Flowerdew Hundred Plantation, Colonial plantation in Prince George County, United States
Flowerdew Hundred is a 1,000-acre plantation stretching along the James River, with agricultural land and more than 60 archaeological dig sites that span 11,000 years of human occupation. The excavations reveal layers of settlement from early hunter-gatherers through the colonial period and beyond.
Sir George Yeardley founded the plantation in 1619 and named it after his wife Temperance Flowerdew. He built the first windmill in British North America there, which began operating in 1621.
The site reveals how English settlers, African inhabitants, and Native Americans shaped daily life here over many centuries. Walking through the grounds, visitors can grasp how these communities coexisted and influenced each other.
Wear sturdy shoes when exploring the grounds, as paths cross agricultural fields and archaeological sites. The artifacts from excavations are housed at the University of Virginia Library if you want to see the finds up close.
During the Civil War in 1864, one of the longest floating bridges ever built was constructed at the James River to transport General Grant's troops across the waterway. This engineering feat was a remarkable achievement for military logistics of that era.
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