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kjbarr
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Editor Pick

Yorktown Battlefield

  • September 30, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by RoBoNC from Indianapolis, Indiana
Yorktown Battlefield

To complete the historic anniversary weekend, I took the Colonial Parkway to Yorktown. This is the site of the famous surrender of British troops under General Cornwallis to General George Washington that ended the American Revolutionary War. My visit began at the Visitor Center where I picked up driving maps of the area and paid my admission fee. The cost of entering the park is $10 and is good for seven days and it also includes admission to Jamestown.

There are two self-guided auto tours where you can take your time and explore the different areas of the battlefield as well as the many different monuments. I decided to take the 7 mile Battlefield Tour Road which takes about an hour. There is another nine-mile loop known as the Encampment Tour Road, which takes about an hour and a half and shows the different encampment sites of the British and American troops. The 9-mile tour is something for people interested in the history of battles and there is not much to see except for large tracts of land.

My first stop was at Surrender Field which is the site where 8900 British soldiers under General Cornwallis laid down there arms to General George Washington. This ended the American Revolutionary War and started the United States on becoming a world power. A concrete structure has been built that allows visitors to view the entire field and points out the locations of the American and British troops. Also on display beneath the viewing area are captured British cannons taken during the siege.

The auto tour eventually took me to Yorktown National Cemetery, which contains the remains of Civil War veterans and not soldiers of the American Revolution, as many people think it does. The cemetery contains the remains of 2, 183 Civil War veterans and of those 1, 434 are unidentified.

My last stop on the tour is the Moore House. The Moores, who did not flee when the battle broke out, were handpicked by General Cornwallis to have their house used as the site of the final negotiations leading to the surrender. The house’s significance is little known to most people, but it played a huge role in the winning of the American Revolution.

After a visit to Yorktown Battlefield, I stopped off in city of Yorktown to admire their wonderful Main Street and to explore the many shops along the way. My only regret is that I failed to pack my bathing suit. The town which is situated along the York River looks more like a beach town with white sand beaches and hundreds of people enjoying the warm waters of the Chesapeake.

From journal America's 400th Anniversary

Editor Pick

Historic Yorktown

  • December 18, 2005
  • Rated 3 of 5 by NiteOwlTX from LaPlace, Louisiana
Historic Yorktown

The third historical site in Yorktown is the town itself.

The little portion of the city that survived the siege by the Continental Army was destroyed by the British during the War of 1812. Only a handful of original buildings survived to the 20th century, when they became historical monuments.

You can still see the cannon balls from the Revolutionary War in the sides of the Nelson house and the Sessions house. The Cole Digges house is now a diner. The Customs house is still in use. The Nelson house has a tour several times a day.

Close to the waterfront is the Cornwallis Cave, where Cornwallis is supposed to have hidden during the battle.

There are several other attractions in Yorktown that do not pertain to the Revolutionary War.

One attraction that you will find is the beach. The beach here is small, but it is a natural beach. Obviously, if you are interested in beach activities, you will want to go somewhere else, but this beach would be fun to fill in a couple of hours between historical sites.

Another attraction, located right on the beach, is the Watermen’s Museum. The museum gives visitors insight into the impact that watermen have had on the history, economy, and ecology of the region for over 400 years. Exhibits include boat models, tools, photos, and artifacts.
Website: www.watermens.org.

The Yorktown Lady provides a tour of the waterway. Cruises depart from the pier right on the beach. There are cruises throughout the day, a sunset cruise, and a ghost tour at night. Tours give you perspective of the history here in Yorktown as well as a look into the ecological side of the river.
Website: www.yorktowncruises.com.

Also, the Ghosts of Yorktown Tour walks you through the significant sites of Yorktown. Of course, they give plenty of ghost stories, but they also tell the history of the historic buildings as you pass by them. If you are planning to hit all of Yorktown in one day, you can see the national park and the state park, then take the Ghost Tour to see the historic area of town. This tour also takes you to the pier and down the beach, so you’ll get a lot more then ghosts on this tour.
Website: www.theghosttour.com.

I recommend a trip to Historic Yorktown, as time permits, to complete a day after seeing the two larger attractions in this area.

From journal Relive History in Virginia's Historic Triangle

Editor Pick

Yorktown Battlefield

  • December 18, 2005
  • Rated 3 of 5 by NiteOwlTX from LaPlace, Louisiana
Yorktown Battlefield

Yorktown was established in 1691 to secure York River. A few years later, the settlement was a thriving tobacco port. The town became one of Virginia’s largest cities by the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

In August 1781, General George Cornwallis led almost half of the British troops fighting in this war to Yorktown. As a ready seaport, he thought this would make a good center to launch a campaign to retake the southern colonies. George Washington and his troops made a forced march from New York to Yorktown. The Continental Army met with several divisions of the French army and began a siege in September.

Due to severe weather and the onslaught of the French fleet, the British navy was unable to dock at Yorktown; thus, Cornwallis was trapped without retreat. By the middle of October, the outlaying defenses, fortified redoubts, had been captured and the British army was left in an indefensible position. Now surrounded by the French and Continental armies, the British surrendered their position without a military charge. The capitulation was signed on the 18th, and on the 19th almost 8,000 British soldiers laid down their arms. While the official armistice was not until a year and a half later, the Battle of Yorktown was the last significant battle of the Revolutionary War.

The siege of the city and a disastrous fire just after the Revolution was the demise of the prosperity in Yorktown. It drifted into the post-Revolution economic depression. Today, Yorktown has industrialized, but a large piece of history is still here to those interested.

The National Park Service operates this site. You begin your tour at the visitor center. Here there is an overlook so you can see the battlefield. From the visitor center you are at the British encampment, and you can see the colonial and French flags in the distance representing their positions during the battle.

A short distance from the battlefield is the Yorktown Victory Monument, which was built in 1881. From here you can also see a beautiful view of the York River and the outskirts of Yorktown.

In the visitor center, there is a 15-minute film about the battle here. It gives some background information leading up to battle and the consequences that it had on the war. There are also a lot of artifacts from the war here as well as the recreation of a war ship and General Washington’s tent.

Finally, there is a driving tour that circles the battlefield. It has signs showing the different parts of the encampments on the outskirts of the battlefield, including where Washington and Lafayette were camped. A tip for those with the ability to bring a compact disc or cassette player is that you can buy a tape at the visitor center that talks you through each of these sites. Once you get to Surrender Field, you have completed the tour.

I recommend this attraction for anyone interested in history or for families with young children.

Website: www.nps.gov/yonb

From journal Relive History in Virginia's Historic Triangle

Editor Pick

Yorktown

  • June 30, 2004
  • Rated 4 of 5 by zippen3 from Palatka, Florida
Yorktown

The whole family went together to Yorktown early one morning (8am). The temperature and humidity would begin to make things miserable before noon, and we got there before the visitor center opened. This happened to be the best time to go. Not only was it cooler to walk around, but we had the area free to ourselves with a few locals on their morning walks.

There is a large monument to the battle here, as well as older homes. There still is a Yorktown town that has a shopping area with antique and tourist shops. The shops did not open until 10am or later so we did not get a chance to go in, but window browsing was just as exciting. Plenty of rabbits for the kids to chase in the open grass fields in the area as well.

The main draw to this park is the driving/bicycle tour of the battle grounds. This tour is extensive with multiple road side historical markers. Unfortunately, there isn't much to see other than fields and forest, but it is still interesting from a historical sense. This tour is what you use your flex ticket for, or get vehicle passes. While there is no one checking to make sure you pay for the tour, it is on your honor.

From journal Williamsburg for a BIG family of all ages

Yorktown Battlefield

  • April 12, 2004
  • Rated 2 of 5 by denmother04 from Austin, Texas
The indoor section of this museum pales in comparison to some of the other museums in the area. The exhibits aren't as detailed and well done, although the film is interesting. This museum is best suited for teens and adults who are interested in the significance of the battlefield site. It was very cold the day we went, so we did not take the ranger-led outdoor tour, which might have enhanced our experience. The guidebooks advocate the Junior Ranger program for kids, but we found the worksheets to be uninteresting and difficult to complete.

From journal A Williamsburg Family Vacation

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