SURVIVAL ON JAMES RIVER

Hampton Inn/Richmond Road

Williamsburg, Virginia

Thursday, April 8, 2021

70F, Sunny

 

Just as an aside, during Covid, this hotel does not do room service daily—we placed our towels and waste baskets outside the door before we left the hotel for today’s adventure. When we returned the front desk gave us new towels and wastebasket. This is not a problem for us.

 

This image is hardly earthshattering, but this is, from left to right, the soap dispenser, faucet, and hand dryer over the sink in the Visitor Center at Jamestown Settlement

Today we headed for the Jamestowne Settlement and had a great time there.  After paying admission ($31 for 2-military and AAA discount), we walked first to the Powhatan (Algonquin) area, with a basket weaver, a man hollowing a log for a canoe, another explaining their farming.  We explored their “yehakin,” their abode, inside and out.   

 

Exterior of the Powhatan Yehakin

Yehakin interior

At the James River, we boarded the recreated Susan Constant, which sails occasionally.  Despite its smaller size (as compared to the U.S. Brig Niagara), I can verify that the crew quarters and officer quarters were luxurious, also compared to the Niagara. TK reminded me that the Niagara was a warship, not built for comfort.  The passengers, all men, were cramped together below deck.  The Discovery is also recreated here.  The original ships arrived on site in April 1607.

Susan Constant and Discovery

 

We walked to the fort where many people were reenacting different trades, including carpentry, blacksmithing, as well as cooking.  I admire the men and women who work here, carrying on the history of the era. 

Inside Fort James

The governor had his own "home" inside the fort

Governor's dining area

English governor's bed

Gentlemen's quarters

Englishman protecting the fort (I think most or all of the men  were required

to defend the fort when attacked--this would be their attire)

 

We had lunch in the cafeteria, and I was excited that they had peanut soup.  

After eating, we went through the museum that explains the three cultures here, the Powhatan, the English, and the Africans who were brought to this country soon after the settlement was established. Survival is the theme here—how the Powhatan struggled to exist after great numbers of English arrived, how the English struggled in an unfamiliar land with scarce commodities, almost starving. Women came just a year or two later, but many men and women perished, how the Africans struggled in a very strange environment not of their choosing. Disease, famine, sporadic attacks by the Powhatan.

https://www.historyisfun.org/jamestown-settlement/

 

The archaeology site nearby--a National Park site

Again, we were intrigued by the ongoing excavation taking place in the area of the first James Fort. When we were here the last time, at least 15 years ago, they were excavating near the church. The work has expanded and archaeologists have found the outline of the original fort, burial sites, and many artifacts dating back to the early 1600s.  https://historicjamestowne.org/

From the website: "In recent years, the Jamestown Rediscovery team has been excavating outside of the Memorial Church to learn more about the 1617 church as well as the two later 17th-century churches built on the same site. The church constructed beginning in 1617 was Jamestown’s second church and is where representative government in English America began with the convening of the first General Assembly from July 30 to August 4, 1619. Planned excavations will expand to areas in front of the church tower, where several interesting features were previously identified that may help to shed light on the church’s surroundings as Jamestown grew and changed over the course of the 17th century.

"In 2019, the Memorial Church reopened after undergoing two years of excavations within the building’s interior followed by the installation of a new floor and exhibits. The updated space reflects the original footprint of the 1617 church."

 

We spoke with one of the archaeologists, a graduate of James Madison College, majoring in anthropology and history—she has been working at Fort James for five months.  I asked her what her most exciting find was. She found a copper curtain ring and just this past Monday she found a “King’s Touch Token.” She explained that the king was considered a divine being by the Church of England, and he could cure (allegedly) certain diseases by his divine touch. After the healing, the person was given a “touch piece” or token. She said it was uncommon to find one, so she was excited about it.  I did not ask what material it was; it is not displayed yet.

This is a King's Touch Token, but not the one found by the young lady we spoke to. 

 

There is a museum at this area too with many of the artifacts that have been found.

 

For dinner we found our way to another favorite, Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que. This restaurant is a favorite of locals and tourists alike.

https://www.pierces.com/

 

This was a very good day!

TK's Takes: The peanut soup was very good!!