Historic Jamestown to become more accessible ahead of America’s 250th anniversary

JAMESTOWN – Efforts are underway to make Historic Jamestowne more accessible ahead of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and 350th anniversary of Bacon’s Rebellion at Jamestown. 

The work is being funded by a $390,000 grant provided by the Virginia 250 Preservation Fund, which will be used to support “vital infrastructure projects around the site of America’s Birthplace,” according to the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation.

Visitors to Jamestown can experience history through multiple points of interest, including the Memorial Church, the recreated James Fort, the Voorhees Archaearium Archaeology Museum and behind-the-scenes programs in the Rediscovery Center at Yeardley House. 

Those sites, however, are connected by gravel pathways that have varying grades and elevations. The grant will support upgrades that will not only improve accessibility but also support visitor safety and interpretation. 

The elevation of the pathways will also allow guests to visit the historic sites during flood events, during which the current walkways are often submerged.

A “capitol trail” will be created by the pathways to connect the first and last meeting places of representative government at Jamestown. 

“The original site of James Fort and the capitol buildings that came after it have been known to both researchers and the public for thirty years,” said Dr. Jim Horn, Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation President and C.O. “Infrastructure projects like ensuring pathways are accessible and adding lighting and safety features to the site will help us continue telling the story of America’s Birthplace for the next thirty years and beyond.”

The project will wrap up by July 2026 in time for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Work on the project has already begun in earnest, according to Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation officials.