Fantastic Nature, Wildlife & More In Beautiful Coastal Virginia

My wife and I traveled to Coastal Virginia over Valentine's Day Weekend.

We stayed in historic Williamsburg between Colonial Williamsburg and the College of William and Mary. Now, come along on the journey with me. I'll tell you what you can find between the York and James Rivers in Coastal Virginia.

Visiting Coastal Virginia

First, let me say that I would love to spend more time exploring this area. Here are my impressions.

To begin, the nature and wildlife are incredible. I'm sure it's even more exciting when it's warmer. Coastal Virginia is a bucolic and lush landscape even in the dead of winter. This is due to the amount of parks, woodlands, swamps, and other natural areas.

Coastal Virginia is truly is an amazing place. In addition, the people were as welcoming as the environment. We had a truly lovely time. But ...

Colonialism

Williamsburg is a natural wonderland. However, the focus on Colonialism is way too celebratory. Too, the harms caused by colonization don't seem to be acknowledgement. Now, I was only there briefly. So, they may recognize said harms at different times of the year. That said, February didn't appear to be one of them. At least, as far as I saw.

There were few to no Slave stories told in Colonial Williamsburg. The pillory was a photo op. Plus, the language choices in Jamestown were abhorrent. Truly, there isn't any other way to put it.

 Learn about online photography classes near Virginia Beach.

Impressions of Williamsburg

Williamsburg sits between the Richmond and Norfolk Metro Areas. You can drive to both Richmond and the coast in about an hour.

In fact, I did visit Virginia Beach. I took a moonlit stroll on the beach in the early morning hours. Of course, it was cold, empty, and windy. However, the ocean never disappoints.

Visiting Williamsburg VA

Williamsburg is a cool college town anchored by the College of William and Mary. In addition, it's the home of Colonial Williamsburg. The later of which is a tourist attraction. Here they capitalize on Williamsburg's historic place as an early Colonial capital of Virginia.

You can easily walk around Williamsburg. The burg is packed with shops and bustling with activity from the college. Additionally, they have an Amtrak station which offers twice daily trains to Washington DC.

Colonial Williamsburg

My wife and I walked around Colonial Williamsburg on Saturday. The Farmers Market looked amazing. Loads of vendors were selling goods even in the middle of February. That was a welcome change for us. In Pittsburgh most farmers markets close for winter. Sadly this was the biggest highlight of that walk.

Crime and Punishment

I was particularly struck by the pillory. It's used as a photo-opportunity. Kids stick their heads and arms into the holes. Then, their parents laugh and take photos.

Working class people were tortured with those devices. These were terrible tools of torture used to maintain the power of the elite in colonial Virginia. They're truly horrible.

The Brutality of Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Virginia was a brutal place to be a member of the working class. Additionally, more than 90% of people were working class. Despite this, their stories are not told in Colonial Williamsburg.

There are stories of people who climbed to positions of power from what is most often a middle class background. However, the focus on these obscures the reality of most working people living there.

Who Owns History

If they were serious about history they would rope the pillory off. Too, explaining it to people as the terrible thing it was would also help. That said, the foundation that runs Colonial Williamsburg is unlikely to share the people's history.

A Lack of Working Class History

The gap in working class and slave history is upsetting. That said, I understand that a foundation who manages the attraction. Presumably, some benefactors descended from the wealthy landowners who lived there. As a result, they don't want people to know how cruel their forbares are. This is especially true given that they likely still benefit from that cruelty.

So, I shouldn't be surprised. After all, their fortunes come from abusing the working classes and holding those of African descent in bondage. Too, they maintain those riches through continued exploitation of working people.

Impressions of Jamestown

We explored Jamestown while in coastal Virginia. Jamestown was the English's first permanent settlement. They established it inland to avoid conflict with other European powers.

The English created Jamestown in 1603. Interestingly, this is the same year England took control over Ireland. They instituted a similarly brutal occupation and colonization. For more on the Irish Occupation check out the podcast Empire.

It was a banner year for colonialism.

Language Matters

It's hard visiting Jamestown as an anti-colonialist . They use language at National Parks Service (NPS) managed site which disturbed me greatly.

For example, in the displays and film they say things such as, "conflict arose between the Virginia Indians and the English."

In addition, they say, "Africans arrived" and "laws evolved over time to take away rights from the enslaved Africans." This language is terrible.

In fact, the way they explain the conquest of Virginia turned my stomach. The language they're using at Jamestown is clearly deliberate.

No Room For Rebellion

A nonprofit manages a portion of Jamestown. They control the original settlement and a bit more land. Again, wealthy benefactors influence what is discussed. So, unlike the NPS site, I wasn't surprised that they don't tell the whole truth.

Bacon's Rebellion

For example, they don't mention the cause of Bacon's Rebellion. Too, they don't discuss how enslaved Africans and working class Europeans joined together in this rebellion.

They fought side by side against the Landed Gentry. They were all affected by the oppressive conditions and poor treatment. As a result, they fought it together. They united and directly fought back against the powerful who were harming them. The ruling class was horrified.

Sadly, it didn't last.

Ultimately, Bacon's Rebellion is a critical event in American history. Along with smaller rebellions helped cement the concept of race.

Brutality Wins Out

Of course, the landowners won. Their brutality can't be matched, nor can their ability to throw their wealth behind their efforts. In fact, their splitting the rebels along color-lines, which the ended the rebellion, created a system we're still fighting today.

The Birth of Race

As a result, they birthed Blackness and Whiteness. The ruling class learned the power of race. So, the ownership class began using this social construct to divide the working classes.

The Legacy of Colonial Virginia

What the wealthy learned about breaking the workers into smaller groups worked. Of course, it's never easy to maintain unity. As a result, their efforts along with their fortunes and influence is still used today to keep the working class broken into small factions.

Nature & Wildlife in Coastal Virginia

Costal Virginia is packed with nature and wildlife. In fact, the estuaries, preserves, and parks make it a nature photographer's dream. If you love nature and wildlife then make sure you visit the area.

I visited two amazing parks. If I were there for longer then I would have explored a lot more. However, the two I went to were both incredible.

York River State Park

First, I went to York River State Park. This massive park sits along the banks of the York River. Here you'll see eagles, osprey, kingfisher, so many waterfowl, and incredible coastal landscapes. Too, hiking in York River State Park was amazing.

Greensprings Interpretive Trail

The second area I visited was Greensprings Interpretive Trail. This park is close to Jamestown. In fact, you can walk from here to Jamestown via another trail. Of course, I stuck to the loop around the marsh. If I had more time I would have explored the entire area on foot.

I saw and photographed a huge variety of birds. Plus, I heard far more than I saw. If you want to see some of my photos visit my Youtube channel, TikTok, or Instagram.