Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-27
EARLY VIRGINIA HISTORY.
THE OLD KINGS HIGHWAY.
No. 10.

THE OLD KINGS HIGHWAY.
No. TO-
In passing along with our chain o.
events, we must not forget the "Oid
Kings Highway" of the Mort hern Neck
of our State; for it was truly an historic
landmark. No road in all our broad
empire was more intimately connected
with more OF the colonial circumstances
which led to the long and heroic strug-
gle of the Revolution and the const
quent federation of the thirteen British
American provinces under a rel uol-
can form OF government. Hitherto no
chronicler has turned aside to write its
history aud call up its varied associa-
tious through the vanished genera
tions, to note the varied tide of travel
which has surged over lis way il The
alternating times of peace and war. Its
history and associations are not yet re-
mole euough TO take hold GU our
lmAginaiions aud enshrine themselves
III cur memories and affections, but as
the years roll away they will become
fond tn-mes for net ouly the chroulcleF
but they will enliven the pages of re-
manceaand our troubadOurs will sing OF
Them in their songs.
Long years, mayhap centuries and
centuries before tie PROV of the adven-
turous Captain Jonn Smith had touch
the site OF our natioOal capital, be-
fore the ecbo OF an axe bad been heard
IL the Potomac wilderness, or any plow
share had upturDed the virgin farrows,
this road was but trail or path be-.
tween the lowlands and tidewaler
shores OF the Che sapeake and the val
ley beyond the B ue Ridge mouDtains,
along which only the rowing SONS OF
the forest threaded their wild journeys.
II lay through region of country
which pa ure had beautifully supplied
with all the needed requirements OF a
uomadic life. Deer, elk and bears, aud
other wild animals OF the forest furn-
ished meats-every stream was stock
cd sbundantly with ish-there were
plums, grapes, berries and nuts every
where, growing without human care or
thought, aod mere and there along the
trail, particularly at the crossings OF lhe
5 reams, were doubtless maze clearipgs
and wigwams, the stations in their
journeys where they camped and halt
ed ior rest; for they never hurried, as
line was no consideration with them.
Home to them was wherever they
and kind nature provided law
isbly tor ell their wants. Those were
halcyon days for The Virginia red meD,
balcyon days of rowing, hunting and
fishing. No stranger had yet set feet
upon their shores 10 dispute their titles
and despoil them of their possessions,
but over the great waters" in the
white winged boats" they were con-
ing. The doom OF the forest lords was
sealed.
In the spring of 1907 the little fleet
sent out from England by the London
company under command of Capt. New
port and consisting OF three ship-ifsuch
small and frail vessels might be digDi-
fed by the name, for the largest Of
them did not exceed one hundred tons
the Powhatan or James
river and, sailing fifty miles up the
stream, came to anchor on its eastern
shore where their voyagers of one hum
dred and five men began the settlement
of Jamestown.
The English colonists were adventur-
ers who INDUCED in the most extrava-
CANT hopes of speedy enrichment in the
new found realm. In the wil :
ness of woods, spreading interm'n-
ably; in the great water expanses; IN
the wonderful fertility of the soil; and
in the imaginary mines of the precious
metals, they saw resources which were
10 be for them the springs OF wealth
untold. They had come to suhJugate
and rule. They tuSn,d their steps
northward toward the sources of the
rivers. They followed the ancient
trail of the Iudian and on their right
hand and left with axe and plow they
felled the forests and made them
homes and settlements. great chain
of empire from the tide waters to the
great barriers of the Blue Ridge moun-
tains The red men receded before
the advancing wave of civilization to
return no mere as possessor. The
path was widened by the axeman, the
rouyh places were made smooth, the
crooked ways were made straight.
The streams then of far greater volume
than now were bridged or ferried. The
tobacco planters made it a great rolling
road. and it became way and q blgh-
wsy for the nations"
The seat of the colonial governmen,
was continued at jamestown until
1898 when after successive and dig
couraging calamities of fire and cpl
demic it was removed 10 James Cry
county. seven miles inland, then
known as the. Middle Plantation, aud
one of the eight original counties lnto
which Virginia was divided IN 1854
the other seven being York, Henrico.
Charles City, Elizabeth City, Isle OF
Wishr. Warwick and Northampton.
The new seat was "a ridge at the
head of two great creeks, ope loving
into the James and the other into YORK
river, each navigable for sloops WITHIN
a mile of the to wn; at the head OF y hlch
creeks were good landings and two
noble rivers not above four miles from
either.'' By this seat passed up from
the waters of the bay just below tne
preat Indian trail before mentioned oae