides you can see the original foundations from the earlier churches

The estimated site where John Smith came ashore and established the first permanent English settlement in the US

A replica Jamestown fort wall, like that constructed by the original settlers