When in grade school, I remember studying early American history, including our earliest settlements and the Revolutionary War. History was neither my favorite nor least favorite subject, but I did enjoy the projects. One project in particular was creating a Powhatan Native American village built from sticks and straw and hay and rocks that I found in the woods behind our house. It was the artist in me, rather than the historian, that could always carry the day and make up for any academic gaps I had in history. If it was interesting to me, as arts and crafts always were, then it made an impression on me.
But it was a family camping trip in my late pre-teen days that I remember most and that brought the classroom history to life for me – a summer visit to the Jamestown Settlement that made an interesting and lasting impression on my childhood memories, so much so that it all came back to me four decades later when my husband I traveled to the Virginia Historic Triangle.
You do not need to be a history buff to enjoy the Historic Triangle of Virginia. It is really appropriate for just about everyone. Really. Adults, children of all ages, Americans, international visitors, history buffs and those that barely survived American History class in high school – they all can find a place here. Our September 2020 visit left us wanting more, because the more we explored, the more we wanted to see.
The Historic Triangle of Virginia includes three historic colonial communities located on the Virginia Peninsula of the United States and is bounded by the York River on the north and the James River on the south. The points that form the triangle are Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown. They feature many restored attractions and are linked by the Colonial Parkway in James City and York counties, and the City of Williamsburg.
The obvious stops are Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg, and we only got to see two of the three. A sprained ankle (me) and some unexpected eye doctor appointments (also me), chewed up many of our days and left us knowing that we hope to return to the area, perhaps in a post-Covid world, hopefully injury-free, and be able to dig deeper into what the area has to offer. Nonetheless, we had a great visit and experienced some fun and learning along the way.
We decided it was best to go in chronological order, so we started at Jamestown Settlement (we did not have time to visit the archeological site of Jamestown Settlement where digs continue to discover history even now). Among the first things I noticed at this recreation of America’s first permanent English settlement was that the Powhatan Native American huts are still there as I remembered them! The historically accurate Jamestown fort was there as well, along with the addition of three replica ships that brought the settlers to the area – the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery, all featuring interpreters wearing 17th-century wardrobe and filled with wonderful historically accurate knowledge that helps you truly feel the incredible challenges these early settlers must have suffered to try to survive.
This is where history comes to life, with a scattering of really friendly and well-informed museum employees that can discuss their historical areas of expertise. You can easily tell that they love history and love that their job is to share their love of history with others. We spoke with guides that were knowledgeable in foods of the era and medical care. Peeking in on the living quarters of the inhabitants was eye-opening, including the “survival cannibalism: that is discussed, something that I certainly did not recall being taught in grade school!
Inside the Jamestown Settlement museum is a vast array of artifacts and educational displays. I highly recommend the introductory video as a way to start your visit, so you can learn some of the historical context and details, or brush up on the history lessons you forgot long ago.
Several days later we visited the American Revolutionary Museum at Yorktown. The quality of both the museum and the outdoor living history areas, which included a continental army encampment and a revolutionary-era farm were impressive. The indoor museum was expansive and also included a wonderful film and exhibition galleries. Equally well-informed employees were available to guide us and answer questions. This was truly a place that a history buff would spend an entire day, but it was walkable enough so that in only a couple of hours we could get a good understanding of the historic significance of Yorktown. As proudly pointed out to us, the most special and valuable artifact in the museum is the rare July 1776 broadside printing of the Declaration of Independence on display in a large circular gallery in the museum.
What impressed us most overall about both Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown was the overall quality. Both properties were accessible, in good order, very clean and well maintained, and as neat as a pin. We felt safe at all times in a Covid world. The breadth of the display content and the span of history covered were impressive. The admission price of $27.50 per adult ($16.50 children 6 – 12; under 6 free) for a combination ticket to both locations within seven days, appears to be put to good use and worthwhile. Other ticket options are also available.
Beyond the obvious history museums most of us expect of the area, there is much more to discover. Historic Yorktown is a beautifully appointed waterside destination that was a great stop along after a few hours of museum visits. We enjoyed an outdoor meal on the water and drove briefly through the historic town and battlefields that reminded me a lot of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Among our favorite little adventures was a three-hour semi-private sail boat charter. It was just us, Captain Dan and one other couple sailing on the beautiful York River. There are a number of similar options, on bigger or different types of boats, but this was perfect for us. The Captain pointed out several routine overhead flights by Air Force One and we had the opportunity to pass by two immense US Naval ships that harbor near the Coleman Memorial Bridge and travel weekly (turning the center of the bridge to “open” it so that the tall ships can pass and head out to nearby Norfolk. We watched the opening and closing of the Coleman Memorial Bridge (not sure why, as no Naval ship was passing through) and enjoyed a water’s edge view of Yorktown, a Naval Weapons Station and even Bruce Hornsby’s mother’s house. But the highlight of the day was watching dolphins swim peacefully and playfully on all sides of our sailboat. The captain indicated that it was a late-season treat, as he had not seen any dolphins on the river for the previous ten days. The joy and beauty of these creatures was all around us, first one or two, then at least eight or more in a group swimming as if they were putting on a water show just for us!
Part of all travel and sightseeing is learning to be okay with not being able to “do it all”. We left a lot on our “next time” list that we didn’t even know about before we arrived inside the triangle. Post-Covid America would be a great time to see a few items we couldn’t get to on this trip – Busch Gardens Williamsburg, PatriottoursVA.com, home of the historic Yorktown Segway tour and any of a number of well regarded wineries in the area. Considering that the historic triangle is only about a 3 ½ hour car drive from most of our family in the Baltimore and surrounding areas, it seems like a great place to entice family visits and show them what we still wish to discover.
Safe travels and keep history alive!
Here is a listing of some of the great things to see and do in Virginia’s Historic Triangle:
| Williamsburg | Busch Gardens |
| Water Country USA | |
| Colonial Williamsburg | |
| Jamestown Settlement | |
| Pottery Complex | |
| Dinner and Music Theatre | |
| Yorktown | Revolutionary War Battlefield |
| Victory Center | |
| Beaches/River Cruises | |
| Richmond | Science Museum of Virginia |
| Kings Dominion | |
| Richmond International Speedway | |
| Virginia Museum of Fine Arts | |
| Children’s Museum | |
| Hampton Roads | Dinner Cruises |
| Maritime Museum | |
| Virginia Living Museum | |
| Fort Eustis | |
| Norfolk | Naval Station |
| Tall Ship Cruises | |
| Battleship Wisconsin | |
| Chrysler Museum | |
| Nauticus National Maritime Center | |
| Victory Rover Naval Base Cruises | |
| Virginia Beach | Atlantic Ocean, Beaches, Boardwalk |
| Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel | |
| Virginia’s Eastern Shore | |
| Contemporary Art Center of Virginia | |
| Ocean Breeze Waterpark | |
| Marine Science Museum | |
| Urbanna or Nearby | Several 18 Hole Golf Courses |
| Museums and Historic Sites | |
| Plantations (Shirley, Stratford Hall, Sherwood Forest) | |
| Narrated River Cruises | |
| Parks and Trails | |
| Charter Fishing | |
| George Washington Birthplace | |
| Boutique Shops, Antique Shops | |
| Wineries | |
Bibliography
Wikipedia. Historic Triangle, 22 05 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_Triangle#:~:text=The%20Historic%20Triangle%20includes%20three,%2C%20Colonial%20Williamsburg%2C%20and%20Yorktown. Accessed 09 10 2020.
