Despite its focus on history, the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation isn’t stuck in the past.
While the coronavirus pandemic has caused the foundation’s sites to be closed, the organization has innovated its offerings to create a new series of weekly webcasts to interact with history fans.
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation’s new lineup of webcasts features two series, “History Happy Hour” and “Historical solutions to Modern Day Problems,” which tackle topics from brewing in early America to using native plants in the local landscape.
During the webcasts, history experts will present free live demonstrations from the museum’s sites and offer a chance for the audience to chat with the presenters.
The new webcasts will run through June 18 as follows:
May 28, 5 p.m.: A Journey to the Summer Isles— this webcast allows the audience to learn a bit of the history of Bermuda as a new acquisition at Jamestown Settlement. Presenters will feature a look at a rare 1627 edition of Capt. John Smith’s “The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles,” first published in 1624. To top it all off, the session will also feature a recipe for a “Dark n’ Stormy” cocktail.
May 27, 4 p.m.: Using Native Plants to Solve Landscaping Problems— this webcast will help the audience learn how to incorporate native plants into their gardens. Bain Schultz, grounds department supervisor for the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, will demonstrate how to plan a landscape, choose the right plants and get them into the ground. The audience will also find out how end-of-the-season care can help plants to grow the following season.
June 4, 5 p.m.: Beer Brewing in Colonial America— audience will learn about the archaeological evidence of brewing at Jamestown and during the American Revolution with drinking vessels from the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation collection. Viewers are invited to grab their own mugs and learn recipes for George Washington’s small beer and Martha Washington’s unique persimmon beer.
June 5, 7 p.m.: History Mystery Trivia night— this webcast will feature an interactive trivia night that will quiz viewers on Virginia history in the 17th and 18th centuries.
June 11, 5 p.m.: Wine in the Vine— audience members will learn what wines were available in the American colonies, including those that were shipped and ordered from abroad as well as those made locally. Viewers are recommended to grab a glass of Virginia wine and a port or Madeira to learn about Jefferson’s contributions to Virginia viticulture.
June 18, 5 p.m.: Whiskey in America: Education and Libation— this webcast allows viewers to view the American Revolution Museum’s newest acquisition of a rare, 100-gallon, stamped copper still made in the 18th century by Francis Sanderson Sr. or Francis Sanderson Jr. These two men’s lives include details of the character of spirit in the American Revolution and early nation. Viewers will get to learn about distilled products made in colonial America in addition to biographical information on the still and the archaeological record of the Washington distillery.
Webcasts can be accessed via Zoom each week. For more information, visit History is Fun online.
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