Historic Jamestowne is the actual site of the first permanent British settlement in North America. In 1893, Preservation Virginia acquired 22 ½ acres of Jamestown Island, including the ruins of the iconic 17th-century brick church tower. The push to preserve this site was driven by ongoing erosion from the James River; the common belief was that the site of 1607 James Fort lay completely underwater.
Preservation Virginia launched the Jamestown Rediscovery project in 1994 to determine if the remains of the original fort were in the river, or, in fact, still on dry land. Within three archaeological seasons, enough evidence was uncovered to prove the remains of James Fort existed on dry land near the church tower. Today more than two dozen staff members excavate, interpret, preserve, conserve, and research the findings from the site.
Visit Historic Jamestowne’s website to plan your visit and learn more about this incredibly important site just a few miles from Williamsburg and Yorktown.
Today the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation, a subsidiary of Preservation Virginia, jointly administers Historic Jamestowne through a public/private partnership with the National Park Service. It is about a mile past the state run Jamestown Settlement at the end of the Colonial Parkway
The Jamestown Rediscovery website and YouTube channel offer a variety of resources for all ages to explore Jamestown from home. Kids and families can dig deeper into Jamestown history with our fun downloadable JR Kids at Home activities. Educators can download lesson plans to share the history and archaeology of James Fort. Want a front-row seat to the latest archaeological discoveries and analysis? Delve into our Dig Deeper video series on YouTube.
