Jamestown Island is the site of the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three wooden ships carrying 104 Englishmen crossed the Atlantic and arrived in 1607. After being attacked by the Powhatan Indians the Englishmen under the leadership of John Smith built a triangular fort. The first years were hard. More settlers arrived in 1608, in the winter of 1609 the Indians caused a hardship that led to a winter of starvation. In 1614 Pocahontas, daughter of the Powhatan chief, married John Rolfe which led to several years of peace with the Indians.
In 1994 an archeological project began to find the remains of the original fort. Excavations have revealed thousands of artifacts and given us a glimpse into this first chapter in American history.
The Glasshouse was one of England’s first attempts at industry in America. You can see the remains of the original furnaces and then visit a reconstructed facility where modern day glass blowers produce glass objects that were common to that time period.
One Response
I wonder if they are still doing any excavations up there or if everything has already been unearthed. I have to believe there are still other artifacts that are still buried and may never be found.