Beyond Jamestown: Life 400 Years Ago
This exhibit tells the story that begins on July 24, 1608 when a crew of twelve Englishmen, under the leadership of Captain John Smith, set sail from the beleaguered settlement of Jamestown on the second leg of their voyage up the Chesapeake Bay. They were strangers in a strange land, on a mission to chart the Bay, look for gold and the
Northwest Passage to Asia, and to establish trade networks with any Native
communities they encountered.
Smith and his crew spent July 31 to August 7 charting and exploring the Upper Chesapeake Bay. Here they encountered the Massawomeck, Tockwogh, and
Susquehannock tribes. Apparently the Susquehannocks made quite an impression
on the English, as a representation of one of their warrior’s features prominently on
John Smith’s 1612 map of the Chesapeake region. The convergence of these cultures,
brought about by this voyage of discovery, has ramifications that echo through to today.
Step back in time, discover life in the Upper Bay 400 years ago, and go Beyond Jamestown.
You may be surprised at what you discover.
