Day 161: An English Foothold

In 1607, Jamestowne colony was established in coastal Virginia and succeeded where Sir Walter Raleigh's colony on Roanoke had failed, becoming the first permanent English settlement in America. The first two years were filled with incredible hardship, including starvation, attacks from once-friendly Indians, and lack of the skillsets necessary to be self-reliant. But while they ultimately maintained a foothold in the New World, the cost to the native population was beyond comprehension. When the English landed in 1607, the region's Powhatan people were estimated to number 20,000. By 1699, their number was 600. Conversely, the English, who began with a colony of 104, had a total population of more than 60,000 by the end of the century.

Another startling number for us...the initial 104 colonists and their crew had a westward sail to America that was 144 days in length. We've now been gone 161 days...living in complete (if transitory) comfort, with food readily available, clothing in plentiful supply, and a stable government protecting us. The fortitude of the Jamestowne colonists, who were part of a business venture as opposed to the religiously motivated Pilgrims of Plimouth Colony to the north, was incredible. (The Plimouth operation also had the benefit of a broad range of skills, having been recruited with a plan as to tasks necessary to sustain the venture.) The men hired by the Virginia Company (the financial backers who funded the colony as an investment) set off on an adventure into the unknown, with a minimum of supplies or preparation. Most of them probably said a "forever" goodbye to loved ones, believing they'd never see each other again. We're so glad to be returning to our home in just a few days; the perspective of Jamestowne makes the anticipation even sweeter.

After a wonderful worship service at Williamsburg Presbyterian, we had a fantastic meal at the Kings Arms Tavern (pic 1) in the restored, colonial part of the city. What a treat! We were with my mom's college pal, Marjorie. She used to work as an interpretter at Jamestowne Settlement, the living history museum adjacent to the authentic Jamestowne site. Marjorie gave us a personal tour of the Settlement. And as if that didn't guarantee our enjoyment of it, we were really blown away by the museum itself...wonderful information presented in creative, engaging exhibits. We really preferred it to Plimouth Plantation, whose story has many similarities to that of Jamestowne.

Photos:
(2) Marjorie taught the girls how to remove fur from animal skins using shells.
(3) On the replica Goodspeed, with the Susan Constant in the background.

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