Kiskiack facts for kids

The Kiskiack (also called Chisiack or Chiskiack) were a group of Native American people. They were part of the powerful Powhatan Confederacy. Their home was in what is now York County, Virginia.

The name "Kiskiack" means "Wide Land" or "Bread Place". This comes from their native language. It was one of the Algonquian languages spoken in Virginia. Kiskiack was also the name of their main village. This village was located on the Virginia Peninsula.

Later, English settlers used the name Kiskiack for their own village. Today, this area is home to the US Naval Weapons Station Yorktown. The original Kiskiack village was about 11 kilometers (7 miles) from Werowocomoco. This was the capital city of the Powhatan Confederacy.

The Kiskiack People and Their History

The Kiskiack tribe spoke an Algonquian language. In the mid-1500s and early 1600s, they lived near the York River. This area is on the Virginia Peninsula, which reaches into the Chesapeake Bay. The modern city of Yorktown is a few miles east of their old home.

The Kiskiack people built lasting villages. These villages had many long-houses, called yihakans. Related families lived together in these long-houses. They had both private and shared spaces inside.

Kiskiack and the Powhatan Confederacy

The Kiskiack were one of the first six tribes in the Powhatan Confederacy. By the early 1600s, this confederacy included 30 different tribes.

When English colonists arrived at Jamestown in 1607, the Kiskiack were often unfriendly. They did not want to give their food to the English. The English needed corn and other supplies to survive their first difficult years. However, the Kiskiack were somewhat friendly to the English during the First Anglo-Powhatan War.

Life and Conflicts with English Settlers

The Kiskiack village was about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from Jamestown. It was located north across the Peninsula, along the York River. This area did not get as many English settlers as the land along the James River.

In 1612, explorer John Smith guessed the Kiskiack had about 40 to 50 warriors. This would mean their total population was around 150 to 200 people. William Strachey wrote down the name of their leader, called a weroance, as Ottahotin.

The Kiskiack took part in the conflict of 1622. They helped attack colonists, hoping to make the English leave. The next year, the colonists fought back against the Kiskiack and other tribes. Some time before 1627, the Kiskiack left their village. They moved west. English colonists then took over the site in 1629.

Later Years and Merging with Other Tribes

By 1649, the Kiskiack had settled along the Piankatank River. The English gave their weroance, Ossakican, a reservation of 5,000 acres (20 square kilometers). In 1651, the Kiskiack traded this land for another 5,000-acre (20 square kilometers) area. This new land was farther up the river.

Soon, English settlers began to move onto this new reservation. This was in Gloucester County. By 1669, records show the Kiskiack had only 15 bowmen left. They were last mentioned in history in 1676. This was when they took part in Bacon's Rebellion. The remaining Kiskiack people likely joined other tribes. They probably merged with the Pamunkey, Chickahominy, or Rappahannock tribes.

English Settlements and the Palisade

In 1630, Governor John Harvey and his Council met in Jamestown. They decided to grant land in the Kiskiack area. This was to protect the colony from Native American attacks. They wanted to secure a large area called "the forest." This area was near the main home of the Pamunkey King.

The colonists built houses on both sides of King's Creek. More houses were added along the south side of the York River. In 1634, the colony built a strong palisade (a fence of tall wooden stakes). This palisade stretched across the Peninsula. It went from Martin's Hundred to Kiskiack. Its purpose was to protect the eastern part of the colony from attacks.

Middle Plantation was the first settlement built inland. It was near the center of this palisade. In 1699, Middle Plantation was renamed Williamsburg. It became the capital of the Virginia Colony.

Kiskiack's Legacy Today

The former site of the Kiskiack village is now used by the U.S. Naval Weapons Station Yorktown. The original Algonquian name, Kiskiack, is still remembered. It is the source of names like "Cheesecake Road" and "Cheesecake Cemetery." These places are part of the Navy lands in the same area.

Part of Cheesecake Road used to connect with U.S. Route 60. This was near the edge of Grove. However, the building of Interstate 64 in the late 1960s split the road.