County in Virginia, United States
County in Virginia
James City County, Virginia
A rather unremarkable name for a place of such historical gravity, James City County, Virginia, serves as a testament to the enduring, and often bewildering, continuity of American history. Located within the Commonwealth of Virginia, this county, established in the nascent days of English colonization, carries the echoes of the earliest European settlements. As of the 2020 census, its population stood at 78,254 residents, a number that quietly swelled to an estimated 79,882 by 2021, a testament to the relentless march of demographic growth.
While it maintains a distinct political identity, entirely separate from its urban core, the independent city of Williamsburg paradoxically functions as the county seat. This arrangement, a peculiar quirk of Virginia's municipal law, means that the county's administrative heart beats just outside its own political boundaries. Situated strategically on the Virginia Peninsula, James City County is an integral component of the sprawling Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region often colloquially known as Hampton Roads. Its identity is inextricably linked to Williamsburg, that independent city of meticulously restored colonial charm, and to Jamestown, the very site of the first permanent English settlement in North America, which lies entirely within the county's embrace.
First scarred into the landscape by English colonists in 1607 at Jamestown, a precarious foothold within the vast Virginia Colony, the county's formal inception arrived in 1634. It was then that King Charles I, with a stroke of royal decree, established it as James City Shire. This designation places James City County among a rare and exclusive cohort: it is considered one of only five original shires of Virginia that have managed to persist to this day, maintaining essentially the same political form despite centuries of upheaval and change. The grand Jamestown 2007 celebration, a four-hundred-year commemoration of Jamestown's founding, served as a poignant reminder of the county's profound historical roots.
The contemporary economy of James City County is a curious blend of ancient heritage and modern ambition. Tourism, naturally, forms a colossal pillar of the region's financial structure, drawing millions to its historical sites and recreational offerings. Yet, this reverence for the past is balanced by a vigorous engagement with high technology. The esteemed College of William and Mary, a beacon of higher learning, stands nearby, as do the advanced research facilities of NASA and Jefferson Laboratory. This intellectual ecosystem, further bolstered by a multitude of defense contractors, has cultivated a remarkable concentration of scientists and engineers per capita, arguably the highest in the entire nation. Beyond the academic and scientific, James City County offers significant leisure attractions, proudly hosting the sprawling Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park, the luxurious Kingsmill Resort, and the eclectic Williamsburg Pottery Factory. These modern diversions seamlessly integrate with the historical tapestry woven by Historic Jamestowne and the Jamestown Settlement attractions, which, alongside Colonial Williamsburg, are elegantly connected to the Revolutionary War battlefields of Yorktown by the scenic National Park Service's Colonial Parkway.
| Flag | Seal | Logo |
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| Location within the U.S. state of Virginia | Virginia's location within the U.S. |
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| Coordinates: 37°19′N 76°46′W / 37.31°N 76.77°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| Founded | 1619 (as James Cittie) |
| Named after | James I of England |
| Seat | Williamsburg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 179 sq mi (460 km²) |
| • Land | 142 sq mi (370 km²) |
| • Water | 37 sq mi (96 km²) (20.5%) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 78,254 |
| • Estimate (2021) | 79,882 |
| • Density | 551/sq mi (213/km²) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | jamescitycountyva.gov |
History
James City County on an 1895 map
This section incorporates text from the 1911 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain.
17th and 18th centuries
Proprietary colony
Main article: History of the Jamestown Settlement (1607-1699)
The early 17th century was a rather ambitious, if not entirely well-conceived, period for English imperial expansion. The Virginia Company of London, a joint-stock company operating under a proprietorship (a charter granted by the Crown), was given the rather daunting task by King James I of England to establish a viable colony in the vast, untamed wilderness known loosely as Virginia. This wasn't merely an act of adventurous exploration; England, having recently concluded hostilities with Spain, was desperately seeking both capital funds to replenish its coffers and a steady stream of income in the form of royalties from colonial ventures. It was a gamble, to be sure, driven by economic necessity and a touch of national pride.
In December 1606, three small ships — the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery — laden with a mix of hopeful, desperate, and utterly unprepared colonists, set sail from England. Under the command of the seasoned Captain Christopher Newport, they navigated the treacherous Atlantic, eventually making landfall in the New World at Cape Henry. Their directive was clear: establish a settlement well inland, away from the immediate threat of Spanish warships lurking off the coast. After some initial exploration, they selected a site approximately 40 miles (64 km) inland from the coast, along a broad river they christened the James River, hoping its depth and relative seclusion would offer a measure of protection from maritime attacks by other European powers. Thus, in May 1607, Jamestown was established, a rather crude and vulnerable outpost in the new Colony of Virginia.
The initial five years of the settlement were, to put it mildly, a catastrophic exercise in human folly and resilience. The majority of the early colonists perished, succumbing to disease, starvation, and conflicts with the indigenous Native American tribes. It was a brutal initiation into the realities of the New World. Salvation, or at least solvency, arrived in 1612 when the colonist John Rolfe managed to successfully cultivate imported strains of tobacco, specifically a sweeter variety from Trinidad, which quickly found favor in the European market. This discovery transformed the fledgling colony's prospects, providing the much-needed cash crop that would fuel its growth, albeit with profound social and economic consequences.
By 1619, the Virginia Company of London, under the fresh leadership of Sir Edwin Sandys, recognized the desperate need for reform. A series of fundamental changes were instituted, designed to invigorate investment and entice more settlers from England to brave the perils of colonial life. Among these reforms, and arguably the most far-reaching in its historical impact, was the establishment of what would become the House of Burgesses. This pioneering assembly represented the first instance of a representative legislative body in any European settlement in North America, a direct ancestor to today's Virginia General Assembly. It was first convened by the Royal Governor, Sir George Yeardley, at the now-famous Flowerdew Hundred Plantation. The year 1619 also saw the administrative reorganization of the colony: the existing plantations and settled areas were divided into four expansive "incorporations" or "citties," as they were then known. These territorial divisions, stretching from east to west, were Elizabeth Cittie (initially known as Kecoughtan), James Cittie, Charles Cittie, and Henrico Cittie. Each "cittie" encompassed an impressively vast geographical area, for instance, Elizabeth Cittie extended beyond land on both sides of the James River to include much of what is now South Hampton Roads and even Virginia's Eastern Shore.
The Virginia Company's "James Cittie," the administrative precursor to the modern county, was particularly extensive. It stretched across the breadth of the Peninsula, reaching as far north as the York River, and crucially, it encompassed the very seat of government for the entire colony at Jamestown Island. In a rather pragmatic move dictated by the realities of colonial commerce, each of these four original citties was designed to extend across the James River, which served as the primary thoroughfare for trade and transportation, thus including land on both the north and south shores. These incentives introduced in 1619 proved effective, leading to a rapid proliferation of new developments, each typically referred to as a "hundred," dotting the landscape.
Wolstenholme Towne, Carter's Grove Plantation
Around this same dynamic period, a new fortified settlement, Wolstenholme Towne, began to take shape downriver from the main Jamestown site. Located in what is now the southeastern quadrant of James City County, near the contemporary community of Grove, this town was strategically positioned close to the James River and just east of where Grove Creek joined the larger waterway. It was established on a substantial land grant known as Martin's Hundred, an investment venture backed by the Martin's Hundred Society in England. The town itself was named in honor of Sir John Wolstenholme, 1st Baronet, a prominent principal among those investors. However, this nascent community was to suffer a devastating blow. Its population was severely decimated during the horrific Indian massacre of 1622, an event that saw many men, women, and children either brutally killed or abducted. While the survivors valiantly attempted to rebuild, Wolstenholme Towne ultimately proved unsustainable, eventually being abandoned around 1643. Its location, like so many early colonial endeavors, faded from collective memory, becoming one of the many lost towns of Virginia.
Over a century later, the land that once held Wolstenholme Towne had been absorbed into the expansive Carter's Grove Plantation. This grand manor house, a marvel of Georgian architecture, was constructed around 1753 by the grandson of Robert "King" Carter of Corotoman, a man who had amassed immense wealth as a planter and even served a stint as Virginia's acting governor. The historical irony of one lost settlement resting beneath the grounds of another, later, prominent estate is not lost on those who appreciate the layers of history. Another two centuries passed before the long-forgotten site of Wolstenholme Towne was dramatically rediscovered in 1976. This archaeological triumph occurred during a meticulous excavation overseen by the renowned historical archaeologist Ivor Noel Hume, a discovery made possible after the Carter's Grove Plantation property came under the stewardship of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. It seems some secrets, no matter how deeply buried, eventually surface.
Royal colony, creation of shires (counties)
James City County sign on U.S. Route 60 entering Grove from east at Skiffe's Creek. This border with the former Warwick County was established in 1634 by order of King Charles I of England (Warwick County became part of the City of Newport News in 1958).
The grand experiment of the privately owned Virginia Company ultimately faltered, and its charter was revoked by the Crown in 1624. This transition marked a significant shift: Virginia ceased to be a speculative venture and was formally established as a royal colony, directly governed by the English monarchy. A decade later, in 1634, demonstrating an enduring penchant for administrative order, the English Crown initiated the creation of eight distinct shires (which are, in essence, counties) within the newly designated royal colony. At this point, the total population of European inhabitants hovered around a modest 5,000. James City Shire, the direct ancestor of the modern county, alongside the James River and the settlement of Jamestown that had been named earlier, all derived their names from King James I, the father of the reigning monarch, Charles I. It's a rather predictable naming convention, if you ask me. Sometime between 1642 and 1643, the appellation of James City Shire was formally updated to James City County, a name that has, against all odds, stuck for centuries.
Middle Plantation, Williamsburg, Green Spring
Perched on a strategically elevated ridge, roughly midway across the breadth of the Virginia Peninsula, Middle Plantation was founded in 1632. Its initial purpose was grimly practical: to serve as a fortress, a bulwark in the relentless and often brutal conflicts with the various Native American tribes. By 1634, a substantial palisade, a defensive barrier of sharpened logs, had been meticulously constructed, stretching across the entire peninsula with Middle Plantation positioned squarely at its center. This formidable fortification was designed to protect the more settled lower peninsula to the east from further incursions and attacks.
The strategic importance of Middle Plantation and, by extension, James City County, was further cemented in 1693 with its selection as the site for the newly chartered College of William and Mary, a prestigious institution of higher learning that would profoundly shape the intellectual and political landscape of the colony. Just a few years later, following yet another destructive fire that ravaged Jamestown in 1698, the capital of the Virginia Colony was officially relocated to Middle Plantation in 1699. This move signaled a definitive shift in power and influence. Shortly thereafter, in an act of deference to the reigning monarch, Middle Plantation was rather predictably renamed Williamsburg, in honor of King William III of England. However, even capitals are not immune to the winds of change. At the very outset of the American Revolution in 1780, the capital was once again moved, this time further inland to Richmond, a more defensible position away from potential British naval assaults. The county also bore witness to the Battle of Green Spring, a significant engagement fought on its soil just a short time before the pivotal British surrender at Yorktown, effectively sealing the fate of the war. Notably, Green Spring Plantation itself was the former residence of the Royal Governor William Berkeley, further imbuing the area with layers of historical significance.
19th and 20th centuries
The 19th and 20th centuries brought their own share of historical drama and transformative development to James City County.
During the brutal crucible of the American Civil War, the county became a theater of conflict. Specifically, the Battle of Williamsburg raged across parts of both York and James City County in 1862, a key engagement within the larger Peninsula Campaign launched by Union forces to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. Today, faint but discernible earthworks still bear silent witness to those desperate struggles, particularly at the site of the Confederate Fort Magruder. Following the cessation of hostilities, a new kind of conquest began: economic expansion. The visionary industrialist Collis P. Huntington extended the tracks of the new Chesapeake and Ohio Railway directly through the county. His ambition was to connect the burgeoning western coalfields to the new coal piers he had meticulously constructed at Newport News, strategically located on the deep waters of Hampton Roads. This railway brought with it a network of new lifeblood, establishing vital railroad stations (listed from west to east) at Diascund, Toano, Vaiden's Crossing (later known as Norge), Kelton, Ewell, Williamsburg, and Grove. For a brief, rather chaotic period, the temporary tracks initially laid through Williamsburg actually ran straight down the middle of the historic Duke of Gloucester Street, a testament to the raw, unpolished nature of progress at the time.
A constitutional shift in Virginia in 1871 had profound implications for municipal governance. This change ultimately led to Williamsburg's formal designation as an independent city in 1884, separating it politically from James City County. Despite this administrative divorce, the two entities have maintained a pragmatic, if somewhat unusual, symbiosis. They continue to share a combined public school system, judicial courts, and several constitutional officers, a collaboration that speaks to their interwoven destinies.
The early 20th century heralded a new era, one focused on the painstaking work of preservation and restoration. These efforts, driven by a burgeoning appreciation for the region's unparalleled historical significance, sparked a dramatic increase in tourism to the county and its surrounding areas. A constellation of attractions began to take shape, meticulously developed to captivate visitors with glimpses into the past. These included the immersive living history museum of Colonial Williamsburg, the interpretive exhibits of the Jamestown Settlement, the scenic drive of the Colonial Parkway, the elegant Carter's Grove Plantation, and the modern recreational thrills of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. This diverse array of offerings cemented the region's status as a premier tourist destination, blending education with entertainment.
Colonial Williamsburg
Perhaps the most iconic and transformative local development of the 20th century, profoundly impacting James City County even from beyond its strict borders, was the monumental Restoration and subsequent development of Colonial Williamsburg. This ambitious project was born from the singular vision of an Episcopal priest, W.A.R. Goodwin, whose fervent belief in the power of history inspired a monumental undertaking. It received its initial, and indeed foundational, funding from the formidable heir to the Standard Oil fortune, John D. Rockefeller Jr., and his equally influential wife, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Together, their patronage transformed Colonial Williamsburg (or "CW," as it is affectionately, and efficiently, known locally) into a world-class attraction, a meticulously recreated 18th-century capital unlike any other. It stands as a testament to the power of capital, meticulously applied.
Main article: Colonial Williamsburg
While the primary "Historic Area" of Colonial Williamsburg is geographically situated within the city limits of Williamsburg itself, and thus technically outside James City County, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation strategically acquired vast tracts of land throughout the entire surrounding area in its earliest developmental phases. This acquisition focused notably on the expansive territories to the north and east of the Historic District. The primary motivation behind this extensive land procurement was a desire to meticulously preserve the visual integrity of the surrounding landscape, thereby facilitating an immersive visitor experience. The goal was to allow a visitor to genuinely feel transported to the late 18th century, with the surrounding environment carefully curated to avoid jarring modern intrusions.
The design of the entrance roadways leading into the Historic Area was executed with an almost obsessive level of care. Even in contemporary times, the pathways originating from the scenic Colonial Parkway and from the strategically relocated U.S. Route 60 at Bypass Road and North Henry Street remain conspicuously devoid of commercial development. This commitment to an untouched vista was further extended along U.S. Route 132 in York County to the new thoroughfare when Route 143 was constructed as the Merrimack Trail (originally designated as State Route 168) in the 1930s. Even when the massive infrastructure project of Interstate 64 was planned and subsequently built in the 1960s and early 1970s, the additional land along Route 143 from the specifically designated "Colonial Williamsburg" exit was similarly shielded from any form of commercial encroachment. Consequently, even today, a visitor traveling several miles to reach the Visitor's Center will encounter no commercial properties, a remarkable feat considering the immense value of such real estate.
Among the significant landholdings to the immediate east of the Historic Area, within James City County, was a vast tract historically known as the Kingsmill Plantation property. This estate was bisected by the ancient Quarterpath Road, a route dating back to the 17th century that once connected Williamsburg directly to the James River at Burwell's Landing. While the original manor house, constructed in the 1730s, tragically burned in 1843, several resilient brick dependencies survived and continue to stand into the 21st century, silent sentinels of a bygone era. Immediately adjacent to the east of the Kingsmill tract lay Carter's Grove Plantation, a grand estate initially developed by a grandson of the formidable Royal Governor Robert "King" Carter. Over a span of more than 200 years, this property passed through a succession of owners, each leaving their mark through various modifications and additions. Then, in the 1960s, following the passing of its last resident, Ms. Molly McRae, Carter's Grove Plantation came under the control of the Rockefeller Foundation, which subsequently gifted it to Colonial Williamsburg. At that specific point in the mid-1960s, the landholdings of Colonial Williamsburg stretched impressively from the Historic District all the way to Skiffe's Creek, bordering Newport News near Lee Hall.
(It's worth noting that Carter's Grove, situated approximately 8 miles (13 km) from the main Historic Area, was operated as a satellite facility by Colonial Williamsburg for a significant period, hosting several important educational and interpretive programs. However, this arrangement concluded in 2003. Subsequently, most of these programs were strategically relocated to be in closer proximity to the main Historic Area. The property itself was eventually sold in 2007, but with stringent restrictive and conservation covenants meticulously put in place to ensure its enduring protection. For a more exhaustive account, one might consult the separate article dedicated to Carter's Grove).
Anheuser-Busch
One of the famous Clydesdale horses is seen at the Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park, part of a massive Anheuser-Busch development in James City County which also includes a brewery, office park, and the Kingsmill Resort located east of Williamsburg just west of Grove.
In the latter half of the 20th century, a different kind of development began to stir in James City County, far removed from the carefully preserved sight paths of Colonial Williamsburg. The expansive, largely vacant land east of town, which had been owned by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and was locally known as the Kingsmill tract, had remained unproductive for both the Foundation and the wider community for a considerable time. This stagnant situation dramatically changed in the early 1970s, thanks to the astute leadership of CW Chairman Winthrop Rockefeller.
Rockefeller, himself a son of the influential Abby and John D. Rockefeller Jr., was a frequent visitor to the area and harbored a particular fondness for Carter's Grove in the late 1960s. Beyond his philanthropic and historical interests, he also served as the Governor of the State of Arkansas, placing him in a unique position to connect with other prominent figures. It was through these connections that he became aware of the expansion ambitions of his St. Louis-based neighbor, August Anheuser Busch Jr., the formidable head of Anheuser-Busch (AB). Busch, a shrewd businessman and a master of promotion, had, in the 1930s, famously originated the use of the now-iconic Clydesdale team as a highly effective company logo.
In 1959, the Anheuser-Busch company had already ventured into the realm of entertainment, opening what is now recognized as a pioneering theme park in Tampa, Florida, then simply known as "Busch Gardens." This venture was remarkably visionary, predating the massive Walt Disney World development nearby by several years, and today it thrives as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. It seems Busch had a knack for anticipating future trends in leisure and entertainment.
While the intricate details of their negotiations have, predictably, never been widely publicized, by the time "Win" Rockefeller and "Gussie" Busch concluded their discussions and formalized their agreement, the Williamsburg area was on the cusp of its most significant transformation since the Restoration of Colonial Williamsburg had commenced four decades earlier. The overarching goals of this ambitious collaboration were multifaceted: to complement the existing historical attractions of Colonial Williamsburg and, crucially, to provide a substantial boost to the local economy, creating jobs and injecting new dynamism into the region.
The vast tract of land, primarily comprising the Kingsmill property, was formally sold by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to Anheuser-Busch (AB) for a meticulously planned series of developments. The scale of AB's investment was truly immense, encompassing the construction of a large-scale brewery, the thrilling Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park, the elegant Kingsmill planned resort community, and McLaws Circle, a modern office park designed to attract new businesses. In a significant act of corporate philanthropy, a 60-acre (240,000 m²) portion of this land was generously donated by Anheuser-Busch in the late 1960s to facilitate the development of the James City County office complex. This strategic development transformed the economic landscape of the county.
Today, Anheuser-Busch and its associated entities, born from that ambitious development plan, collectively represent the area's largest employment base, impressively surpassing both Colonial Williamsburg and the various local military installations. In 2008, Anheuser-Busch proudly held the distinction of being the world's second-largest brewer, a testament to the immense success of its operations, much of which is rooted in this significant investment in James City County.
21st century
As the calendar turned to the 21st century, the spirit of discovery continued to thrive in James City County. New archaeological investigations commenced at Jamestown and the nearby Green Spring Plantation, driven by the tantalizing premise of uncovering fresh historical revelations. Both sites hold a particular allure for archaeologists precisely because of the fortunate absence of significant modern development after the mid-19th century, leaving their historical layers largely undisturbed and ripe for exploration. It's almost as if the past decided to wait patiently for us to catch up.
The site of Wolstenholme Towne, nestled within the Carter's Grove property, remains a protected treasure. When the property was sold in 2007, stringent covenants were put in place, ensuring its preservation and safeguarding its potential for future archaeological activity. The ground beneath our feet, it seems, still holds countless stories, waiting for the right moment, and the right tools, to be unearthed.
Geography
According to the always precise, if somewhat dry, data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, James City County encompasses a total area of 179 square miles (460 km²). Of this total, a substantial 142 square miles (370 km²) constitute land, while the remaining 37 square miles (96 km²) are composed of water, accounting for a significant 20.5% of its overall footprint. The county's own GIS office offers an even more granular measurement, specifying the land area as 115,011.9 acres (46,543.7 ha). It's a rather respectable piece of the planet, if one is inclined to measure such things.
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James City County, Virginia
This is not a suggestion, merely an observation: James City County, Virginia, a name that conjures images of historical weight and enduring significance, is a place where the past isn't just remembered; it's practically still breathing down your neck. It’s a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and if you’re looking for a lesson in colonial resilience and modern adaptation, you’ve found it. As of the 2020 census, the population was recorded at a respectable 78,254. By 2021, that number had already crept up to an estimated 79,882. Humanity, ever expanding, even in the shadow of centuries.
A particularly charming administrative anachronism: the official county seat isn't actually in the county. It's the adjacent independent city of Williamsburg, a place that decided it was too important for simple county allegiances. This geographic and political separation, however, hasn't stopped them from sharing vital functions, a pragmatic compromise that prevents total chaos, I suppose. Positioned squarely on the Virginia Peninsula, James City County is a key player in the larger Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, more commonly known as Hampton Roads. Its identity is inextricably intertwined with Williamsburg – its administrative center and historical twin – and Jamestown, the very crucible of English colonial ambition, which lies entirely within the county's boundaries.
The story of James City County begins not with a whimper, but with a desperate, often ill-fated, quest for fortune. English colonists first scraped out a settlement in 1607 at Jamestown, a tiny, vulnerable speck in the vast Virginia Colony. The county itself was formally brought into existence in 1634, not by popular vote, but by the direct, unquestionable order of King Charles I of England, who designated it as James City Shire. This makes it rather special, one of only five original shires of Virginia that have stubbornly persisted to this day, retaining essentially their original political form. A remarkable feat, considering most things from 1634 are now just dust and footnotes. The Jamestown 2007 celebration, marking the 400th anniversary of that initial, precarious landing, was a grand affair, a brief moment of collective remembrance before everyone went back to their lives.
Economically, the county presents a fascinating duality: a deep reverence for history coupled with a relentless pursuit of the future. Tourism, predictably, is a colossal economic engine, feeding off the insatiable curiosity of millions drawn to the foundational narrative of America. But don't mistake it for a mere historical theme park. High technology is equally vital. The venerable College of William and Mary is practically next door, a constant source of intellectual capital. Further afield, but still within the region's orbit, are titans of innovation like NASA and Jefferson Laboratory, alongside a formidable presence of defense contractors. This unique combination has resulted in the highest concentration of scientists and engineers per capita in the nation. So, while you might come for the powdered wigs, you stay for the cutting-edge research. For those seeking more immediate gratification, James City County is also home to the sprawling Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park, the rather exclusive Kingsmill Resort, and the wonderfully chaotic Williamsburg Pottery Factory. These modern diversions are not isolated; they are skillfully integrated into the region's historical narrative. Historic Jamestowne and the Jamestown Settlement attractions, along with Colonial Williamsburg, form the legendary "Historic Triangle," seamlessly linked to the Revolutionary War battlefields of Yorktown by the elegant and deliberately undeveloped National Park Service's Colonial Parkway. It’s a masterclass in monetizing the past without entirely desecrating it.
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History
James City County on an 1895 map
This section incorporates text from the 1911 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain. Such ancient texts often contain nuggets of truth, even if they occasionally miss the more nuanced, human elements.
17th and 18th centuries
Proprietary colony
The early 17th century was a rather optimistic, some might say deluded, period for English expansion. The Virginia Company of London, a commercial enterprise masquerading as a grand imperial endeavor, was granted a proprietorship – essentially a license to print money, or so they hoped – by King James I of England. Their mission: to establish a self-sustaining colony in the vast, untamed territories of what was then known as Virginia. England, having recently emerged from a protracted and costly war with Spain, was desperately seeking both fresh capital funds to replenish its depleted treasury and a reliable stream of income in the form of royalties from colonial ventures. It was a risky gamble, predicated on the promise of New World riches.
In December 1606, a small flotilla of three ships – the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery – embarked from England, carrying a motley crew of adventurers, laborers, and gentlemen utterly unprepared for the realities awaiting them. Led by the seasoned Captain Christopher Newport, they endured the arduous transatlantic voyage, eventually reaching the New World at Cape Henry. Their instructions were clear: select a settlement site well inland, approximately 40 miles (64 km) from the coast, along a navigable river, to provide a buffer against potential attacks from rival European powers, particularly the Spanish. This strategic imperative led them to the chosen spot, which they optimistically named Jamestown, establishing it in 1607 as the first permanent English settlement in the new Colony of Virginia.
The initial five years of the colony were nothing short of a brutal, Darwinian struggle for survival. The vast majority of the early colonists perished, falling victim to rampant disease, chronic starvation, and escalating conflicts with the indigenous Native Americans. It was a period of profound suffering and relentless attrition, where hope often evaporated faster than the morning mist. A turning point, however, arrived in 1612, not through military might, but through agriculture. A colonist named John Rolfe achieved a significant breakthrough by successfully cultivating imported strains of tobacco – a sweeter, more palatable variety than the native leaf – which quickly became a highly sought-after commodity in Europe. This newfound cash crop transformed the colony's prospects, providing the economic lifeline it desperately needed, though it also laid the groundwork for a future reliant on exploitative labor.
By 1619, the Virginia Company of London, under the new, more enlightened leadership of Sir Edwin Sandys, recognized that fundamental reforms were necessary to stimulate further investment and attract a more stable population of settlers from England. Among the most far-reaching of these innovations was the establishment of what would become the House of Burgesses. This legislative body marked a groundbreaking moment in colonial governance, representing the first instance of representative government in any European settlement in North America. It served as the direct precursor to today's Virginia General Assembly, and its first session was convened by the Royal Governor, Sir George Yeardley, at the historic Flowerdew Hundred Plantation. The year 1619 was also pivotal for administrative reorganization: the existing plantations and settled areas of the Colony were divided into four expansive administrative units, then referred to as "incorporations" or "citties." These were, from east to west, Elizabeth Cittie (initially known as Kecoughtan, a name that certainly had more character), James Cittie, Charles Cittie, and Henrico Cittie. Each "cittie" encompassed an impressively vast geographical domain; for example, Elizabeth Cittie not only claimed land on both sides of the James River but also extended to include much of what is now South Hampton Roads and even Virginia's distant Eastern Shore.
The Virginia Company's "James Cittie," the administrative precursor to the modern county, stretched with audacious ambition across the entire Peninsula to the York River, and critically, it contained the very seat of government for the entire colony at Jamestown Island. In a practical nod to the realities of colonial commerce and transportation, each of these four original citties was designed to extend across the James River, the vital artery of trade for the settlers, thereby encompassing land on both the north and south shores. The incentives introduced in 1619 proved remarkably effective, leading to the rapid establishment of numerous new developments, each typically designated as a "hundred," dotting the landscape with fresh, if often precarious, outposts of English settlement.
Wolstenholme Towne, Carter's Grove Plantation
Around this same period of expansion and precarious growth, downriver from the main Jamestown settlement, a fortified community known as Wolstenholme Towne was established. It was situated in the southeastern reaches of what is now James City County, near the present-day community of Grove, strategically positioned close to the James River and just east of the confluence with Grove Creek. The town was founded on a land grant known as Martin's Hundred, an investment spearheaded by the Martin's Hundred Society back in England, and was named in honor of Sir John Wolstenholme, 1st Baronet, a key principal among those investors. However, this nascent community was destined for tragedy. Its population was catastrophically decimated during the brutal Indian massacre of 1622, an event that saw scores of men, women, and children either mercilessly killed or abducted. While the survivors, with grim determination, attempted to rebuild, Wolstenholme Towne ultimately proved untenable. It was eventually abandoned around 1643, and with the passage of time, its exact location faded from memory, becoming one of the many hauntingly evocative lost towns of Virginia.
Over a century later, the very land where Wolstenholme Towne had once stood had been absorbed into the sprawling domain of Carter's Grove Plantation. This magnificent Georgian manor house, a testament to colonial wealth and architectural ambition, was constructed around 1753 by the grandson of Robert "King" Carter of Corotoman, a man whose immense wealth and political influence saw him become one of Virginia's most powerful planters, even serving for a period as the colony's acting governor. The layers of history, it seems, are often built directly upon each other. Another two centuries passed before the long-lost site of Wolstenholme Towne was dramatically rediscovered in 1976. This archaeological marvel occurred during an extensive dig meticulously overseen by the renowned historical archaeologist Ivor Noel Hume, a discovery made possible after the Carter's Grove Plantation property came under the ownership and careful stewardship of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. It’s a stark reminder that even the most forgotten places can eventually yield their secrets.
Royal colony, creation of shires (counties)
James City County sign on U.S. Route 60 entering Grove from east at Skiffe's Creek. This border with the former Warwick County was established in 1634 by order of King Charles I of England (Warwick County became part of the City of Newport News in 1958).
The grand, and often chaotic, experiment of the privately held Virginia Company finally collapsed, its charter revoked in 1624. This ushered in a new era: Virginia was formally reconstituted as a royal colony, placing it under the direct, albeit distant, governance of the English Crown. A decade later, in 1634, demonstrating an enduring, almost bureaucratic, impulse for administrative order, the English Crown initiated the creation of eight distinct shires (the historical equivalent of what we now call counties) within the newly royalized colony of Virginia. At this point, the entire European population of the colony amounted to a mere 5,000 inhabitants, a rather small number to justify such elaborate divisions, but empires will be empires. James City Shire, along with the earlier established James River and Jamestown, all received their names in honor of King James I, the father of the then-reigning monarch, Charles I. A rather predictable act of dynastic deference, wouldn't you agree? Sometime between 1642 and 1643, a minor but significant administrative adjustment occurred: the name of James City Shire was subtly altered to James City County, an appellation that has, remarkably, endured through centuries of change and upheaval, becoming a constant in a continually shifting landscape.
Middle Plantation, Williamsburg, Green Spring
Perched strategically on the high ground midway across the Virginia Peninsula, the settlement known as Middle Plantation was established in 1632. Its primary, and rather grim, purpose was to serve as a vital fortress, a bulwark in the ongoing and often brutal conflicts with the various Native American tribes inhabiting the region. By 1634, an impressive palisade – a formidable defensive barrier constructed from sharpened logs – had been meticulously completed, stretching across the entire peninsula with Middle Plantation strategically positioned at its very center. This defensive line effectively protected the more settled lower peninsula to the east from further incursions.
The strategic importance of Middle Plantation, and by extension, James City County, was further elevated in 1693 with its selection as the site for the newly chartered College of William and Mary. This prestigious institution of higher learning would become a cornerstone of intellectual and cultural life in the colony. Just six years later, following yet another devastating fire that consumed the capital at Jamestown in 1698, the seat of colonial government was officially relocated to Middle Plantation in 1699. This move marked a definitive shift in the colony's political and social center of gravity. Shortly thereafter, in a rather obvious nod to the reigning monarch, Middle Plantation was renamed Williamsburg in honor of King William III of England. However, even capitals are not immune to the march of history. At the very dawn of the American Revolution in 1780, the capital was once again moved, this time further inland to Richmond, a more defensible position away from the vulnerable coastal areas. The county also played a direct role in the unfolding drama of the Revolution, witnessing the Battle of Green Spring, a significant engagement fought on its soil just a short time before the decisive British surrender at Yorktown. This battle took place near Green Spring Plantation, which was notably the former home of the Royal Governor William Berkeley, imbuing the site with an additional layer of historical resonance.
19th and 20th centuries
The 19th and 20th centuries brought their own distinct flavors of upheaval and transformation to James City County, weaving new threads into its already rich historical tapestry.
During the cataclysmic years of the American Civil War, the county found itself squarely in the path of conflict. The Battle of Williamsburg was fiercely waged across portions of both York County and James City County in 1862, a pivotal engagement within the Union's ambitious Peninsula Campaign aimed at capturing the Confederate capital of Richmond. Today, some of the original earthworks, silent scars on the landscape, still remain at the site of the Confederate Fort Magruder, a grim reminder of the desperate struggles fought there. Following the cessation of hostilities, a new kind of force began to shape the land: industrial progress. The formidable railroad magnate Collis P. Huntington spearheaded the extension of the new Chesapeake and Ohio Railway directly through the county. His strategic vision was to connect the rich coalfields of the interior to the newly constructed coal piers he had meticulously built at Newport News, strategically located on the deep-water harbor of Hampton Roads. This railway brought with it a lifeline of commerce and new settlements. Railroad stations were established at various points, listed from west to east: Diascund, Toano, Vaiden's Crossing (which would later evolve into Norge), Kelton, Ewell, Williamsburg, and Grove. In Williamsburg itself, the initial, rather brazen, temporary tracks were laid directly down the middle of Duke of Gloucester Street, a testament to the raw, unpolished determination of 19th-century infrastructure development.
A significant administrative realignment occurred after a change in the Virginia constitution in 1871. This legislative shift led to Williamsburg becoming an independent city from James City County in 1884. This meant the city, while geographically surrounded, was politically sovereign. Despite this formal separation, the two entities have maintained a unique and deeply intertwined relationship. They continue to share a combined public school system, judicial courts housed in the James City County-Williamsburg Combined Courthouse, and several constitutional officers, a pragmatic arrangement that underscores their shared interests and historical bonds.
The dawn of the 20th century saw a burgeoning appreciation for the historical significance embedded in the very soil of the region. Preservation and meticulous restoration efforts began in earnest, leading to a dramatic and sustained increase in tourism to the county and its surrounding areas. This era witnessed the careful development of numerous attractions designed to transport visitors back in time. These included the living history museum of Colonial Williamsburg, the interpretive exhibits of the Jamestown Settlement, the scenic drive of the Colonial Parkway, the elegant Carter's Grove Plantation, and the modern recreational draw of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. This blend of historical immersion and contemporary entertainment firmly established the area as a world-renowned tourist destination.
Colonial Williamsburg
Perhaps the single most impactful local transformation of the 20th century, profoundly affecting James City County even though its core lies just outside its formal borders, was the monumental Restoration and subsequent development of Colonial Williamsburg. This ambitious undertaking was born from the visionary zeal of an Episcopal priest, Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, whose passionate belief in the educational power of a recreated past captured the imagination—and the immense fortune—of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his equally influential wife, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Their unparalleled patronage transformed Colonial Williamsburg (or "CW," as it is known locally, with a certain casual reverence) into a world-class attraction, a meticulously reconstructed 18th-century capital city unlike any other. It stands as a testament to what vast wealth and an unwavering vision can achieve, even if the vision is to restore something that was largely lost.
Main article: Colonial Williamsburg
While the primary "Historic Area" of Colonial Williamsburg is geographically confined within the city limits of Williamsburg itself, and therefore technically not within James City County, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation embarked on a strategic campaign of land acquisition in its earliest phases. This foresight led to the procurement of vast acreage throughout the surrounding area, with a particular focus on the territories stretching to the north and east of the Historic District. The paramount objective behind this extensive land banking was to meticulously preserve the visual integrity of the landscape, ensuring that the visitor's experience of the 18th century would not be jarringly interrupted by modern intrusions. The goal was to create an immersive environment, where every vista and every approach contributed to the illusion of stepping back in time.
The planning and execution of the entrance roadways leading to the Historic Area were undertaken with an almost obsessive degree of care. Even in the modern era, the thoroughfares connecting the scenic Colonial Parkway and the strategically relocated U.S. Route 60 at Bypass Road and North Henry Street remain conspicuously undeveloped by commercial interests. This unwavering commitment to preserving an unobstructed vista extended along U.S. Route 132 in York County to the new road when Route 143 was constructed as the Merrimack Trail (originally designated as State Route 168) in the 1930s. Even when the massive infrastructure project of Interstate 64 was conceived and built in the 1960s and early 1970s, the additional land parcels along Route 143 leading from the designated "Colonial Williamsburg" exit were similarly protected from any form of commercial development. Consequently, a visitor can still travel several miles to reach the Visitor's Center without encountering a single commercial property, a remarkable achievement in an age of relentless strip-mall proliferation, and a testament to the power of a well-funded, unyielding vision.
Among the significant landholdings acquired to the immediate east of the Historic Area, within James City County, was a vast tract historically known as the Kingsmill Plantation property. This estate was notably bisected by the ancient Quarterpath Road, a route dating back to the 17th century that once served as a vital artery connecting Williamsburg to the James River at Burwell's Landing. While the original manor house, built in the 1730s, tragically succumbed to fire in 1843, several resilient brick dependencies from that era endured and continue to stand into the 21st century, silent witnesses to centuries of history. Immediately adjacent to the east of the Kingsmill tract lay Carter's Grove Plantation, a grand estate initially developed by a grandson of the formidable Royal Governor Robert "King" Carter. For over two centuries, this property passed through a succession of owners, each leaving their indelible mark through various architectural modifications and landscape alterations. Then, in the 1960s, following the death of its last resident, Ms. Molly McRae, Carter's Grove Plantation came under the control of the Rockefeller Foundation, which subsequently gifted it to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. At that specific juncture in the mid-1960s, the landholdings of Colonial Williamsburg stretched impressively from the Historic District all the way to Skiffe's Creek, effectively bordering Newport News near Lee Hall.
(It should be noted that Carter's Grove, situated at a distance of 8 miles (13 km) from the main Historic Area, was operated as a satellite facility of Colonial Williamsburg for a significant period, hosting several important educational programs. However, by 2003, most of these programs were strategically relocated to be in closer proximity to the main Historic Area. The property itself was eventually sold in 2007, but with meticulously crafted restrictive and conservation covenants put in place to ensure its enduring protection and historical integrity. Further details can be found in the separate article dedicated to Carter's Grove.)
Anheuser-Busch
One of the famous Clydesdale horses is seen at the Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park, part of a massive Anheuser-Busch development in James City County which also includes a brewery, office park, and the Kingsmill Resort located east of Williamsburg just west of Grove.
In the second half of the 20th century, a different kind of economic force began to reshape the landscape of James City County, far removed from the meticulously preserved sight paths of Colonial Williamsburg. The extensive, largely undeveloped land east of town, which had long been owned by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and was locally known as the Kingsmill tract, had remained largely unproductive for both the Foundation and the wider community. This stagnant situation dramatically shifted in the early 1970s, catalyzed by the visionary leadership of CW Chairman Winthrop Rockefeller.
Rockefeller, himself a son of the formidable Abby and John D. Rockefeller Jr., was a frequent visitor to the area and harbored a particular affection for Carter's Grove in the late 1960s. Beyond his family legacy, he also served as Governor of the State of Arkansas, placing him in a unique position to connect with other prominent industrialists. It was through these connections that he became aware of the expansion plans of his St. Louis-based neighbor, August Anheuser Busch Jr., the powerful head of Anheuser-Busch (AB). Busch, a shrewd businessman and a master of branding, had famously originated the use of the now-iconic Clydesdale team as a company logo in the 1930s, a testament to his understanding of public appeal.
As early as 1959, the Anheuser-Busch company had already ventured successfully into the realm of leisure and entertainment, opening what is today recognized as a pioneering theme park in Tampa, Florida, then simply known as "Busch Gardens." This innovative concept was remarkably prescient, predating the massive Walt Disney World development nearby by several years; today, it is known as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. It seems Busch had a keen eye for untapped markets and grand-scale entertainment.
While the precise intricacies of their discussions and negotiations have, perhaps wisely, never been widely publicized, by the time "Win" Rockefeller and "Gussie" Busch finalized their agreement, the Williamsburg area was on the brink of its most profound transformation since the Restoration of Colonial Williamsburg had begun four decades earlier. The stated goals of this ambitious collaboration were clear: to complement the existing historical attractions of Colonial Williamsburg and, crucially, to provide a substantial and diversified boost to the local economy, moving beyond a sole reliance on historical tourism.
The extensive tract of land, consisting primarily of the Kingsmill property, was subsequently sold by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to Anheuser-Busch (AB) for a meticulously planned series of developments. The scale of AB's investment was immense and multifaceted. It included the construction of a large-scale brewery, the thrilling Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park, the luxurious Kingsmill planned resort community, and McLaws Circle, a modern office park designed to attract further corporate tenants. In a significant act of corporate citizenship, a 60-acre (240,000 m²) portion of this land was generously donated by Anheuser-Busch in the late 1960s to facilitate the development of the James City County government office complex, cementing their role as a community partner.
Today, Anheuser-Busch and its related entities, born from that pivotal development plan, collectively constitute the area's largest employment base. This is a remarkable achievement, surpassing even the combined employment figures of Colonial Williamsburg and the various local military installations. In 2008, Anheuser-Busch held the impressive distinction of being the world's second-largest brewer, a testament to the enduring success and economic impact of its multifaceted operations in James City County.
21st century
As the calendar turned into the 21st century, the pursuit of historical knowledge continued with renewed vigor in James City County. New archaeological work commenced, or perhaps, more accurately, intensified, at Jamestown and the nearby Green Spring Plantation. The premise behind these efforts was the tantalizing prospect of uncovering fresh historical discoveries, revealing more layers of a past that stubbornly refuses to be fully known. Both sites hold a particular, almost irresistible, attraction for archaeologists precisely because of the fortunate lack of extensive modern development that occurred after the mid-19th century. This relative untouchedness means their historical strata remain largely intact, offering invaluable windows into earlier eras. It's as if the earth decided to guard its secrets for a more discerning audience.
Another significant archaeological site, Wolstenholme Towne, nestled within the Carter's Grove property, remains carefully protected. When the property was sold in 2007, stringent covenants were meticulously put in place, ensuring its preservation and safeguarding its potential for future archaeological activity. The past, in this county, is not merely a memory; it is a meticulously managed asset, ready to be unearthed when the time is right.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, which, to its credit, rarely exaggerates, James City County commands a total area of 179 square miles (460 km²). Of this, a solid 142 square miles (370 km²) is land, while a rather significant 37 square miles (96 km²) – approximately 20.5% – consists of water. The county’s own GIS office offers an even more precise, if slightly overwhelming, figure: 115,011.9 acres (46,543.7 ha) of land. So, it's not small, and there's plenty of water to contemplate the vastness of human endeavor.
Jamestown, VA experiences a humid subtropical climate, characterized by hot, humid summers and mild winters. Precipitation is generally well-distributed throughout the year.
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