WILLIAMSBURG—The anniversary of the 1607 founding of Jamestown will be celebrated at Jamestown Settlement on May 9.
Jamestown Settlement invites guests to explore gallery exhibits and films that trace the first century of the Virginia colony, as well as the outdoor exhibits, and to enjoy family-friendly programs, military salutes, and hands-on interpretive demonstrations.
Visitors to the ships’ pier can learn how sailors navigated the seas in the 17th century and board a re-creation of the Discovery. In re-creations of James Fort and Paspahegh Town, there are a variety of hands-on programs, including Powhatan and English foodways, piloting and navigation, and Powhatan hunting techniques. Visitors also can “meet” one of the first women in the Virginia colony.
Connecting the legacies of Jamestown to America’s 250th anniversary and the American Revolution, a special “Rule of Law” program in the fort’s re-created Anglican church will examine the various forms of governmental rule that evolved at Jamestown during the Virginia Company period that led to the formation of the first representative legislative assembly in English North America in 1619.
