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Virginia Historical Society Commemorates America's 400th Anniversary

To commemorate the the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, the VHS presents a major exhibition that examines the introduction of English, French, and Spanish culture into North America. Jamestown, Québec, Santa Fe: Three North American Beginnings travels next to the Albuquerque Museum, New Mexico (October 25, 2008–March 29, 2009) and the International Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. (May 18–October 31, 2009, tentative).

The VHS is pleased to be a statewide sponsor of America's 400th Anniversary: Jamestown 2007. Please visit www.americas400thanniversary.com for more information.

Jamestown, Québec, Santa Fe: Three North American Beginnings

Traveling exhibition
If 1492 began a period of exploration, 1607 inaugurated another momentous chapter in world history, the colonization of America north of Mexico. This 4,000-square-foot exhibition takes a multicultural approach to the virtually simultaneous introduction of English, French, and Spanish culture into this vast area. It tells the stories of the first permanent English settlement in 1607, the first permanent French settlement in 1608, and the chartering of the first villa in New Mexico in 1609. More information

Jamestown to the Falls: English Expeditions to
Powhatan Country, 1607–1610

Online exhibition
Many of us recall that in 1607, shortly after the founding of Jamestown, colonists explored up the James River to the falls, at present-day Richmond. Less remembered is that colonists lived at the falls in 1609 to 1610, among the first English attempts to dwell outside Jamestown. This exhibition presents sketches of the four main ventures to the falls during this early period. View online exhibition

Early Images of Virginia Indians: The William W. Cole Collection

Online exhibition
Europeans learned about the Virginia Indians through both words and pictures. Yet as important as the writings of explorers and colonists were, the most powerful impressions came from prints. The coastal areas around the Chesapeake Bay were visited by a number of European explorers in the 1500s. However, no images of the natives were produced until the English became interested in colonization in the 1580s. This exhibition traces how European perceptions of native Virginians were shaped through these printed images. View online exhibition