National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service: U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
 
 
Find a National Park Near You
Historic Jamestowne Bicycling along Historic Jamestowne's Loop Drive
view map
text size: largest larger normal
printer friendly
Historic Jamestowne
All that Glitters...
undefined
Iron pyrite, pictured above, is the classic "Fool's Gold". This, or perhaps some other shiny, brassy metal, was found by the English not far from Jamestown.
 

Spanish ships returned home laden with treasure; the English had no doubt there was gold to be found in Virginia. Neglecting more pressing survival needs, all the men did was “dig gold, wash gold, refine gold, load gold,” wrote the exasperated Captain John Smith. He was even more disgusted to report that the “gold” proved naught but “gilded dirt”.

 
Click here to return to the "Why Settle on Jamestown?" main page.

You are exiting the National Park Service website

Thank you for visiting our site.

You will now be redirected to:

We hope your visit was informative and enjoyable.
chickahominy pow-wow dancers

Did You Know?
No Virginia Indian tribes have federal recognition. The normal way – petitioning the Bureau of Indian Affairs – cannot be taken because of Walter Plecker’s "paper genocide" in the 1900s. Since the 1990s, six of the state-recognized tribes have been trying to get it through an Act of Congress.
more...
Disclaimer Accessibility Privacy Policy FOIA Notices USA.gov

Last Updated: March 09, 2010 at 16:31 MST