If you’ve studied American history, you know that Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the New World.
But did you know that in 1611, Sir Thomas Dale established “Henryco,” the colony’s second settlement, displacing the 250 Indigenous Powhatan people who lived in the area? Save that thought.
The first place we stopped at was the “officer’s quarters,” where a man in period dress explained the life of a soldier in the 17th century.
The next stop is at a church, where another man explains in detail the religious life in the colony, which required dozens of rules to be followed; failure to comply could result in execution.
Life was not easy here.
This settlement is where captured Pocahontas is brought. She is instructed in Christianity and baptized.
John Rolfe cultivates the first successful tobacco from his experimental gardens. This tobacco becomes the “golden weed” that will ensure the economic survival of the colony.
We also stopped at the “Proctor Plantation,” where a woman in her 17th century finest explained the importance of harvesting tobacco.
She showed us around her farm, which featured a variety of animals, including chickens and goats. She explains how important tobacco is to the settlement.
She hands me a list of dozens of items to trade with England for tobacco: a shovel is 20 pounds, a hammer 5 pounds, candles for 10 pounds for 100, a wooden bowl is 5 pounds, a barrel of apples is 20 pounds, shoes 30 pounds, and five chickens for 30 pounds.
Our final stop at this settlement includes the first English hospital in Virginia, “Mount Malady,” and Reverend Alexander Whiteker’s new home, “Rocke Hall.”
Here, our docent explains how Pocahontas is captured, instructed in Christianity, and baptized.
In 1622, there was peace between the English and the Powhatan until a new Powhatan leader emerged. According to History of Virginia, written by John Smith, the warriors of the Powhatan “came unarmed into our houses with deer, turkeys, fish, fruits, and other provisions to sell us.”
They then grabbed any tools or weapons available and killed all of the English settlers they found, including men, women, and children of all ages.
More surprise attacks ended up killing a total of 347 people, a quarter of the population of the Colony of Virginia.
At this point, James I revokes his charter to the Virginia Company, establishing Virginia as a royal colony.
Our trip back in time also included a visit to a Powhatan village before we left the past and returned to 2024.
There is an excellent gift shop and a friendly clerk to take your admission and get you started on your journey through this historic village.
For more information about visiting, click here. For information about nearby Richmond, click here.
