Kingsmill facts for kids
Kingsmill is a well-known area in James City County, Virginia. It got its name in the mid-1700s from a large farm called a plantation. Today, Kingsmill is a big area with a planned neighborhood, a fancy resort, a fun theme park, a brewery, and a business park.
This area is located along the James River in Virginia. It's just east of where the first English settlement in North America, Jamestown, was founded in 1607. You can reach Kingsmill from U.S. Route 60 or Virginia State Route 199, which goes around the southern part of Williamsburg.
Contents
History of Kingsmill
Kingsmill Plantation: A Colonial Beginning
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Kingsmill Plantation
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Kingsmill Plantation Dependency
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Williamsburg, Virginia |
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| Area | 135 acres (55 ha) |
| Built | 1680 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001401 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 26, 1972 |
Kingsmill Plantation was named after Richard Kingsmill, an important person in the Virginia Company. This company was formed in England to help settle Virginia. Richard Kingsmill received one of the first land grants in the area.
Later, in the 1730s, British Colonel Lewis Burwell III created a large 1,400-acre (5.7 km2) plantation called Kingsmill Plantation. It had a main house, other buildings, and gardens. Colonel Burwell was also a customs inspector for the James River. His inspection station, Burwell's Landing, had a tavern, store, warehouse, and ferry. A road called Quarterpath Road connected Burwell's Landing to Williamsburg.
The Kingsmill area saw some fighting during the American Revolutionary War. The main house burned down in 1843. Only the office and kitchen buildings remain today. They are some of the oldest brick buildings still standing in Virginia.
Kingsmill During the American Civil War
The American Civil War (1861–1865) also affected the Kingsmill Plantation lands. In 1862, Union troops led by General George B. McClellan tried to capture Richmond, the capital of the Confederate states.
McClellan gathered a huge army and navy. His plan was to use the James and York rivers to attack Richmond. However, new types of warships called ironclad warships changed naval warfare. Union ships could not get past strong Confederate defenses along the James River. This meant McClellan's attack on Richmond would depend mostly on his land forces.
In April 1862, McClellan's army slowly moved up the Virginia Peninsula. Confederate General John B. Magruder used clever tricks to make his smaller army seem much larger. This made McClellan move very cautiously, giving the Confederates time to build strong defenses outside Richmond.
The Confederates built three lines of defense across the Peninsula. The second, called the Warwick Line, was about 12 miles east of Williamsburg. The third line was a series of forts just east of Williamsburg. This line was anchored by College Creek to the south and Queen's Creek to the north. Fort Magruder, a strong fort with 15-foot-high walls, was at the center of this line.
On May 5, 1862, the Battle of Williamsburg took place. Union and Confederate troops fought near the Williamsburg line, especially around Fort Magruder. The Confederates had fewer soldiers but managed to hold off the Union army.
Even though the Union forces eventually took the Williamsburg Line, the battle is often seen as a Confederate victory. Their main goal was to allow the rest of the Confederate army to retreat safely to Richmond, and they succeeded.
Williamsburg: A Quiet Town
Williamsburg was founded in the early 1600s as a fortified settlement. During the American Revolutionary War, Virginia's capital moved from Williamsburg to Richmond.
Williamsburg was not directly on a major river. This made it harder for the town to become a big center for trade. People had to travel a significant distance to reach the James or York rivers. An early plan to build a canal to connect Williamsburg to the rivers was started but never finished.
For many years, Williamsburg was mainly known for The College of William & Mary, which was founded in 1693. It also had the first mental hospital in the United States, now called Eastern State Hospital. Williamsburg was often described as a quiet, forgotten town.
However, things began to change in the 1880s. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway built a railroad line through Williamsburg to Newport News. This connected Williamsburg to the rest of the country and helped bring new businesses and people to the area.
Colonial Williamsburg and Modern Development
In the early 1900s, John D. Rockefeller Jr., a wealthy businessman, and his wife, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, became interested in Williamsburg. They worked with Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin to restore and rebuild the historic parts of Williamsburg. This project became Colonial Williamsburg.
The Rockefellers wanted to celebrate early American history. Many old buildings were rebuilt or restored to look like they did in the 1700s. Colonial Williamsburg became a major tourist attraction. The Rockefellers loved Williamsburg and helped the community in many ways, including supporting education for African-American students.
After John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Abby died, their son Winthrop Rockefeller continued their work. He also helped bring Anheuser-Busch, a large brewing company, to the Williamsburg area. This led to the creation of the Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park, the Kingsmill Resort, and the Kingsmill on the James planned community.
These new developments created thousands of jobs and brought a lot of money to the area. Winthrop Rockefeller and August Busch II (the head of Anheuser-Busch) are often credited with helping Williamsburg become a top tourist spot. They believed that adding more attractions would draw more families and help the local economy.
Kingsmill Area Today
Today, Colonial Williamsburg and the developments started by the Rockefellers and Busch family continue to be very important for jobs and the economy in Williamsburg and James City County.
Major attractions and developments in the Kingsmill area include:
- Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park
- Quarterland Commons Commercial Park
- Kingsmill Resort golf resort
- Kingsmill on the James planned community (Some notable residents have included Curtis Strange, Sam Wallace, Jeremiah Denton, Donald Regan, and Marv Levy.)
Images for kids
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Kingsmill Plantation Dependency
