Smith's Fort Plantation

Smith's Fort Plantation is a colonial property in the Tidewater region with a mid-18th-century brick dwelling showing Georgian architectural style. The grounds sit on a high bluff above Gray's Creek and are maintained today by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, which displays English and American antiques for visitors.

Captain John Smith founded this fortification in 1609 as one of the earliest English structures in Virginia. The site later developed into a plantation and played a key role in the early relations between English settlers and the Powhatan Nation.

The land connects to the Powhatan people through Pocahontas, who received property here from her father before passing it to her son. Visitors can sense how English settlers and Native Americans shaped the early history of this region.

The site is easy to reach from the main road, with clear signs directing visitors to parking and entrances. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended since the views of Gray's Creek come from the elevated bluff, and paths wind across the grounds.

The original fort was a simple triangular earthwork, a raw defensive system from the earliest colonial period. This ancient wall remains visible beneath the modern museum structures, showing how basic the first English fortifications were.