James Fort — October 2017

On a Saturday afternoon in October, there was a knock at my door. It was my Delegate from the Virginia General Assembly. We had an election in November, and he was asking for votes. His name is Mike Mullin. It is not often that my delegate stands on my front porch, so I took the opportunity to ask him about his background and what he would like to accomplish in the upcoming session.

We talked about his schooling, job as a prosecutor, juvenile justice and pretrial bail issues. We also talked about favorite local spots that he might recognize in a picture. When I asked, he took a moment to think what that would be. He mentioned a few places and then, in a flash of insight, he said, “Jamestown Island, and specifically where the original church foundation points in the direction of Richmond.” He continued, saying “It is a beautiful place, and starting in 1994 with the Jamestown Rediscovery Project, you can see exactly where the first continuous English language settlement began. America started on this spot, and anyone can go there and get a glimpse of history. It is inspiring.”

I enjoyed our time together. I told him I would go to Jamestown and try to capture the view he spoke of so that others can see what he was describing.

If you look at the picture above, just on the other side of the wall on the left, are the graves of four of the first leaders of Jamestown: Reverend Robert Hunt, Sir Ferdinando Wainman, Captain Gabriel Archer, and Captain William West. The view is to the northwest, and just off shore is the submerged bulwark trench of the original fort. The island is a little bit larger than 1,500 acres and is a treat to explore. The Park Rangers and preservationists are very approachable and steeped in the history of Jamestown.

Our elections were in November, and Delgate Mullin was re-elected to his seat. Our first settlers were faced with hard work to succeed and thrive; the same can be said today for the members of the Senate and General Assembly. Good luck Mike.

And make it a point to see where it really all began – visit Jamestown, and be part of the history.