Colonial Tour Part Two: Jamestown and Yorktown

[YEKCIM]

Day Three of our week was split between Jamestown, the site of the first permanent English settlement in America, and Yorktown, where a joint American/French army under Generals Washington and Rochambeau forced British General Cornwallis' surrender. This was the last major engagement of the American Revolution and, in essence, secured our independence as a nation. Here are a few
photos from those historic site:

Jamestown


Jamestown Monument:

Statue of Pocahontas (here's your Disney connection...):

Recently discovered burial site. Archaeologists believe that the remains are those of Captain Bartholomew Gosnold, an important Jamestown leader:

Crosses showing the location of individual graves in the James Fort burial ground. James Fort was built first, then the Jamestown settlement:

Some of the surviving foundation ruins:

Nikon Mom happily snapping away:

Glass bottles made at the reconstructed Jamestown glass-blowing shop (I didn't get any decent shots of the actual craft, but it is quite an interesting procedure and should not be missed):

Several-hundred-year-old bricks:

YORKTOWN


Reconstructed 1/4 scale British naval vessel inside the Yorktown Visitor's Center:

Small artillery piece:

Business end of a large siege gun:

Mortar:

Part of the British earthwork fortifications:

Our very informative ranger "host":

Last "stop" on the Ranger Talk Tour:

~YEKCIM

 

[Amy]

Nice photos, Yekcim! I love the depth of field you get with your lenses. We haven't been to Williamsburg/Jamestown since 1998; maybe that'll be next year's vacation. Does Jamestown still have those 3 ships in the harbor? I know one was named the Susan Constant and you could go on it and see the tight quarters below deck.

 

[DVC Jen]

Fantastic photos. One of these years we are going to have to bite the bullet and NOT go to Disney - but check out other parts of the country as well.

 

[YEKCIM]

Nice photos, Yekcim! I love the depth of field you get with your lenses. We haven't been to Williamsburg/Jamestown since 1998; maybe that'll be next year's vacation. Does Jamestown still have those 3 ships in the harbor? I know one was named the Susan Constant and you could go on it and see the tight quarters below deck.

Yes, but it is a separate "Living History" area and we did not have time to include it in that day's plans. We could see the ships in the harbor from the Colonial Parkway, but that's as close as we got. The depth of field deal is a combination of intentionally using longer focal lengths and wider apertures for subject isolation and background blurring. The 70-300VR was by far my most-used lens on this trip.

Fantastic photos. One of these years we are going to have to bite the bullet and NOT go to Disney - but check out other parts of the country as well.

Thanks for the compliment. Much appreciated. Concerning your "NOT go to Disney" comment, here is what our 9 year old daughter had to say: "Dad, instead of going to DisneyWorld next year, can we come back to Williamsburg?". I'd hate to miss my "Mickey Fix" next year, but I'm encouraged that our daughter is more interested in history and culture that in Jack Sparrow and Buzz Lightspeed.

~Ed

 

[handicap18]

Awesome work Ed. With comments like that from your DD, it shouldn't be to long before we see you up here in the Boston area. LOTS of history all over, from the Pilgrims in Plymouth to the Minute Man Nation Park in Concord, Lincoln, and Lexington to all the great stuff along the Freedom Trail in Boston.

Keep up the great work!!

 

[YEKCIM]

Awesome work Ed. With comments like that from your DD, it shouldn't be to long before we see you up here in the Boston area. LOTS of history all over, from the Pilgrims in Plymouth to the Minute Man Nation Park in Concord, Lincoln, and Lexington to all the great stuff along the Freedom Trail in Boston.

Keep up the great work!!

Kyle, I actually have been to Boston, many years ago. I joined my parents, who were vacationing in New England, via air, in Hartford, and we spent the next week all over the place. The day we had in Boston was cold and dreary, with rain mixed with frozen precip from time to time, so we did not experience the city at its best. Did manage to tour the USS Massachusetts at Fall River late one afternoon. She is the sister ship to BB-60 USS Alabama, on display in Mobile, so it was a very familiar tour. Also enjoyed Mystic Seaport, the White Mountains in NH, Saratoga and the Adirondacks in NY, before returning home. Would love to come back up your way some day. Next "history tour" will probably be to DC and that area, though, in a couple of years.

Thanks for the kind words on last week's shots. It was fun photography!

~Ed

 

[Jeanne B]

Fantastic photos Ed. We spent a week (a very rainy week unfortunately) in Williamsburg 5 or 6 years ago so these pics bring back nice memories of our visit to Jamestown and Yorktown. And your comment about the glass blowing is so true, we really enjoyed watching the process from start to finish.

 

[Gdad]

Exceptional work Ed. You should be very proud of these.

Nice to see Mrs.Y using her new 70-300vr.

 

[DueyDooDah]

I had no idea you were such a good photographer, Ed. Outstanding work. (Well, except for that Nikon that somehow got into that one picture. Maybe you can "Shop" that out.)

 

[Jeanne B]

(Well, except for that Nikon that somehow got into that one picture. Maybe you can "Shop" that out.)

That Nikon is a bit of an eyesore, isn't it??

 

[Golf4food]

That Nikon is a bit of an eyesore, isn't it??

I thought he made up for it will all of the "cannons"?

 

[AshleyMWC]

Those are some amazing pics. I live about an hour west of Williamsburg, and I am ashamed that I have not made it down there with my new camera yet. I am thinking about trying to get down there while it is decorated for Christmas! Nice work and thanks for the inspiration

 

[Sha]

Wonderful pics!! I was just there in June and never thought of some of the shots you did, as I was sort of rushed. There is a smaller obelisk that has my 11th (?) great grandfathers name on it... was neat to think I couldve been standing where he had. And you are right about the glass blowers! very neat to see!