Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation
ABOUT
Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation is an archeological project of Preservation Virginia investigating the remains of the original English settlement of Jamestown in the colony of Virginia. Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation is governed by its own Board of Directors and is currently led by its president and chief officer, James P. Horn, Ph.D.
Jamestown was first established in 1607 and located on an island about 60 miles from the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. The settlement had a tumultuous history from the start, battling disease, starvation, and Powhatan Indians resentful of the newcomers.
The site itself is referred to as Historic Jamestown and it has a lot to offer. Visitors can see archeology in action as the Jamestown Rediscovery team of archeologists continues to excavate parts of the island and tell guests stories about the first settlers.
Historic Jamestown has a great Visitor Center with a nice gift shop to help orient guests. The Archaearium Museum houses countless artifacts from the 1607-1624 Virginia Company era at Jamestown and presents some of the most important examples of the material culture of early English America in the nation.
There is also the beautiful 1907 Memorial Church, inspired by the 300th anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown, the Dale Café with incredible views of the James River, and the Glasshouse where guests can observe artisans are at work producing incredibly beautiful glassware.
HISTORY
In 1893, Preservation Virginia acquired 22.5 acres of Jamestown Island to protect the Church Tower, which dates to 1680, from the threat of development and further neglect. In 1907, a brick Memorial Church was constructed over the 17th-century church foundations; an approximately 9 inch gap separates the Memorial Church from the tower.
In 1994, Preservation Virginia established Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to oversee the ongoing archaeological fieldwork, museum exhibitions, research, collections management, daily educational programs, and operations at historic Jamestown.
Excavations beneath the floors of the Memorial Church and Church Tower in 2019 uncovered the western and eastern foundations, defining the full footprint of the original 1617 church and identifying the exact location of the choir and chancel areas where the First General Assembly met in 1619.
In 2021–2022, archaeologists digging in an area directly in front of the tower's entrance found scorched plaster and a layer of carbon-rich soil above thermally-altered earth. This plaster likely originated from the wood-framed church belfry when it collapsed during the 1676 fires of Bacon's Rebellion, making it a rare artifact that can be linked to a specific date in history.
Over the course of 140 years, excavations at Jamestown have uncovered millions of artifacts that inform us about the formative cultural interactions among Indigenous Americans, English settlers, and enslaved Africans.
GRANT PROJECT
The Americana Corner Preserving America Grant awarded to Jamestown Rediscovery funded a new, permanent exhibit interpreting Jamestown’s iconic brick church tower, the sole standing example of 17th-century architecture at the James Fort site. The iconic Church Tower has long been evoked as both a symbol of America's beginnings and a symbol of the importance of historic preservation.
Americana Corner is proud to assist the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation with its mission to preserve the Great American Story and to help our fellow citizens grow their love of country.
