The sun., 1907-08-14
NEAR LAMEaTOWN.

lNOH1 tH5 kIOulubs Ahty otO RbS"" ="
jamestown. Williamsburg and Yorktown.
and few 20 to see them. n,ore's the
pity. They are less noisy and less strenu-
ous than tho warpath and less crowded
than the aisle In front OF food display
where samples are given 10 visitors. but a
visit TO them affords pleasure and exoites
an interest not TO be found In acres OF boots
and shoes and dry goods and food products
and machinery and potato parers and SOU
venirs Of the exposition.
There Ia no similar area OF the United
States 90 rich In historical interest as the
region lying between the James River and
the York River and between Richmond
and Fort Monroe. Here 10 the cradle OF
the republic" the scene OF the first organ
i1ed Government and the scene OF sctivi-
ties during the Revolution. the War OF 1912
and the civil war. Here are old homes. old
public edifioes and earthworls which mark
the site Of many battle-ground. Here our
history is written on almost every acre. A
trip to the most important and most inter-
esting spots may be made with comfort and
at small expense.
The interest of jamestown is largely SEN
timental. All that there 10 to ses may be
seen in an hour. The place was practically
deserted 200 years ago. A few rods west
OF the steamboat landing there Ia . COM
bination Of earthworks. some of which were
thrown up by the early settlers and sone
by the forces OF General r. E. Lee In 1851.
Immediately beside them stands the old
church tower which dates back to 1899. and
around the tower are the tombs of men and
women who died hundred years before
the nation was born. Eastward q few rods
stand the ruins of the old Wyatt mansion.
These and q few located sites and visible
foundations are the main features OF the
old jamestown.
The new jamestown il represented by
fine sea wall built by the Government. a
brick rest house" erected by the Govern
ment for the convenience Of visitors. a small
memorial building erected by the Daughters
Of the American Revolution, and q monu-
ment in process of construction. There
has also been built on the site OF tho old
church a brick structure as much like the
old building as it was found possible to
make II. Some day. and the sooner the
better. the Government should buy the
whole island and add IL to our collection OF
national parks. IL contains something like
1900 acres. and the cost would be q small
matter. Modest appropriations from time
TO time would convert the spot into an at
tractive park which would stand forever as
a sign OF respect for our first settlers.
Seven miles inland from jamestown Is the
old town of Williamsburg. Here there IL q
great deal more TO see than there is at James
town, and there il also a great deal more
of history connected with the place than
with its abandoned neighbor. Here the
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town by death and disease. The migration
began about 1882. Little is known of the
history of the place during its first forty
years because of the destruction Of the court
records during the civil war. The parish
register OF the old Bruton church takes UP
the story in 1874. and the subsequent record
is crammed with interest. The sightseer
may spend several busy days in the place.
and 1t is rich hunting ground for the anti
auarian. Here are old buildings. public
and private, relics. antiquities, and some
choice bits of architecture. The plans for
the present church were drawn by Governor
Spottswood and the building was erected
in l7i5. The old court house. standing on
the village green. was built In 17eo. A short
distance westward arp the buildings OF
William and Mary College. dating back to
100. In the list OF it's alumni are such
names as Thomas jefferson. Peyton Ran
doph. John Tyler. Edmund Randolph.
James Monroe and John Marshall. On the
north side OF the campus is the house OF the
president of the college. The old building
was burned by French troops in 1881. and
the present building was erected by order
OF Louis XVI. and paid for out Of his own
pocket.
Eastward from the village green Is the
site Of the old Capitol. burned in 1882. This
is one OF the special spots where American
history was made. Faneuil Hall in Boston
has it's claims as cradle" but the build
ing which stood here rivals them. Here
Washington came for his first experience
as a member OF the House OF Burgesses.
Here Patrick Henry denounced the Stamp
Act and flung down his famous challenge
to the ruling powers. III this be treason.
make the most OF it Here on the fiyleaf
OF an old law book Henry wrote his Declara-
ton OF Rights. Here independence re-
ceived an impetus perhaps as vigorous as
it received at any of the centres OF the
activity OF those days. Yet somehow Will
iamsburg is little known.
Nor are these all that the place has TO
offer to the visitor and the sightseer. Here
are old buildings and old homes that were
once occupied by men who were distin-
guished in their time and whose names
are written in the nations history. Here
is the old Wythe house. once the resi-
dence OF George Wythe an eminent jurist.
used by General Washington a. a head
quarters in 1881. There 10 the old home of
Judge Blair. appointed by Washington as a
member Of the Supreme Court of the United
States. There is the old powder house.
built in l7i4. from which Lord Dunmore
one night in i775 caused the powder to be
removed because he feared an insurrection.
There are the home Of Peyton Randolph. the
first President OF the Continental Congress;
the old Bassett house. once the home OF
President Tyler; Ta1ewell Hall. the home
of Edmund Randolph. and q number OF
other buildings OF age and note There
are interesting relics in the old powder
house. in the old church and in private
hands. Fort Magruder and other signs OF
the civil war may be seen on the outskirts
Of the village. There is much more 20 be
seen than II is possible TO describe or even
to refer to In a newspaper letter. The town
in aaailv raached hy rail an hol1r'a ts,,trnav