Tag: colonial times

A Piece of the Triangle

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Most people know that Yorktown was the site, after seven years of the American Revolution, that British General Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington during the last major land battle which brought an end to the conflict.

After a visit to the battlefield, visitors often head into the town to explore the distinct reminders of Yorktown’s historic past.

Millions of tourists visit Yorktown annually, in conjunction with visits to nearby Jamestown and Williamsburg. All three cities, which form the Historic Triangle, offer interesting experiences to visitors of all ages. Though it has been quiet lately, I think that interest in the origins of our great nation will continue to lure the past crowds back to the area and on this beautiful fall day, it lured me.

Established in 1691, to regulate trade and collect taxes on both imports and exports for Great Britain, Yorktown emerged as a major port and economic center in the early part of the next century. With almost 300 buildings, the waterfront offered wharves, docks, storehouses and business and the city streets contained stately homes, taverns and shops during the mid 1700’s. 1781 saw Cornwallis’ arrival and the subsequent siege by American and French forces. As a result, much of the town was destroyed.

At the end of the war, fewer than seventy buildings remained. A fire in 1814 destroyed much of the surviving waterfront area, many homes and the courthouse on Main Street. More destruction was seen during the Civil War in 1862.

While I would have loved to visit the American Revolution Museum, time was limited after my drive through the battlefield and I was much more interested in taking a stroll to channel what it must have been like before the siege. Parking in a lot in the downtown area, I decided to spend the remainder of the afternoon walking the town streets and seeing what makes it unique.

Yorktown has a colonial atmosphere and while there are some reminders of its historic past, much of it has been reconstructed. There are some sites of importance that I encountered during my stroll along the pedestrian friendly streets. Many historic buildings were not open to the public during my visit, but it was nice to inspect their architectural prominence from the grounds and imagine it as it once was…a thriving tobacco port.

One of the most important homes in Yorktown is the Nelson House on Main Street. This was the home of Thomas Nelson, Jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and a commander of the Virginia Militia during the Siege of Yorktown. Much of the house has withstood the test of time and is original, including the bricks and most of the mortar in the outer walls. The interior boasts its original wall panels and most of its wooden floors. The home is filled with reproductions and a few period pieces obtained to show visitors how the Nelsons lived.

The Cole Digges House, also on Main Street, is one of mystery. Originally thought to have been constructed by Thomas Pate, a landowner during the period of 1699 to 1703, the house was thought to have been built in 1700, however there is no record of its construction. When Cole Digges, purchased the land in 1713, records show a home on the lot, however, the National Park Service claims that Digges built the home in the 1730s due to its style and tree-ring analysis showing that the wood in the home was harvested around that time. The home has undergone renovations over the years, retaining its characteristics from the alterations made by owners in 1921. Today, it operates as the Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters store.

The Somerwell House is another home, near the Digges and Nelson houses, whose origins are uncertain. Named for Mungo Somerwell, owner of the property in the early 1700s. Purchased by Philip Lightfoot in 1716, and then known as the Lightfoot House, the National Park Service opted to go with the original owner’s name which points to a construction date between 1700 and 1707, making it the oldest house in Yorktown. It was once used as a visitor center and park headquarters, and now used as a rental property.

The Old Custom House, on the corner of Main and Read Streets, was built around 1720 by Customs Agent Richard Ambler, to secure import and export taxes and duties for the Port of Yorktown and is one of only twelve historic Customs Houses still remaining in the United States. This house is open to the public on Sundays from June to October and offers a museum.

A little further down the street, the Yorktown Victory Monument towers on the banks of the York River. Commemorating the American-French victory over the British during the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, which ended the American Revolution, the monument was designed by architects R.M. Hunt and Henry Van Brunt, sculpted by J.Q.A. Ward in 1881 and was completed three years later. The monument displays four high relief sculptures which depict military aspects of the American-French alliance. Thirty-eight stars on the column represent the thirty-eight states that were present at the time of the monuments erection, thirteen neoclassical female figures represent the thirteen original colonies and under them can be spied the saying, “One country, one constitution, one destiny.” The monument is crowned by Lady Liberty.

Backtracking to the center of town, I sought out the town’s one religious structure, Grace Episcopal Church. Built in 1697, the church has survived fire and two wars. As I walked among the graves, I witnessed numerous gravesites from some of Virginia’s most prominent families, including Thomas Nelson, Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Nicholas Martiau, George and Elizabeth Martiau Read, “Scotch” Tom Nelson and William Nelson.

Breathing in the salty air, I led it lead me down Church Street, finding myself on the waterfront facing Yorktown Beach. The day was relatively warm and I spied many families enjoying the sunny skies and picturesque views. I stopped for a moment, taking off my shoes so I could feel the sand between my toes and looked out over the river and at the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge spanning its width.

Continuing my walk along the Riverwalk, I encountered the Historic Freight Shed which was constructed by the National Park Service in the 1930s to serve as a ferry terminal building between York and Gloucester and as a warehouse for freight being shipped from other ports. Once the Coleman Bridge was completed, the ferry service was suspended and the building was solely used for storage. In 1956, the building was remodeled to be used as a post office, however, the post office was relocated in 2000. The building was transferred from the National Park Service to York County and moved back from the river approximately 300 feet. Today it serves the area as a event venue.

Stopping for a moment, I studied the three statues in front of the Freight Shed. These statues pay tribute to the Marquis de Lafayette and the assistance given by France to General Washington during the Siege of Yorktown.

Though it was tempting to spend more time enjoying this beautiful town, it was getting late. The Riverwalk is a wonderful place to enjoy a meal, visit galleries and boutiques, listen to the sounds of the Fifes and Drums and other live entertainment or rent a bike, kayak or Segway and cruise the waterfront. Sadly, due to Covid, many of these things were not available. In addition to the waterfront area, there are so many things to see and do in Yorktown…a ride on the Schooner Alliance, ghost tours, the York County Historical Museum, the Poor Potter Archaeological Site, the Yorktown Baptist Church among them…if you are planning a visit, make sure to plan accordingly.

Finally, I began the uphill walk back to where I had began, passing the Swan Tavern a reconstruction of the main tavern from 1722 and York Hall, the former courthouse.

It is a great benefit to live so close to so many places that played such a significant part of our country’s history. While I couldn’t see everything in Yorktown on this day, there is nothing stopping me from the hour long drive on another.

I will be back.

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Yorktown

  • https://visityorktown.org/
  • Getting There: From I-95, Take I-64 East to VA-199 East/Colonial Parkway, Follow the Colonial Parkway to Yorktown, Turn left onto Water Street. Yorktown is 160 miles from Washington DC, 62 miles from Richmond and 12 miles from Williamsburg.

Nelson House

Cole Digges House

Somerwell House

The Old Customs House

  • Address: 410 Main Street, Yorktown, Virginia 23690, United States

Yorktown Victory Monument

Grace Episcopal Church

Historic Freight Shed

  • https://www.visityorktown.org/240/Freight-Shed
  • Address: 331 Water St, Yorktown, VA 23690, United States