Heading Out Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail - Newport News, VA
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 37° 00.996 W 076° 27.337
18S E 370509 N 4097704
Looking across the James here on June 2, 1608, you might have seen a strange sight. A large vessel sailed past with a smaller vessel in tow—neither resembling the canoes used by native people on this river.
Waymark Code: WM12078
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 01/21/2020
Views: 1
Looking across the James here on June 2, 1608, you might have seen a strange sight. A large vessel sailed past with a smaller vessel in tow—neither resembling the canoes used by native people on this river.
The larger boat was the Phoenix, returning to England from the Jamestown colony. In tow was a barge called a shallop, which was about to make a historic voyage. As they entered the Chesapeake, the Phoenix cast off its “hitchhiker” and headed out to sea. The shallop, with Captain John Smith and a hand-picked crew, crossed the Bay to begin the first of two expeditions. The descriptions of what they saw spurred future European settlement of the region.
“The second of June, 1608, Smith left the fort to perform his discovery with this company (of 14 men)… These being in an open barge of near three tons burthen, leaving the Phoenix at Cape Henry, they crossed the bay to the eastern shore…”
-The General History of Virginia, Book 3, Chapter 5, 1624
(captions)
(lower center) This replica of Godspeed from Jamestown Settlement is similar to the ship that gave Smith’s shallop a ride to the Bay to start his first Chesapeake expedition.
(upper right) Smith traveled the lower James several times, including trade missions to the friendly Kecoughtan people who inhabited the Hampton Roads area.
(sidebar)
Experience more of the John Smith Trail at these nearby sites:
• Enjoy activities here at Huntington Park: the Virginia War Museum, Fort Fun playground, a rose garden, tennis center, and boat access to the James.
• Cross the James to visit historic Smithfield or to paddle the scenic Pagan River, where Captain John Smith traded with local Warraskoyack Indians.
• Explore Fort Monroe National Monument, a strategic location once utilized by the Kecoughtan Indians and later the site of Fort Algernon, built by the English to protect colonies on the James River.
• Learn about the first permanent English settlement in America with exhibits and archeology at Historic Jamestowne and a living history museum at neighboring Jamestown Settlement.
Group that erected the marker: National Park Service US Department of Interior.
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
Riverpark Road
in Huntington Park near the beach
Newport News, VA USA
23607
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.