Historic Jamestowne
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jamestown National Historic Site | |
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| Location: | Virginia, USA |
| Nearest city: | Jamestown |
| Governing body: | National Park Service |
Historic Jamestowne is the official name used for promotional purposes for the original site of the 1607 James Fort and the later 17th century city of Jamestown, located on the James River at Jamestown, Virginia.
[edit] History
Jamestown, first established in May 1607, was the site of the first permanent British colony in North America. Jamestown was the capital of the Virginia Colony, and saw Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, when the statehouse was burned. After a second burning in 1698, the capital was relocated to higher ground at Middle Plantation in 1699, which was then renamed Williamsburg.
In the 19th century, Jamestowne Island reverted to little used farmland, and became the site of Confederate earthworks during the American Civil War intended to provide rivers defenses against Union gunboats. The Ambler Farm was burned by escaped slaves, who found the desolate island to be a haven.
By 1893 the site of Jamestown was owned by Mr. And Mrs. Edward Barney, who donated 22½ acres of land, including the 1639 church tower, to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (now APVA Preservation Virginia). By this time, erosion from the river had eaten away the island's western shore; visitors began to conclude that the site of James Fort lay completely underwater. With federal assistance, a sea wall was constructed in 1900 to protect the area from further erosion. The archaeological remains of the original 1607 fort, which had been protected by the seawall, were discovered in 1994.
In 1934, Colonial National Historical Park obtained the remaining 1500 acre (6.1 km²) island and partnered with the APVA to preserve the area and present it to visitors in an educational manner. In 2006, many preparations were underway for the Jamestown 2007 event celebrating the 400th anniversary of the settlement.
