Feb. 1, 2007 — U.S. army archaeologists believe they have located a very early English settlement known as "Henrytowne," which they say historical accounts and artifacts suggest was contemporaneous with Jamestown — America’s first permanent English colony.
While Jamestown, founded in 1607, probably predates Henrytowne by at least a few years, the newly identified Virginia Beach Cape Henry site could have been home to one of the nation's earliest English colonies, indicated lead archaeologist Randy Amici.
He will present information about the site, located off Virginia’s Lynnhaven River, at the Middle Atlantic Archaeology Conference in March.
"From 1609-1610, Jamestown residents suffered what was called ‘the starving time,’" said Amici, who is based at Fort Eustis in southeast Virginia.
Only 60 out of 500 colonists survived this devastating period that, Amici explained, led Governor Earl De La Warr to call for the establishment of other satellite communities outside of Jamestown.
"He was exploring different ways to survive and to be profitable," Amici said. "Remember that the Virginia Company came here to make money and that was not happening to their satisfaction, especially since news of the famine led to a drop in investments from England."
He thinks Henrytowne must have been one of the earliest Jamestown satellite settlements.
Located 40 miles from Jamestown, the site was originally excavated prior to a housing development construction project in 1955. Scientists then found iron rods, iron tools, ceramic pipes used for smoking tobacco and pottery shards. These indicate the town had a blacksmith’s forge, a pottery kiln and possibly a store, according to the army scientists.
Amici recently conducted historical research and found references to an early 17th century town located at Cape Henry. One mention is in a 1613 letter authored by Lieutenant Governor Samuel Argall, who describes a fishing ship in the area that was to send its catch "to Henries Towne for the reliefe of such men as were there."
