The WPA Guide to Virginia


Book Description

During the 1930s in the United States, the Works Progress Administration developed the Federal Writers’ Project to support writers and artists while making a national effort to document the country’s shared history and culture. The American Guide series consists of individual guides to each of the states. Little-known authors—many of whom would later become celebrated literary figures—were commissioned to write these important books. John Steinbeck, Saul Bellow, Zora Neale Hurston, and Ralph Ellison are among the more than 6,000 writers, editors, historians, and researchers who documented this celebration of local histories. Photographs, drawings, driving tours, detailed descriptions of towns, and rich cultural details exhibit each state’s unique flavor. The WPA Guide to Virgina documents the vital role the Old Dominion played in the history of the first 150 years of the United States and before. It is packed with historical information, particularly from the Colonial and Revolutionary years, and supplemented with photos of historic buildings and sites. Also worth note are the artistic photographs of the state’s ordinary people and its natural beauty, including the Shenandoah and Chesapeake Bay regions.




Norfolk, Virginia


Book Description

Showing in stunning detail the phenomenal evolution of one of America's most historic cities from its beginnings as a town to its current expanse, this "Every Square Inch of Norfolk" book presents an astonishing array of historic Norfolk-area maps spanning 200 years. Arranged side by side and scaled to identical sizes, the maps make it possible to pinpoint every major change in the city, almost decade by decade. The book utilizes the most important detailed maps ever drawn of the entire city, beginning with the little-known War of 1812 map, the first great map to cover all the areas that make up today's Norfolk. (And if you are reading other books in the Every Square Inch of Norfolk series, then this book is especially indispensible, as the maps in the book serve as the basemaps to which all the other books in the series refer.) Along with its extensive indexes and penetrating and meticulously researched textual background information, Evolution of A City In Maps is an ideal resource for the study of every facet of Norfolk history and geography, making it not only an invaluable reference but also a significant contribution to American geography.




The First Seventeen Years: Virginia 1607-1624


Book Description

In 'The First Seventeen Years: Virginia 1607-1624' by Charles E. Jr. Hatch, the author delves into a scholarly exploration of the early years of Virginia, from its establishment in 1607 to 1624. Hatch's meticulous research and attention to detail provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and triumphs faced by the settlers of Jamestown during this crucial period in American history. The book is written in a clear and engaging style, making it accessible to both academics and general readers interested in early American history. Hatch's analysis of primary sources offers valuable insights into the social, political, and economic dynamics of the Jamestown colony within the broader context of colonial America. Charles E. Jr. Hatch, an esteemed historian specializing in early American history, brings his expertise to 'The First Seventeen Years'. His background in colonial studies and extensive research experience inform his nuanced interpretation of the historical events and figures that shaped the Virginia colony. Hatch's passion for uncovering the lesser-known aspects of early American history shines through in this meticulously crafted narrative, providing readers with a fresh perspective on the colonial experience. I highly recommend 'The First Seventeen Years: Virginia 1607-1624' to anyone interested in delving deeper into the formative years of the Virginia colony. Hatch's in-depth analysis and scholarly approach make this book a valuable contribution to the field of early American history, offering readers a nuanced and engaging exploration of Jamestown's early days.










The History and Present State of Virginia


Book Description

While in London in 1705, Robert Beverley wrote and published The History and Present State of Virginia, one of the earliest printed English-language histories about North America by an author born there. Like his brother-in-law William Byrd II, Beverley was a scion of Virginia's planter elite, personally ambitious and at odds with royal governors in the colony. As a native-born American--most famously claiming "I am an Indian--he provided English readers with the first thoroughgoing account of the province's past, natural history, Indians, and current politics and society. In this new edition, Susan Scott Parrish situates Beverley and his History in the context of the metropolitan-provincial political and cultural issues of his day and explores the many contradictions embedded in his narrative. Parrish's introduction and the accompanying annotation, along with a fresh transcription of the 1705 publication and a more comprehensive comparison of emendations in the 1722 edition, will open Beverley's History to new, twenty-first-century readings by students of transatlantic history, colonialism, natural science, literature, and ethnohistory.







A Brave Vessel


Book Description

"At once a penetrating work of literary analysis and a riveting historical narrative." -Nathaniel Philbrick Merging maritime adventure and early colonial history, A Brave Vessel charts a little-known chapter of the past that offers a window on the inspiration for one of Shakespeare's greatest works. In 1609, aspiring writer William Strachey set sail for the New World aboard the Sea Venture, only to wreck on the shores of Bermuda. Strachey's meticulous account of the tragedy, the castaways' time in Bermuda, and their arrival in a devastated Jamestown, remains among the most vivid writings of the early colonial period. Though Strachey had literary aspirations, only in the hands of another William would his tale make history as The Tempest-a fascinating connection across time and literature that Hobson Woodward brings vividly to life.




First Seventeen Years


Book Description

A permanent settlement was the objective. Support, financial and popular, came from a cross section of English life. It seems obvious from accounts and papers of the period that it was generally thought that Virginia was being settled for the glory of God, for the honor of the King, for the welfare of England, and for the advancement of the Company and its individual members.