{Spring Break - Jamestown}

With our week winding down we made a stop at the last of our Historic Triangle.  Jamestown Settlement and Historic Jamestown.  Jamestown Settlement is a large living history museum, with a large visitor's center with thousands of square feet of pictures, histories, ect.  It chronicles the changes that occur for the English settlers that landed at Jamestown, the Native Americans already living here, and the Africans that came as slaves.  Pretty interesting and informative.  

Lucky for us we had come on a day when every other elementary school chose to come for a field trip.  It was a tad busy!!  I wasn't able to get as many pictures of the Powhatan Indian village or the Fort because there were always someone stepping in front of me or some mass group chomping at the bit to get to be where I was.  There is something about large groups that think they are of a greater importance than the average family.  I don't know what it is but I paid the same money (if not more) to be there.  I was really disappointed in that aspect.  So I got what I got and I just hope my brain doesn't forget what I only got with my own two eyes.  The kids really enjoyed walking through the village and fort and seeing everything.  There really is a ton of things to take in, it can be a little overwhelming.  And lucky for us Wyatt didn't find anything to dump out or destroy.  We also got to board a recreated ship like those that brought the English men here.  All I can say is that I don't know how they did it on that ship for two months at a time without going bananas.  Tight sleeping quarters, an itty bitty kitchen, not even much deck room and that was on the biggest ship.  Wow, is all I can say.  

Ayden's favorite thing again was the guns.  This time we went back in time with the matchlock rifle.  He honestly could have stayed there and watched this guy shoot every 15 minutes.  

After we left the bustling Jamestown Settlement we headed over to the actual site of the original Jamestown.  This was Historic Jamestown and also the National Park.  This was so cool and not just because there was about 1/4 of the people to compete with.  Jamestown was actually abandoned in1699 and the capital was moved to nearby Williamsburg.  There had been a fire that destroyed much of the city and the rest was left in ruins.  Well fast forward a few hundred years or so and the need to unearth the city that once was Jamestown became important to many.  So excavation began and the things that they found were amazing.  They found a church, several wells (with a treasure trove of items buried in them), the foundations of homes, graves, ect.  It was really neat to walk around Jamestown and see the original footings, or the wells or the artifacts that have been found and just gaze in awe.  Maybe I am a dork and a sucker for history but it really was cool.  The kids learned a lot and thought it was pretty cool to.  They also learned that sometimes the stories that Disney movies portrays aren't always factual.  One of their favorite Disney movies is Pocahontas.  Well the way that good ole Walt Disney told it isn't really how it played out, but Meysa was excited to get to take a picture with Pocahontas anyways.  We had a great time in Jamestown and it is a hard choice between which place is my favorite.  I loved them all for different reasons.  The kids all loved getting to see historical stuff and I am glad that they enjoy it too!!  It was well worth the trip!!