Virginia - Shelley Beatty

Visit to historic Jamestown Virginia

June 25, 2015 by shelley

We visited Jamestown Virginia, the first successful English colony in North America.

Jamestown, Virginia

On May 14, 1607, the Virginia Company settlers landed on Jamestown Island to establish an English colony 60 miles from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Discovery of the exact location of the first fort indicates its site was in a secure place, where Spanish ships could not fire point blank into the fort. Within days of landing, the colonists were attacked by Powhatan Indians. The newcomers spent the next few weeks working to “beare and plant palisadoes” for a wooden fort. It was inside this fort that England’s first permanent colony in North America took hold and the seeds for the United States of America grew. And here today you can learn from the experts who are adding vibrant details to the Jamestown story with their archaeological research.

It is a dramatic story. Disease, famine, and sporadic attacks from the neighboring Powhatan Indians took a tremendous toll on the early population of James Fort, but there were also times when trade with the Powhatan revived the colony with food in exchange for glass beads, copper, and iron tools. Captain John Smith was particularly good at this trade. But his strict leadership also made enemies, and a mysterious gunpowder explosion badly injured him and sent him back to England in October 1609. What followed was Jamestown’s darkest hour, the “starving time” winter of 1609-10. About 300 settlers crowded into James Fort when the Indians set up a siege, and only 60 settlers survived to the next spring. Some years of peace and prosperity followed the 1614 wedding of Pocahontas, the favored daughter of Chief Powhatan, to tobacco grower John Rolfe. But her uncle led a surprise attack in 1622 that killed a third of the colonists and caused the king to take full control of the colony. In these pages you will find the thrilling story of America’s birthplace.

Jamestown, Virginia

Visiting Richmond, Virginia and Becca and Carl

September 28, 2014 by shelley

Visiting Richmond, Virginia AND Becca and Carl

Bob and I headed to Richmond, Virginia to await the birth of our new granddaughter. But we also enjoyed visiting Richmond. Richmond is rich in history…revolutionary war period and the civil war period (Richmond is one of the top 10 Civil War sites* according to National Geographic). It is not far from Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. It is surrounded by battlefields from the civil war…Petersburg…Fredericksburg…Lynchburg.

One of the beauties of downtown Richmond, Virginia is the James River, an unusually scenic river.

James River, Richmond, VA

Because we knew our time for sightseeing was limited…baby Hardy was making her appearance at any moment we started a frantic sightseeing whirlwind tour. It would not needed to have been so frantic if we had known baby Hardy was in no hurry to be born…delaying her appearance by a week (but more on that later). We visited the White House of the Confederacy and Museum of the Confederacy.

Museum of the Confederacy

Hand-made valentine made by a war prisioner

White House of the Confederacy

Drive shaft of the USS Merrimac

Hat of Robert E. Lee

Dress in the Museum of Confederacy

Museum of the Confederacy

*As capital of the Confederacy, the South’s industrial heart, and the ultimate target of Northern armies, Richmond is rich with Civil War historic sites. Many of them are grouped under the auspices of Richmond National Battlefield Park in and around the city itself.

Richmond was the target of several invasions by both land and sea. Defensive positions and battlefields include several from the Seven Days Campaign as well as New Market Heights (scene of the U.S. Colored Troops’ legendary charge), and Drewry’s Bluff, where Confederate guns foiled an attack by a U.S. naval fleet.

Much of the city burned during evacuation and occupation in April 1865, but numerous historic structures remain. The national battlefield park’s main visitors center is located in the Tredegar Iron Works, where many Confederate munitions were produced. The site of the former Chimborazo Hospital, where countless wounded from Virginia’s many battlefields were treated, is now a museum to the war’s medical history.

We visited Hollywood Cemetery where James Monroe and John Tyler, both Presidents of the United States are buried. Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy is also buried in Hollywood Cemetery. I visited Hollywood Cemetery on my last visit to Richmond, but definitely worth seeing again.

Unique headstone, Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia.

John Tyler’s gravesite, Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia.

James Monroe’s gravesite, Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia.

Hollywood Cemetery

Bob and Becca’s friend Andrea at Jefferson Davis’ gravesite.

We took the historic Richmond Trolley Ride Tour.

Richmond_trolley

Carl and Becca

Panoramic View of Richmond

Old Lucky Strike cigarette company

Capitol Building of Virginia

Arthur Ashe statue

I thought it was interesting on Monument Ave in Richmond there was an Arthur Ashe Monument…most notably they depicted him holding a book representing education higher than the tennis racket.

We also visited the re-enactment of Patrick Henry’s “give me liberty or give me death” speech at St. John’s Church in Richmond.

Inside St. John’s Church Richmond, Virginia

St. John’s Church Richmond, Virginia

Re-enactor in drama of famous speech by Patrick Henry

Re-enactors in drama of famous speech by Patrick Henry

Re-enactor in drama of famous speech by Patrick Henry

Our next field trip was to Thomas Jefferson’s home Monticello! We planned to spend the day there and we used every minute to enjoy the home, the grounds and the gardens!

Bob enjoying the quill dip pens!

Quill pens and ink

Pottery found in archeology digs around Monticello

View of back of Monticello

Bob at Monticello

Plants around Monticello

Plants (sensitivity plant) around Monticello

View of back of Monticello

Plants around Monticello (loved all the greens)

Plants (loved the design the roots made) around Monticello

Gardens around Monticello

Monticello

front door Monticello

Monticello dome

secret room Monticello

Grave of Thomas Jefferson

Orchard near Monticello

Scenic view seen from mountain where Monticello located

Petersburg Civil War Battlefield– home of the longest siege of the Civil War.

Unbelievable! Two bullets hit exactly point to point.

Batteries Petersburg Battlefield

Petersburg Battlefield

The “dictator” (biggest cannon ever) at Petersburg Battlefield

Petersburg Battlefield

Eastern Front Petersburg Battlefield

Then:

Abatis in front of Federal trench lines at Petersburg in 1865. (Library of Congress)

Now:

Trenches at Petersburg Battlefield

Petersburg Battlefield

The Crater:

After weeks of preparation, on July 30 the Federals exploded a mine in Burnside’s IX Corps sector beneath Pegram’s Salient, blowing a gap in the Confederate defenses of Petersburg. From this propitious beginning, everything deteriorated rapidly for the Union attackers. Unit after unit charged into and around the crater, where soldiers milled in confusion. The Confederates quickly recovered and launched several counterattacks led by Maj. Gen. William Mahone. The break was sealed off, and the Federals were repulsed with severe casualties. Ferrarro’s division of black soldiers was badly mauled. This may have been Grant’s best chance to end the Siege of Petersburg. Instead, the soldiers settled in for another eight months of trench warfare. Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside was relieved of command for his role in the debacle.

Petersburg Battlefield

Bob at Petersburg Battlefield

Petersburg Battlefield

Bob and Becca at Petersburg Battlefield

Then:

View of The Crater circa 1870. The exit of the mineshaft can be seen at the center of the image. (Library of Congress)

Now:

Becca at Petersburg Battlefield checking out the beginning of the tunnel

Beginning of tunnel at Petersburg Battlefield

Jamestown Settlement Virginia.

March 17, 2012 by shelley

: Jen, Adam and Henry.

: View inside the fort.

: Building inside the fort.

: Inside the fort.

: Becca, Jen in armor and Becca.

: Checking out the fort.

: Becca and Becca.

: Becca helping Becca try on armor.

: Becca and Becca in armor.

: Trying on armor.

: Becca in armor.

: Looking in the doorway.

: Inside the fort.

: Checking out a building in the fort.

: Jen in front of building in fort.

: Becca, Henry and Adam.

: Becca, Adam and Henry.

: Inside building in fort.

: Becca looking out window of thatched building in fort.

: Thatched roof.

: Re-enactor in village (fort).

: Colorful rooster.

: Sisters Becca and Jen.

: Ship.

: Ships.

: Ship.

: Henry and Becca.

: Henry and Becca.

: On board ship.

: Adam, Becca and Henry.

: Jen and Becca on board.

: Ship.

: Henry and Becca.

: Becca and Henry walking up the gangplank.

: Becca, Henry and Adam on board ship.

: Becca on ship.

: Looking up at mast.

: Henry.

: Indian village.

: Indian home.

: Inside Indian hut.

: Indian Village, Henry and Becca (grinding corn).

: Henry and Becca grinding corn.

: Indian Village

: Indian Village

We visited Jamestown, Virginia and it was like stepping back in time. First we went to the visitors center, which we found very informative. The story of the people who founded Jamestown (and the story of the Virginia Indians encountered) is told through film and gallery exhibits in the visitors center.

In 1607, 13 years before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts, a group of 104 English men and boys began a settlement on the banks of Virginia’s James River. They were sponsored by the Virginia Company of London, whose stockholders hoped to make a profit from the resources of the New World. The community suffered terrible hardships in its early years, but managed to endure, earning the distinction of being America’s first permanent English colony.

And then a visit to the settlement brought history to life. Outdoors, one can board replicas of the three ships that sailed from England to Virginia in 1607, explore life-size re-creations of the colonists’ fort and a Powhatan village. In the outdoor areas, costumed historical interpreters describe and demonstrate daily life in the early 17th century.

Finally we stopped to eat at the Jamestown Settlement Cafe, which was surprisingly good.

Playing at a school playground, while watching out for ghosts!

March 17, 2012 by shelley

We decided to take Becca and Henry to play at a playground in Williamsburg and found one at the Matthew Whaley Elementary School. We soon learned it it is suppose to be haunted. It is believed to be haunted by Matthew Whaley the son of Headmistress Mary Page Whaley. In the year 1696, a teacher named Mary Whaley gave birth to a single son and named him Matthew Whaley. Mary taught her child in the backyard of their home, but unfortunately at nine years of age, the little boy died…leaving Mary and the father with no children. Mary Whaley, shortly after her son’s death, opened a school for the poor and it was known throughout the Community of Williamsburg, Virginia as “Mattey’s School”. Following a period of a few years, Mary Whaley lost her husband and he was buried beside Mattey in a church’s cemetery located in Williamsburg. Mary left the country and entrusted her school to the church’s wardens.

Through different buildings being erected and torn down over the past three hundred years, there is now a fairly large brick building used as an Elementary School and named in Matthew Whaley’s memory that stands on Scotland Street. It is said that Mattey’s ghost has been seen on the school grounds, more than once. However, many people claim that because this is not the actual site of the original school, his ghost is actually seen in front of the Governor’s palace in town…at the spot of the original schoolhouse. Others claim that they have experienced sightings of two young black boys, playing in the yard of the Elementary School. Rumors have spread that they are the ghosts of two young black boys who were killed by anti-desegregation assailants in the 1960’s. Still other people say that the ghosts are of Mattey Whaley and a little black slave boy who was his friend while he was still alive.

It is ranked in the top 10 haunted schools.
Whatever one believes, it was fun playing on the playground.
We enjoyed a beautiful day with no ghosts.

Matthew Whaley Elementary School Williamsburg Virginia.