Over the last couple of days, we have covered around 300 years of America’s history. Day one we went to visit Jamestown. This is the first permanent English settlement in the New World (before Plymouth and the Pilgrims). Here is where Capt. John Smith and the tale of Pocahontas took place (but not how Hollywood or Disney have portrayed it!). Here in May of 1607 a little over 100 brave souls (all men) landed ashore in hopes of establishing a presence for England in the New World. Spain and France had flitted around here for some time and England felt they were losing out on the riches to be had. They established a dirt walled fort that quickly proved to be insufficient to protect the new colonists from the existing inhabitants, the Powhatan nation. They proceeded to improve and build a much better fort and a replica of that is what is currently in place at the Jamestown Settlement Center. Just a few miles away from the original site, this area is an historically accurate recreation of the site and materials that were available to the colonists at the time. It is staffed by folks in period clothing who are available to answer questions or provide tidbits of information. There is also an extensive museum on site that traces events of the area from pre-Indian times through the early 1700’s.
The actual Jamestown site is an archeological dig that is located a few miles away and can be visited. We just didn’t have time to take in both in one day.
A rifle demonstration using a period matchlock rifle. Takes about 15-20 seconds to fire-reload-fire again.
A recreation of the largest of the three ships that delivered the new colonists. This is the Susan Constant.
This is the recreation of the Godspeed, the second of the three ships. Notice the guy going up the gangplank (for size reference). On this ship there were 50 men plus the crew that made the 5 month voyage!
Not a lot of room to put 50 people, is there?!?
How to make a canoe using oyster shells. Iron tools weren’t readily available. Build a controlled fire then scrape the residue. Repeat as needed. You end up with a thin walled canoe with a thick, heavy bottom. Once in the water, it is nearly impossible to sink.
What one looks like that is finished.
The walls of the fort. Notice that each plank is “nailed” in using 3 wooden pegs. The original wall was built in 19 days. The current re-creators, using modern equipment, were hard pressed to accomplish the same.
Powhatan village. Saplings are bent over, then lashed. Grass mats are woven and placed over the saplings. A fire is built and maintained for warmth, drying meat and cooking. A small smoke hole in the top allows some smoke to escape.
Inside they are quite roomy. But it was said that they were very smoky when actually being lived in.
Our next stop jumps us up to the 1830’s. We visited the home of Thomas Jackson, better known as Confederate General “Stonewall” Jackson. Here in the small town of Lexington, just down the street from the Virginia Military Academy, Jackson had his home. It is actually two homes made into one. The original dwelling was brick. An addition was made some years later that is the stone, and which effectively doubled the size of the house. It was the only home that Jackson ever owned, and he lived here and taught at the Military Academy for some years before the Civil War. Our tour of the home was led by Marta Kastner. Marta researched and wrote a book on Jackson entitled “Old Jack”. She was full of interesting information about the life and times of the General during his life in Lexington.
After the home, we went to the cemetery and visited the Jackson memorial. Here he was originally buried in a family plot, but was later moved to a prominent area in the center of the cemetery with an impressive memorial marker.
The original site. Jackson’s stone is on the upper row, second from the right.
This is where Jackson, his second wife, and an infant daughter are currently buried. Note the things that look like tennis balls. Seems that Jackson was a bit of a “health nut” before it was fashionable. He loved fresh fruit daily. During the Civil War, when apples were hard to come by, he was known to have chewed on lemons! In fact, one story says he relayed verbal orders to his commanders while having a slice of lemon in his mouth. To this day, there are always oranges or lemons around the monument.
Our next stop, coincidently in the same town, was Washington & Lee University. It was here that Robert E. Lee came following the signing of the surrender at Appomattox. He was offered, and took, the Presidentship of the University. It was here that he spent the remainder of his life. The college was a bit run down when he arrived and there were only 40 students. Lee took charge and through his leadership, the enrollment had blossomed to 400 within three years. One of the remarkable things Lee did was to eliminate all of the rules of the University and replace them with only one. It was an honor system that put the responsibility for fairness on the shoulder of the student. I was told that the honor system is still in place. Students can take exams in their dorm rooms. They are expected to abide by the code and not cheat. In October of 1870, Lee died of complications from a stroke. He, along with members of his family, are buried in the family crypt in the basement of the Chapel on campus.
The Lee Chapel and Museum.
This is a view of the side of the Chapel. The Lee Family crypt is through the double doors entryway at the bottom right of the building. The General’s horse, Traveller, is buried just outside of these doors. The horse was a mainstay of Lee’s existence during and after the war. In fact, the stable doors where Traveller stayed at the University President’s residence (now a garage) are left open at night so his spirit can come and go! Folks say that at times, you can hear hoofbeats at night around campus.
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