Rushmere, Virginia

Pull over here for a sec – this is Lee Hall Mansion, and it played a surprisingly important role in the Civil War. General John B. Magruder, a Confederate commander, used Lee Hall as his headquarters in 1862. From here,…

You're driving near a place touched by early colonial dreams: Smith's Fort Plantation. This land, though, is more closely tied to a later structure built in 1751. This plantation, also called the Faulcon House, became a…

First permanent English settlement in the Americas, founded in 1607 on the banks of the James River.

Stand here, and you're standing on hallowed ground: the very heart of the first permanent English settlement in America. This church is built on the site of several earlier churches, each a vital part of the Jamestown…

Right here, on this island, you're standing on the very spot where English ambition first took root in America. This is Jamestown. In 1607, a group of roughly 100 English colonists arrived and established James Fort,…

Pull over and imagine weary travelers from centuries ago finding respite! Boykin's Tavern has been a welcoming landmark since the late 18th century. The original tavern was built around 1790. Over time, it expanded,…

Pull over for a minute and imagine a whole village springing up almost overnight! Hilton Village was built to house shipyard workers during World War I. Between 1918 and 1921, the U.S. government built this planned…

Imagine the clatter and splash of water powering a bustling colonial mill, right here near King's Creek! This is the site of Whitaker's Mill, also known as Burwell's Mill, a vital industrial hub in the 1700s and 1800s.…

You're driving through ground zero for the birth of America! This isn't just another scenic route; it's where English colonists first planted roots and where the fight for independence reached its climax.Jamestown,…

This plantation was located just four miles from Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. Four Mile Tree plantation, encompassing two thousand acres, sat on the James River's south bank,…

Ever wonder where some of the earliest efforts to educate Black children in America took place? You might be near the site of the Williamsburg Bray School. Founded in 1760 at the suggestion of Benjamin Franklin, the…

Admire the Classical Revival architecture of this 1770 house, a testament to the evolving styles of colonial Williamsburg. It's known as the James Semple House. Built around 1770, the James Semple House is thought by…

Ever wonder what life was *really* like back in the colonial days? This museum can show you. The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, opened in 1985, houses a stunning collection of British and American decorative…

Capital of Virginia from 1699 to 1780, restored in the 1920s with Rockefeller funding into the world's largest living history museum.

Imagine overhearing Patrick Henry denounce tyranny or watching a wigmaker meticulously craft a powdered masterpiece. That was daily life in Colonial Williamsburg. From 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg served as the capital of…

America's largest living history museum. 18th century come to life across 301 acres.

Raise a glass in the tavern where revolutionaries like Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry plotted the course of American independence. The Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg was *the* spot for Virginia legislators to…

Walk the halls where Patrick Henry and other founding fathers debated independence, shaping the future of the United States. This is the Capitol building in Williamsburg, Virginia, where vital decisions about the…

Imagine walking the same halls as Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe! The Wren Building at William & Mary isn't just old; it's where American history took shape. First built between 1695 and 1700, it served as the…

Step back in time, because right here stands a house that witnessed the birth of a nation. The Peyton Randolph House, one of the oldest buildings in Colonial Williamsburg, was home to Peyton Randolph, a key figure in…

Imagine sitting in the same pews as future presidents! Bruton Parish Church has been a cornerstone of Williamsburg since the Virginia Colony's earliest days. Established in 1674 by merging two earlier parishes, it…

Bethel High School (1067 Big Bethel Rd., Hampton, VA) produced Allen Iverson, the 2001 NBA MVP, eleven-time All-Star, and Hall of Famer. What sets his origin apart is two sports at once: as a junior in the 1992-93…

Imagine the most powerful man in colonial Virginia living right here! This is the Governor's Palace, the official residence of the royal governors. From the early 1700s until 1780, this opulent palace hosted lavish…

Imagine the goods that passed through here in the 1700s, funding the British Empire. This is the Old Custom House in Yorktown. It was built in 1721, when Yorktown was a bustling port. This two-and-a-half story brick…

Pull over here for a minute. This is where the fate of a nation was decided. The Moore House is where the British surrendered to the Americans, effectively ending the Revolutionary War. In 1781, representatives from the…

Imagine witnessing centuries of history unfold from a single spot. That's Grace Church in Yorktown. Built in 1697, it served as the York-Hampton Parish Church. Over the years, it underwent changes, including a Greek…

The decisive battle of the American Revolution, where Cornwallis surrendered to Washington in October 1781.

Newport News, Virginia, hums with a unique energy, a blend of maritime grit and forward-looking innovation. The city owes its existence to its deepwater access, a feature that caught the eye of Collis P. Huntington, who…

Marvel at the Hotel Warwick, a seven-story building showcasing an eclectic mix of Gothic Revival and Art Deco styles. It was the first skyscraper, first tower hotel, and first fireproof hotel in Newport News. Built in…

Ever heard of a governor so unpopular, he sparked a rebellion? That's Sir William Berkeley, and this land was the heart of his Green Spring Plantation. In the 1640s, Berkeley transformed this area into a thriving…

You're driving near a spot that's been strategically important for centuries! Gloucester Point has been a key location for military fortifications, dating back to colonial times. Think back to the American Revolution.…

This hunting lodge is named for a famous naval battle, a reminder of Britain's global ambitions. Porto Bello was the hunting lodge of John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunmore, and the last Royal Governor of the British…

Right here, astronauts practiced the ultimate high-stakes maneuver: docking in space. Back in the 1960s, during the Gemini program, NASA built this Rendezvous Docking Simulator at Langley Research Center. It was a…

Admire the Georgian style of this historic home, built around 1793. Timberneck, located near Wicomico, Virginia, is a two-story frame dwelling. The original three-bay design showcases classic Georgian architecture. In…

Keep an eye out for a lonely sentinel rising from the water – the Newport News Middle Ground Light, the oldest caisson lighthouse in Virginia. Built in 1891, this lighthouse marked a dangerous shoal in the James River,…

This unassuming metal structure revolutionized aircraft design. The Variable Density Tunnel, or VDT, allowed engineers to test scale models under different air pressures, mimicking flight conditions far more accurately…

You're near a place that witnessed the very beginnings of English America: St. John's Church. Founded way back in 1610, it's the oldest continuously running English-speaking parish in the whole country. Life here in the…

Buckle up, aviation buffs! We're near the Full-Scale Wind Tunnel, a place where engineers wrestled the secrets of flight from the very air itself. Back in 1929, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the…

Imagine a place where dreams of faster, more efficient flight took shape. That's right here near the Eight-Foot High Speed Tunnel. Completed in 1936, this wind tunnel at NASA's Langley Research Center allowed engineers…

Imagine a mansion so grand, it was called the finest in colonial America. That was Rosewell, home to the Page family for over a century. Begun in 1725, this Flemish bond brick masterpiece overlooked the York River and…

Imagine colonial Virginians gathering here almost 300 years ago – right where you're driving now. This is Glebe Church, built in 1737, a vital part of the early Anglican community in this area. Construction began in…

Pull over for a second; this unassuming spot was once the site of Fairfield Plantation, and it was a big deal back in the day. Built in 1694 by the wealthy Burwell family, Fairfield was a massive tobacco plantation. The…