James Fort
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James Fort (1607-1625) - An English colonial post established in 1607 in present day Jamestown, James City County, Virginia. Abandoned in 1625. Also known as James Citie Forte.
History Established 13 May 1607 by colonists arriving on three ships from England. The fort was established as a triangular log palisaded fort for the protection of the Jamestown colony, the first permanent English settlement in North America. The colonists arrived aboard three sailing ships, the Susan Constant, the Godspeed and the Discovery. The Discovery remained at the colony and was used to explore the area, the other two ships sailed back to England in mid June 1607. The fort was abandoned and dismantled about 1625 and the materials reused by the colonists.
Current Status Must See! Part of the Jamestown Historical Site in Jamestown, James City County, Virginia. On the actual site portions of James Fort have been partially reconstructed including two sides of the palisade, the north bulwark and the barracks. The site is an active archeological site and excavations are in progress. The nearby Archaearium houses an excellent collection of artifacts from the colony and the fort. Twenty-two acres of Jamestown Island, including the original townsite and the fort site were acquired by Preservation Virginia in 1893 and the rest of the 1,500 acre island was acquired by the National Park service in 1934. The two entities now jointly administer the Island and the historic sites.
 An entirely separate location containing a different recreation of the fort in a commercial setting is nearby at the Jamestown Settlement Museum. This museum is a more complete look at the Jamestown settlement and includes replica fort, a replica Powhatan Indian village and replicas of the three ships that brought the original colonists to Jamestown. This museum is not on the original site and is more of a tourist destination catering to school groups.
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Links: Visited: 14 May 2013
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