VA: Jamestown

After Florida we only had about a week at home base in AL--just enough time to rest a bit, do laundry, clean and restock the trailer, and get a little formal schooling done. But then we were off on one leg of our road trip that I had most anticipated--Washington D.C.!  I had been there with my parents and sisters when I was in middle school, but I didn't remember much. I could not wait to explore it with my kids!  It would have been even more fun with Mr. Incredible along, but he was working at home, so my parents went with us. 

We started the trip to Virginia by visiting my little sister and her family, who happen to live in homeschool history heaven--right near Jamestown, Yorktown, and Colonial Williamsburg.  How perfect to officially start our Big American History Field Trip at the beginning--Jamestown settlement!

So, just to let you know, I have FAR too many photos I could share. But even so I can't possibly show you an accurate representation of the breadth and gist of any of these places, so I'm not going to try. I don't want the responsibility of trying to do them justice, or needing to give you some new history insight. These are not going to be those helpful homeschool posts. 

Instead, I'm just going to share whatever photos I feel like. Whatever caught my interest. Whatever the kids and I particularly enjoyed. So feel free to skim if you aren't excited by the same things I am!

So, first at Jamestown--the ships:

There is something about this interior that inspires me for a home--maybe because it is all dark, old wood and cozy spaces and indirect lighting, like our current little cabin? 

Definitely getting inspiration for creative bunks.

And digging the natural lighting.

Love hands-on learning--Smiley learning how to steer the ship. 

Happy and Smiley helping trim the sails. 

This photo was from the main building--I just love intersections of history. 

The settlement: 

I did take some photos of the Governor's House, the stockade walls, the cannon, the buildings, all the things you should try to record--but the photos are quite underwhelming. So I'm only sharing the ones that evoke the best feel of the place. 

The Indian village:

Making a dugout canoe. 

This particular structure really hit me for one thing--how it was made to invite you into the history. You could sit and imagine in this space.

And you could touch!  On the road trip out we had been to several museums that discussed the fur trade, American Indian life, etc. so we had already seen several displays of fur. But NEVER one that actually let us interact with it--the furs were always behind glass or out of reach or had big signs that said Do Not Touch. Here I was sitting on a bed of skins!  I was walking around touching everything!  This one little thing, that made the experience of the people visiting more precious than the items themselves, as if they trusted us with the history, made a big impression on me.

The museum: 

Look at the way they divided the building into one big timeline! Too much to take in!

One last thought: 

--I highly recommend the books Sarah Morton's Day, Samuel Eaton's Day and Tapenum's Day. These books came to mind while we were at Jamestown; while they are set at Plymouth Plantation, it must be a recreation very much like Jamestown, because the whole day I felt like we were walking around inside those books. Those books, and On the Mayflower, are really great for early America homeschool learning--the photos and descriptions really draw the reader into life for early settlers.