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Jamestown 2007

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Historic Jamestowne

 

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Historic Jamestowne (I)
May 12, 2007
Ceremony to begin at 10:30am

The John Smith shallop will officially begin its epic 1,500+ mile reenactment of John Smith's 1608 Chesapeake voyage from the archeological site of the original Jamestown Fort during Jamestown 2007's "America's 400th Anniversary Weekend".  A pre-purchased ticket is required for this event. See the Jamestown 2007 website for ticket details.

 

        

On May 14, 1607, the Virginia Company explorers landed on Jamestown Island to establish the Virginia English colony on the banks of the James River, 60 miles from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. In a little over a months' time, the newcomers managed to "beare and plant palisadoes" enough to build a wooden fort. It was from this site that Captain John Smith, one of the founding council members of the Jamestowne settlement and fourteen English colonists set out in a 30-foot open boat or "shallop" to explore and map the Chesapeake Bay on a three-month journey that would cover over 1,700 miles. View John Smith's original map