June 14, 2012 ~~~  Today we off down the Colonial Parkway (a beautiful drive and OFF the freeways) to spend the day at Jamestown.  Just being there walking about on the same ground as those people who started it all was wonderful... but seeing all the artifacts that have been found and reading the history and interpretation of various pieces was awesome.  Archeoligists are on site, and still excavating, and we got to talk to one of them.  He was working in the very place where John Rolf and Pocahontas were married in 1614.  They have identified the spot where the church and chancellory stood, and because of the dimensions can identify where they would have stood.  I was totally fascinated by all that we saw.  The artifacts are in the interpretive center and displayed beautifully, plus at the entrance to the walking tour there are films to watch to catch up on your history before you go on the walking tour.  There's also a cafe on site on the river bank where you can take a break during the walking tour.  This is all privately owned and maintained by a non-profit group and the National Park Service.

The top photo is the chancellory of the original church, the 2nd is the more permanent brick church.  Most of the remains of the buildings are reproductions built on top of the old brick foundations they have excavated, except for this brick tower at the front of the "newer" church.

This is the true remains of a house built in Jamestown in the 1750's... it still stands as a brick 2-story, but would have had a 3rd story and probably verandas built of wood, and it had a cellar too, but that's all filled in.

There's also a fairly long drive around the Jamestown area with historical signs and markers pointing out features, plus, if you're lucky you can spot some of the deer or other critters who live on the island.