Location: Colonial National Historic Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:30pm

Transcription of  marker: This modern road crosses to Jamestown about on line with a natural isthmus which existed in Colonial times. The sandy strip that made Jamestown a “semi-island” was washed away in the 1700’s.

My impressions: At last, we’re drawing near to Jamestown. It is interesting to see what water does to land, especially so close to the coast. Having spent most of my life considerably inland from the ocean, I’m not quite used to the divisions between land and water being quite so changeable as they are around here (even if I’m largely talking about events of hundreds of years ago). I also have to think: Don’t you think the word isthmus is a funny-sounding word? It certainly doesn’t roll off my tongue easily!

I’m also looking forward to this blog’s posts arriving at Historic Jamestowne. It was an interesting place to walk around, though my stamina gave out before I ran out of markers! A return trip is in the cards for the future, I’m sure.

Location: Colonial National Historic Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:25pm

Transcription of marker: This area, like a peninsula and bounded on three sides by a marsh, is just across Back River from Jamestown Island. In 1625 there were a number of houses and 25 people living here. The settlement had close community ties to “James Citty” and sent representatives to the General Assembly there.

My impressions: It’s funny, because it was not at all clear to me how Jamestown was an island when we were there, so one of the benefits of coming back at this is looking at the map and fitting it into my memories of the day. Of course, by this time in the afternoon I was also tiring of the Parkway markers (which, as a whole, were underwhelming in the amount of information they provided) and was anxious to actually arrive at Jamestown. With only one more marker from the Parkway to write about (of those we actually stopped at that day), I have to say that these feel like they were put up because the park management felt that they ought to have some sort of programming along the parkway, rather than because the particular points chosen had compelling stories.

Colonial Parkway markers
Real Estate

Location: Colonial National Historic Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:25pm

Transcription of marker: Early records tell of a land sale in 1636 being these 500 acres with “all howses…gardens, orchards, tenements.” The property passed from Thomas Crompe “of the Neck of Land” to Gershon Buck son of the Reverend Richard Buck who ministered for more than a decade at Jamestown.

My impressions: It’s funny to see all sorts of references to land in areas of 500 acres, especially given how large that seems to someone who’s lived in mostly urban settings of one form or another. I also find it interesting how we have at least one person named on this marker who isn’t really known about: Gershon Buck. Looks like his only claim to fame is likely being the son of Richard Buck: Google only had four hits on the son’s name (and presumably will have another once this is posted.

Colonial Parkway markers
Mill Dam

Location: Colonial National Historic Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:15pm

Transcription of marker: The mound of earth in front of you was probably part of the dam for William Parks’ paper mill. His mill was the first in Virginia for making paper and operated six years or more beginning 1744. Parks established the first permanent press in Virginia at Williamsburg. His paper mill supplied other printers, too, including Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia.

My impressions: This is kind of interesting. I mean, we’re not just talking about a mound of earth, we’re talking about links to history and people and places we probably already know. And has that “the first” thing, too. It certainly makes me think about what sort of things would have been printed using the area’s trees.

Location: Colonial National Historic Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:15pm

Transcription of marker: When Richard Brewster, gentleman, patented some 500 acres in this area on February 6, 1637 it was described as “the great Neck alias the barren neck.” Cleared land then, the forest has since grown back.

My impressions: This is another disappointing marker. It seems to come down to “this area is different than it was almost 375 years ago.” I have no clue who Richard Brewster was, other than that he at one time owned 500 acres that included where I was standing; there wasn’t much else for me to learn from this marker.

I did spend a couple of moments yesterday morning, finding out about this verb patented, because I know it from the rights that are given to inventors, but that obviously wasn’t what we were talking about from the context of this marker. I did find a Wikipedia article on land patents that started to illuminate me. The article defined them as “evidence of right, title, and/or interest to a tract of land, usually granted by a central, federal, or state government to an individual or private company.” The article also explained that in the original 13 American Colonies, proprietors would grant land patents.

I also found another interesting tidbit in the article on patents, where I learned that:

Certain grants made by the monarch in pursuance of the royal prerogative were sometimes called letters patent, which was a government notice to the public of a grant of an exclusive right to ownership and possession.

So the land patent was basically a document (from the monarch or government or proprietor) that granted an exclusive right to own and possess land.

One last diversion, this time into the world of etymology: Wikipedia also mentions that the word patent comes from the Latin word patere (“to lay open”). It comes from the availability of patent documents for public inspection.

Location: Colonial National Historic Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:15pm

Transcription of marker: For protection against the Indians, the settlers built a log palisade across the narrows of the peninsula between the York and James rivers. This was about 1633. Middle Plantation (later Williamsburg) began as a settlement along this palisade which had its southern anchor where Paper Mill and College creeks join a half mile downstream.

My impressions: This seems to me like a case of “we’re not in Kansas anymore,” or in this case not in Canada. At home, I’m fairly certain that the wording would have been changed. There is almost no place where the Canadian government uses the term Indians for the people whose ancestors lived on this continent before the Europeans arrived. (Ironically, about the only place it does is in the name of a government department: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.) So to my ears, it seems almost pointedly vague and incorrect now. Since “the Indians” are not a monolithic group, which Indians does the marker refer to? And why persist in using a term that was applied by somebody who didn’t know where he was?

The grammarian in me wants to re-work a couple of sentences. It seems odd to have half-capitalized proper nouns, because of the references to multiple rivers and multiple creeks. At the least, I would have capitalized Rivers and Creeks, but I would much prefer a re-worded sentence that doesn’t read awkwardly.

Location: Colonial National Historic Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:15pm

Transcription of marker: These oaks were sprouting acorns about 1750 and were growing toward fair size during the time of Washington, Jefferson, Wythe and Marshall.

They are white oaks (Quercus alba) with a height near 90 feet and a spread together of some 150 feet.

My impressions: Back on the road after a stop in Williamsburg for lunch and continuing on our way toward Jamestown. This does seem like more of a link to the past than the mill pond (which was the last marker we saw before breaking for lunch). I think it’s because trees grow with age and so the size of the trees adds to the link to the past, at least in my mind. That said, I was getting tired of stopping for these markers (probably because they contain so little historical information), and we gradually stopped at fewer and fewer pull-offs as we continued.

Location: Colonial National Historic Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 12:15pm

Transcription of marker: This mill pond and the mill dam (now covered by the Colonial Parkway) show on Civil War maps, and may have existed in Colonial times.

My impressions: I find this marker disappointing. First of all, it’s simply a “this was also here then” sign for two things (one of which is hidden now). I don’t know if Jones Mill Pond is famous in some way that I haven’t yet learned, but this marker really didn’t illuminate me. If it was here, please tell me WHY it’s important!

Colonial Parkway markers
A Union Advance

Location: Colo­­nial National His­­toric Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Vis­ited: July 4, 2009, 12:15pm

Tran­scrip­­tion of marker: On May 5, 1862 Lt. George A. Custer (who in 1867 made his “Last Stand” on the Little Bighorn River in Montana) led a detachment along a roadway here over “Club Dam Creek” to occupy the Confederate work on the bluff immediately beyond. This maneuver in the Battle of Williamsburg came as the Union Army advanced toward Richmond in the Peninsular Campaign.

My impressions: I like the bit of connection-making on this marker. I’m sure EVERYBODY has heard of Custer and his last stand, even non-Americans who may know nothing beyond the connection between his name and that phrase, so it’s nice to take what people know already and link it to what you’re teching them from the marker. I think it can also make a nice reminder that history didn’t stop in this area at a certain point in time. Because we’re traveling between Yorktown (where history was made during the Revolution) and Jamestown (where history was made much earlier). Here, we’ve got history happening nearly a century after the Revolution. Of course, there’s plenty of time since the Civil War…so maybe my point is a little suspect.

Notes for future snarfers: This marker and the next marker are from the same pull-off, but for ease of driving, staying in the car, and taking photos from the passenger seat, they are in the reverse order from our usual direction of travel. (So this one is closer to Williamsburg than the next marker I’ll post about, and that one is closer to Yorktown than this marker.) Nobody else probably cares, since they’re at the same pull-off, but I feel better for explaining.

Location: Colo­­nial National His­­toric Pkwy, York­­town, VA 23691

Vis­ited: July 4, 2009, 12:05pm

Tran­scrip­­tion of marker: The piers and structures across the water are an extension of the Naval Base at Norfolk. This takes advantage of the excellent York River deep water channel as did Cornwallis when, in 1781, he chose Yorktown as his base.

My impressions: It is about this point where I decided (especially with the distance involved) not to worry too much about military stuff. I mean, the US wouldn’t be stupid enough to put something sensitive within site of a tourist attraction that includes signage pointing out that the military is operating there. Besides, how much can you tell from this far away anyway?