Mr. And Mrs. Hawthorne's Road Trip - DAY 1.

Hello, everyone. Rosie and Mr. Hawthorne are back from our trip and regular blogging will continue as soon as possible. Please check back in later to read about our trip. And, Xmaskatie, don't worry. It will be in installments. A big THANK YOU to Xmaskatie for for house- and Dixie-sitting. If it weren't for you,

this would not have been possible. And here's Part Un.

xmaskatie said...

You're welcome. It was my pleasure. Looking forward to hearing about your trip.

October 12, 2008 6:31 PM

On Wednesday, October 8, Mr. Hawthorne and I loaded up the truck and set out on the road. We had a few destinations in mind, but no strict agenda - a trip designed, or rather, not designed, mainly for adventure and diversion. We are on no particular schedule. We just are ... in mind, body, and spirit. We head north from Kill Devil Hills. We do have a starting point in mind - our destination for today: Front Royal, Virginia - the northern most entrance for the Skyline Drive. Our plan is to start at the Skyline Drive, take a leisurely (35 mph) drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains, and continue southward on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Here, we're going through Hampton Roads Tunnel. I hate tunnels.

On the way to Northern Virginia, we see a sign for Jamestown, Virginia, and decide to make a slight detour. Spontaneity is my middle name. If you recall from your elementary school history classes, Jamestown, Virginia, is the site of the first permanent English settlement in America. (The first English settlement in the New World was the Lost Colony at Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island, in my neck of the woods. In 1587, a group of 117 men, women and children arrived on the shores of Roanoke Island and established a settlement on a site very near the current location of the outdoor theater. In one of America's greatest mysteries, all of the settlers had vanished by the time new supplies arrived in 1590. ) On May 13, 1607, (The Mayflower arrived at Plymouth Rock in 1620.) a group of 104 Englishmen on three ships, the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery, funded by the Virginia Company of London ( a group of investors who hoped to profit from the venture by exploiting Virginia's natural resources), landed on the banks of the James River of Virginia and established a settlement. 105 brave Englishmen men and boys departed England's shores in December 1606 and one died en route. Led by Captain Christopher Newport, they reached the Virginia coast in late April. After 2 weeks of exploration, they arrived at a sight on the James River, selected for its strategic defensible position and its deep water anchorage. Jamestown was Virginia's first capital. Major themes of American history had their beginnings at the English colony of Jamestown: the growth of representative government and the questions concerning African Americans, slavery, and American Indian policies. The Jamestown Settlement explores the world of America's first permanent English colony and the Powhatan Indian, English, and west central African cultures that converged in 1600's Virginia.

Here is the obelisk that greets us upon entering the Jamestown settlement. It is the Tercentenary Monument commemorating Jamestown's 300th anniversary. Since 1807, beginning with the Grand National Jubilee, the founding of Jamestown has been regularly marked with commemorations. The 1857 event featured a speech by former U.S. President John Tyler, a great ball, and fireworks. In 1907, the 300th anniversary, there was a major exposition in Norfolk, Virginia and a dedication ceremony at Jamestown for the newly constructed Memorial Church and Tercentenary Monument. A visit by Queen Elizabeth highlighted the 350th anniversary in 1957. In 2007, the 400th anniversary was commemorated by improvements, like the Archaearium, a visitor center, a research center, and events throughout the year to highlight America's beginnings, including a return visit by Queen Elizabeth.

VIRGINIA COMPANY OF LONDON CHARTER APRIL 10 1606 FOUNDED JAMESTOWN AND SUSTAINED VIRGINIA 1607-1624

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN AMERICA BEGAN IN THE FIRST HOUSE OF BURGESSES ASSEMBLE HERE JULY 30 - 1613

JAMESTOWN THE FIRST PERMANENT COLONY OF THE ENGLISH PEOPLE THE REPUBLIC OF VIRGINIA AND OF THE UNITED STATES - MAY 13 - 1607 -

"LASTLY AND CHIEFLY THE WAY TO PROSPER AND ACHIEVE GOOD SUCCESS IS TO MAKE YOURSELVES ALL OF ONE MIND FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR OWN, AND TO SERVE AND FEAR GOD THE GIVER OF ALL GOODNESS, FOR EVERY PLANTATION WHICH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER HATH NOT PLANTED SHALL BE ROOTED OUT."

THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES A-D-1907 TO COMMEMORATE THE THREE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SETTLEMENT HERE

Mr. Hawthorne and I take a tour through the remains of the original settlement along the picturesque James River.

This is the Jamestown Memorial Church.

View of the back of the church.

Statue of Pocahontas.

Graveyard at the church.

We were able to witness on-going archaeology at the 1607 James Fort excavation.

Sorry to skip back and forth through here in my blog, but that's the way I walked through the settlement.

Mr. Hawthorne in front of the church.

Inside the church.

Original foundation.

The Ten Commandments.

The graveyard outside the church.

I found this little bit of fern growing out of the bricks on the church wall.

Random grave.

Statue of Captain John Smith looking out over the James River.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA 1608

Back to the excavation.

I thought this was very interesting. Bad month for the Jamestown settlers. Check out the dates. Possibly, they all drank the brackish water and died from dysentery. All at the same time.

The site of the First Landing. Shiver me timbers!

Next, we went into the Archaearium to view artifact discoveries found on the grounds of the Jamestown settlement. We were not allowed to shoot pictures in here, so I'll just describe to you one of the artifacts I saw: It was a metal rod about 12-14 inches long with a hook on the end and it was displayed with the medical and surgical instruments. It was described as a device used to relieve extreme cases of constipation. No thank you. Just, no.

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THOSE EARLY SETTLERS, THE FOUNDERS OF THIS NATION WHO DIED AT JAMESTOWN DURING THE FIRST PERILOUS YEARS OF THE COLONY THEIR BODIES LIE ALONG THE RIDGE BEYOND THIS CROSS, IN THE EARLIEST KNOWN BURIAL GROUND OF THE ENGLISH IN AMERICA "THESE ARE THEY WHO CAME OUT OF GREAT TRIBULATION" REVELATION VII:VIV

Artist's rendering of James Fort based on archeological excavations.

After touring the Jamestown Settlement, we drove to the Jamestown Glasshouse.

This is the original glasshouse.

Artisans demonstrate 17th century glassblowing. Glassblowing was actually one of Virginia's first industries, started in 1608 by German and Polish craftsmen. The furnaces are over 2000 degrees.

The glassblower was making crackled pears today.

Hey, didja hear the one about the glassblower who inhaled? You could hear him tinkling all the way down the street.

After glassblowing, we visited a recreation of a Powhatan Indian village.

Next, we went to the harbor and boarded full-size replicas of the three ships that brought the settlers to the New World.

Oooh. Lookey. I'm learning how to crop my photographs.

Canoe building up next. Or burning.

And now, the reconstruction of the 1610-1614 fort.

I thought this bed rather fancy.

The church.

Each home had a small garden.

Tobbacky.

Exhibition of a matchlock musket.

We spent about 3-4 hours in Jamestown before leaving for Northern Virginia.

We stopped somewhere about 3:30-4 for a delicious pizza. Very crisp crust. Neither one of us had eaten anything all day since cereal at 8 this morning. We were starving and the pizza was wonderful. Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Hawthornes' Great Adventure.