Jamestown Settlement

In 1607, 13 years before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts, a group of 104 English men and boys began a settlement on the banks of Virginia's James River now known as the Jamestown Settlement. They were sponsored by the Virginia Company of London, whose stockholders hoped to make a profit from the resources of the New World. The community suffered terrible hardships in its early years, but managed to endure, earning the distinction of being America's first permanent English colony. Today at Jamestown Settlement, the story of the people who founded Jamestown and of the Virginia Indians they encountered, is told through film, gallery exhibits and living history. Outdoors, visitors can board replicas of the three ships that sailed from England to Virginia in 1607, explore life-size re-creations of the colonists' fort and a Powhatan village, and tour a seasonal riverfront discovery area to learn about European, Powhatan and African economic activities associated with water.

• Board replicas of the the three ships that sailed from England to Virginia in 1607.
• Explore life-size re-creations of the colonists' fort, and a Powahatan village
• Tour a season riverfront discovery area to learn about European, Powhatan, and African economic activities associated with water.