Colonial National Historical Park

A United States National Park Service unit in southeastern Virginia that preserves key sites of early English colonization and the American Revolution, notably Jamestown (1607) and Yorktown (1781).

The park encompasses archaeological remains, battlefield landscapes and visitor facilities that interpret colonial-era settlement and the Revolutionary War. Interpretive exhibits, museum displays and trails explain the archaeological finds at Jamestown and the military history at Yorktown.

In addition to on-site interpretation, many visitors use the park’s roughly 23-mile Colonial Parkway to travel between the main sites and experience scenic river and woodland views. Guided programs, ranger talks and museum spaces at the park’s units provide further context for the 17th- and 18th-century events the park preserves.

The park preserves the location of the English colony established at Jamestown in 1607 and the Yorktown battlefield where allied American and French forces secured British surrender in 1781. Federal preservation efforts in the 20th century brought the separate sites under National Park Service management to protect and interpret these nationally significant places.

Located on Virginia’s Historic Peninsula, the park spans sites along the James and York rivers near the city of Williamsburg and the town of Yorktown.

• Colonial Parkway: Offers a roughly 23-mile scenic drive that connects the park's main historic sites and provides river and woodland views.
• Important dates: Jamestown dates to 1607 and Yorktown is associated with the decisive 1781 siege in the American Revolutionary War.

What to See #

• Historic Jamestowne: Archaeological and preserved remains of the early English settlement established in 1607, with ongoing excavations and interpretive displays.
• Yorktown Battlefield: Site of the 1781 Siege of Yorktown where British forces surrendered; includes battlefield landscapes and interpretive trails.
• Colonial Parkway: A scenic, limited-access roadway of about 23 miles that links Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown, designed for sightseeing rather than fast travel.