The James River Peninsula often
becomes an “en route” part of a trip to Virginia's ocean communities or
even North Carolina's Outer Banks.
But it is much more than that. It also is
quite a bit more than Williamsburg, the remade colonial village that
perhaps has become its best-known spot.
It is a spot of much historical
significance, being the home of the first attempt at British
colonization and the site of the climactic battle in the War for
Independence.
Beyond that, however, a group of
plantations displays an agrarian culture that created a gigantic
difference in thinking that led to the Civil War.
It is more than a place to pass through.
A word of caution, though: Days can be hot
and humid down there. It seems only natural the Busch Gardens theme
park there would have a sister site named Water Country, U.S.A.
The James River area is about 390 miles away from Pittsburgh.
Bob Karlovits is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at bkarlovits@tribweb.com or 412-320-7852.
King for a day
A visit to Colonial Williamsburg is a trip back in time.
Not only have the homes and businesses been
restored, cars are not permitted to ruin the 18th-century feeling,
period music drifts from various sites and re-enactors imitate famed
historic figures, such as Patrick Henry.
So, park your car and forget about it. The area is
small enough to handle on foot, but there are some free shuttle buses
that circulate the fringes.
During the day, of course, the village is crowded
with tourists. Sometimes, the busy atmosphere can take away some of the
historic feeling.
For that reason, plan to have a dinner in town, then go for a walk along the quiet streets.
During the day, though, take advantage of the events, talks and concerts that are constantly offered.
Details: 757-220-7645 or www.colonialwilliamsburg.com.
No place like home
Throughout the James River area, a world of places to stay makes vacation planning easy.
But, mind you, don't forget the word “planning.” The area gets busy, so it's important to book a room.
One of the best ways to enjoy the area is to stay
in one of the 29 colonial homes restored and for rent in Colonial
Williamsburg itself. Right in the historic area, the homes are decorated
in colonial fashion, but still have those important amenities our
ancestors did not. Indoor toilets, for one.
Also, since they are in the historic area, they
are quiet at night or early in the morning before visitors flock in. The
area is perfect for quiet walks.
Rentals range from $150 to $405 a night, and there
are 79 rooms spread throughout the buildings. Some buildings have only
one sleeping room, making it really seem like home.
Details: 800-447-8679 or www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/stay/colonial-houses.
The first to have a go at it
Just when Williamsburg is looking old, a trip to nearby Jamestown seems in order.
It predates the colonial capital.
The Jamestown settlement began in 1607 and was the
first English settlement in the New World. The visitors center at
Jamestown has galleries and a film that looks at the cultures of the
Europeans, Africans and Powhatan Indians who met at the site.
By 1611, two other settlements were established
beyond Jamestown, which should have given the Powhatans an idea of what
was to come.
The Jamestown historic site also features
re-creations of a Powhatan village, a colonist's fort and the three
small ships that brought the English here, the Susan Constant, the
Godspeed and the Discovery.
Details: 757-253-4838 or www.historyisfun.org
Getting the job done
When George Washington led the Continental Army to victory at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, the fact of the matter was clear.
The British finally realized they were not about
to defeat the uppity colonials. The Marquis de Lafayette, who led the
French forces that were a big part of the victory, said at the time “the
play is over.” He was right, and the Yorktown Victory Center chronicles
the years of revolt that surrounded this pivotal moment in the history
of the United States.
Exhibits talk about the people who lived in the area, details of the siege and the British ships lost in the York River.
Outside, there is a Continental Army encampment. An 18th-century farm provides a look at life minus the intrusion of soldiers.
Details: 757-253-4838 or www.historyisfun.org.
A symbol of the South
After the first,
rugged settlements and the development of an 18th-century urban
community, the James River area began to be the site of residences that
have become symbolic of the South: plantations.
While this area is generally thought of in colonial terms, eastern Virginia is the heart of antebellum, agricultural life.
Loosely joined as a group called James River
Plantations, five magnificent residences offer treasures from three
centuries in Charles City County between the James Rand Chicahominy
rivers.
Shirley (804-829-5121) was Virginia's first
plantation and dates to 1613. Sherwood Forest Plantation (804-829-5377)
was the home of President John Tyler from 1842 to 1862. Westover
(804-829-2882) was built in 1730 by William Byrd II, the founder of
Richmond. Evelynton (800-473-5075) was part of a Byrd expansion and
named after his daughter, but since 1847 it has been in family of Edmund
Ruffin, who fired the first shot at Fort Sumter to begin the Civil War.
Berkeley (804-829-6018) is believed to be the site of the first
official Thanksgiving in 1619.
Information on the plantations where tours are offered is at www.jamesriverplantations.org.
Look away, Dixieland
While the James
River area is known mostly for its role in early America, the area was
an important site in the Civil War. Nearby Petersburg presented a
bulwark to the Confederacy that, when it fell, spelled the end of the
war.
Petersburg was an important transportation site
with rail yards that presaged the giants of the 20th century. Capturing
those yards became part of the strategy to taking the Confederate capital in nearby Richmond and led to a nine-month siege.
Details of that siege and life as a Civil War
soldier can be seen at Pamplin Historic Park, also home of the National
Museum of the Civil War Soldier, which tells the stories of the
combatants. The Battlefield Center, located near the zig-zagging
Confederate defenses, talks about the battle itself and how the fall of
Petersburg meant the fall of the Confederacy.
Details: 804-861-2408 or www.pamplinpark.org
To get closer to the action, stop at the Petersburg Battlefield Park (804-732-3531 or www.nps.gov/pete),
where the story of the battle is told at the Eastern Front Visitor
Center. The site of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's headquarters is an
examination of the huge supply base and hospital he had there.
Easing up a little bit
While focusing on various eras of history
is a challenging and satisfying pursuit, there's nothing wrong with
having a little fun. Nearby Busch Gardens offers that with its
assortment of coasters and thrill rides, collections of animals, as well
as a variety of places to dine and shop.
The rides are the biggest attraction,
naturally, with bare-knuckle beauties such as the Loch Ness Monster and
Alpen Geist, in which riders are flipped through some inversions at
speeds up to 67 miles an hour.
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