Virginia's Historic Triangle: Exploring the Birth of America (Part II)

By a stroke of dumb luck we planned our trip to Virginia in mid-May over a weekend that coincided with the annual anniversary celebration at Jamestown. Special events were taking place at both Jamestown Settlement, a living history attraction administered by the Commonwealth of Virginia and at Historic Jamestowne, which is a part of the US National Park Service. We chose to start the day at Jamestown Settlement and made it there just in time to watch the Godspeed, a recreated 17th century brigantine, depart from port for a cruise on the James River. Due to the cruise we were not able to tour the Godspeed, but three other ships were open for exploration. The largest, Susan Constant, was where I spent most of my time.

Galley and cook's quarters on board the Susan Constant

Touring the ship was fun. Had I been a crew member back-in-the-day I would have opted to be the cook. He got his own bed in the galley. Not only was it private, but was probably the warmest place on board the ship. It was also not below decks, and given the conditions of travel and lack of hygiene in the 17th century. I think it would have been the best quarters possible. Here, like Williamsburg, the staff was clad in period clothing but wasn't living in the past. They spoke in modern language and were able to answer questions and give presentations that were interesting and easy to follow.

After touring the ships we headed over to where the artillery demonstration was taking place. Honestly, I just had watched a similar demonstration the day before at Colonial Williamburg, and aside from the cannon and a few commands, it wasn't all that different...but really, how does one pass up the opportunity to watch a cannon drill?

Following the drill we made our way to the recreated village. My wife was interested in the garden planted outside the palisaded hamlet. She noted the extremely large rosemary bushes. I busied myself attempting to get a decent picture of the free roaming rooster that was darting here and there...no luck. The bird wouldn't hold still long enough for the shutter to click. So we headed through the gate to have a look around inside the  village.

Typical building style in Jamestown

What struck me was that most of the buildings were rather well built for the period they were trying to recreate. I was expecting log cabins or frame houses made with rough-cut siding. Nope. The earliest of the Jamestown settlers lived in such shelters only long enough to build structures akin to what they were used to back in England. The craftsmen who arrived in the New World were used to constructing Tudor and Elizabethian style buildings, so that's what they built. While some had stone or wood floors, simple dirt was the norm. Still in all. They seemed cozy and well made. Aside from the homes, we toured the storehouse, smithy, armory, and apothecary. In most cases there were interpretive staff members giving demonstrations or lecturing about daily life in early 17th century Virginia.

Inside a Jamestown home

Outside the palisade and a few dozen yards away was the recreated Powhatan village. On display were several huts, lavishly decorated with furs and tools, that would have been commonly found in homes of the indigenous people living there in the early 1600s. Native American lore is a hobby of mine and having led programs on the subject for many years at summer camps, I needed no tour guide as I went from hut to hut. I easily recognized most of the items, albeit I noted the differences between what the Powhatan used and what I was familiar with from the Lenape and Iroquios. Here, arrow quivers were woven from sticks instead of being made from leather. The baskets were differently shaped from what their neighbors to the north used and some of the tools were shaped or sized in a different manner. However the similarities between daily life among the Powhatan and other Eastern Nations were easy to spot. Crops were growing, leather was being stretched and scraped to form it into leather, and people were constructing tools and arrows. 

Pohatan dwelling with cooking rack in foreground

Following our trek through the Powhatan village, we headed back to the welcome center. Before lunch we took in a short film about the construction of the Godspeed replica. Just last year I had watched a wooden ship being built at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, and the movie made me remember the sights and sounds of a shipyard there. Modern tools were used in both cases, but old techniques and tricks of the trade are still employed in wooden shipmaking. Interesting more was the segment on sailmaking and rigging. I'm not a sailor nor am I a naval buff so I'm easily impressed by those that understand sailing. I was awestruck to see the amount of work and the attention to detail needed to construct canvas sails and rigging. 

Following the film we ate a quick lunch at the welcome center cafeteria. The variety of food was impressive. I opted for a barbecue brisket sandwich, which was pretty good but somewhat overpriced, even for a tourist area. The french fries tasted like typical SYSCO stock. Two lunches with drinks and a small dessert cost us almost $30. Other dining options are quite a drive away, so if you are on a budget I suggest packing a picnic lunch if possible. 

Our afternoon activities lay a short drive away. Just up the road is the National Park Service's Historic Jamestowne (aka Jamestown National Historical Site.) Like most facilities of the NPS, a modest visitor center offers some displays and an orientation film about the area. Outside was something different than any other park I had visited before. For all intents purposes, the place is a full-time archaeological dig. Yes, there are remnants of buildings and a few monuments, but here you can actually see archaeologists working. At the far end of the park, which isn't very large, is the Archaerium, a museum housing the artifacts that have been recovered during the digs. It contains everything from shards of old tools to nearly complete skeletons. The archaeologists come and go from this building as well, often speaking with the staff about the days finds and what's planned for tomorrow. They and the museum staff are quick to answer questions and even show off artifacts. 

Old church at Jamestown National Historical Site

We walked the grounds for some time exploring the old church and looking at the monuments before heading over to watch the afternoon musketeer drill provided by the St. Marie's Citty Militia. The group was small, but demonstrated 17th century pike and musket drills. Like their counterparts at Jamestown Settlement, they too are dressed in period. When one thinks of colonial America images of men in tricorner hats usually comes to mind, these folks looked more like the men on the Dutch Masters' cigar box. Their tactics were of the late Renaissance and they carried matchlock muskets. There was a bit of marching and explanation about drums and flags but the main attraction was the musket drill.

Both parks are well worth seeing. Leave more time for the Settlement. If you are new to living history exhibits, you may need five hours or so if you haven't seen things like a blacksmith or an armorer working a forge before. Even a seasoned historical explorer should leave about four hours, especially if you have  chance to tour the ships or wish to watch the militia. If there is nothing special going on at the National Historic Site, two and half hours should be ample time to visit there. Granted if you want a ranger led activity or wish to see the archaeologists in action, extra time might be needed. Both parks are included if you purchase a Historic Triangle package or you may simply pay the daily entrance fees if Jamestown is your only stop in the area.

The Godspeed under sail on the James River

Virginia's Historic Triangle: Exploring the Birth of America (Part I)

Continental Fifers and Drummers. 

Okay, so not every trip I take involves a hike into the woods or a day sitting in a kayak. I'm a history buff as well and from time to time I like to explore the historic places of America. A springtime trip to Virginia offered me an opportunity to visit Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown, a trip that would take me from the beginnings of England's colonial attempts in America to its defeat by the descendants of those very first colonists some nearly a century and three quarters later.

My wife and I started our four-day trip to the area with Colonial Williamsburg. We were staying at a Colonial Williamsburg property and after a long drive the previous day, we really didn't feel like getting into the car to visit Jamestown or Yorktown. We opted to walk the short distance from our hotel to the historic area even though we were staying right next to the Visitors' Center where there was a shuttle stop. The sky was cloudless and there was no good reason to be in a vehicle or indoors unless absolutely necessary. Our first stop was the gardens outside Governor's Mansion.

Rows of blooming flowers, hedges, topiaries, and even a maze await garden visitors.

We spent some time exploring the garden area while waiting for performance of the Patrick Henry reenactor to begin. This was an interesting presentation. Like most of the townsfolk here, the players aren't totally immersed into the 18th century. When I visited the Plimouth Plantation in Massachusetts many years ago or have spent time with Revolutionary or Civil War reenactors acknowledgement of anything outside of the time frame in which those personas exist simply didn't happen. Here, at Williamsburg, the people were quite aware of the modern day. "Mr. Henry", in this case, spoke extensively about the goings-on of the colonial period but answered questions about things later in his life and even somewhat into the future. The actor even gave insight into current social and political topics. A sort of "What Would Patrick Henry Do" exercise. It was quite interesting. It made me think of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes where the crew uses a holodeck to get information from scientists of the past or perspective from historical figures. If only we could really consult with people such as Jefferson, Madison, and Franklin today.

An actor portrays patriot Patrick Henry.

Following our encounter with Mr. Henry, we ambled through the town inspecting several shops and the town armory before taking a lunch break at Shield's Tavern. The menu consisted of items somewhat in the tradition of 18th century colonial America. My "salamagundi" was essentially a chef's salad. I question the commonality of tomatoes as a food in 1780. While some were being cultivated in the Carolinas by then, tomatoes were largely ornamental plants during colonial times. Likewise, we visited in June. A period dish would not have contained tomatoes at all if served at that time of year simply because they aren't in season. I doubt seriously if the colonists grew hot house vegetables. Obviously concessions must be made for the sake of tourism and of course the prices at Shield's Tavern (like all of the Colonial Williamsburg eateries) are adjusted to maximize the outflow of cash from a tourist's wallet as well. I will commend them on the Pea Soup. It was pretty darned good and my wife regretted not ordering just a bowl of it for lunch instead of a cup and a sandwich. Note to the traveler: Eat off property. Had the dining experience been enhanced with period music and had there been actors performing like townspeople of the day discussing politics or gossiping, it might have been worth the price. 

Following lunch we moved to the Great Hopes plantation area for a look into what was done to supply the war effort. This was an interesting demonstration on colonial carpentry and the folks there showed how they made cypress shingles, building timbers, and plank siding. All of the woodcutters and carpenters gave excellent presentations, but it was misnamed. It focused more so on the economics of the building industry during the colonial period rather than how provisions were produced to assist the rebellion. 

Woodworking tools at the Great Hopes plantation area.

We departed the plantation after an hour or so and returned back to the town for the afternoon presentation of "The Revolutionary City." A street-theater production in several acts. The shows vary in subject matter from day-to-day. The weekly program listed some of these events as "The Cause of America" and "A Gale From The North," what is a part of official program and what isn't can be some matter of debate as the program can be confusing. When we were there, the first act dealt with a man who volunteered for the war effort to help earn money for his family. (This was on the weekly program.) Then there were two acts dealing with the war in the west and problems on the home front. (These were on the supplemental program but not on the main weekly schedule.) The performance than drifted to "The Town is Taken!" where turncoat General Benedict Arnold leads redcoats into Williamsburg and hoists the Union Jack over the capitol building. (This is in the weekly program.) The character of Arnold was interesting. The time is 1780 and he has aligned with The Crown. In his speech he explains how he was duped into joining the Rebellion and after several years of sacrificing his health and fortune, realized the futility of the effort. The insight into Arnold was well explored. The act of betrayal is legendary but few people ever get to hear his side of the story. 

Disenfranchised with the Rebellion, Benedict Arnold chastises
the local citizenry when they note his traitorous actions.

Finally, two more acts wrap up the event. (Neither of these were listed on the main schedule either.) Odd though, the "General Reviews the Troops" is listed as a part of the program on the weekly schedule, but not on the supplemental one. A few days after returning from the trip I received an email survey from Colonial Williamsburg that asked, among other things, several questions about "The Revolutionary City" program. I was somewhat critical in my responses because there were so many discrepancies between the daily and weekly schedules. Furthermore, only parts of the presentation had interesting storylines and action. I don't believe any shots were fired as the town was taken, but at least the drill of the Continental troops involved gunpowder!

Trigger time for the Continental troops.

After a quick trip back to our hotel room and an afternoon catnap, we returned to the town for the final event of the day, a concert in capitol. There was an extra cost for this activity but well worth it. The hour-long event featured a string trio comprised of the violin, the harpsichord, and the viola-de-gamba playing songs spanning from the early 17th to later 18th century. The musicians were excellent and the leader of the group was very entertaining with his anecdotes about the music and society of the day.

The Capitol Concert is held in the chambers of the old Virginia House of Burgesses.

Aside from lunch and the issues I had with the printed program, the day was enjoyable. In spite of the fact that everything about Colonial Williamsburg is not 100% accurate and a lot of the buildings are reconstructions, it is a worthwhile place to visit and visitors can learn a lot about life in the 1780s and early American history. The weather was perfect and it was a great way to spend a mid-May day. We headed into town for some dinner and then got a good night sleep in order to be well rested for Jamestown in the morning.

Goodnight, Williamsburg.

http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/

http://www.historictriangle.com/