Yorktown, Virginia: A Brief History

by Wilford Kale

Overview

Yorktown's history is often overshadowed by its pivotal role in the Revolutionary War. The site of the British surrender has held several victory commemorations over the past two hundred years. Yorktown also was a thriving colonial port and the site of one of the biggest Union blunders in the Civil War. During Reconstruction, former slaves created a vibrant community called Slabtown on the edge of the hamlet. In the 1930s, the National Park Service began preserving the battlefield; what was for decades a sleepy village is now dominated by tourism, and nearby modern military installations have helped to give it new life. Join author Wilford Kale as he reveals the many facets of Yorktown.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467139571
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	10/22/2018
Series:	Brief History
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	1,073,757
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Historian Wilford Kale is a retired newspaperman who has been involved with researching and writing history for much of his adult life. An alumnus of the College of William and Mary, he received his bachelor's degree in history from Park College (now Park University) and his master of philosophy degree in history from the University of Leicester, England. His most recent books include From Student to Warrior: A Military History of the College of William and Mary and A Very Virginia Christmas: Stories & Traditions.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 9

Introduction 11

1 Colonial Port of York 13

2 Grace Church Survived Fire and Wars 22

3 William Rogers: "The Poor Potter" 29

4 Custom House Dates to 1720s 35

5 Battle of Yorktown: "The World Turned Upside Down" 42

6 Thomas Nelson Jr. and His House 50

7 Surrender Terms Decided at the Moore House 58

8 Cornwallis's Sunken Ships Found 64

9 What Is the Cornwallis Cave? 71

10 Lafayette Returns in 1824 77

11 Union and Confederates in 1862 Siege 82

12 Balloons Over Yorktown 91

13 Slabtown: An African American Community 98

14 Shiloh Baptist Church Founded in 1863 105

15 Grand 1881 Centennial Celebration 111

16 Colonial National Historical Park 118

17 1931 Sesquicentennial Festivities 126

18 Ferryboats and the Bridge 133

19 Nick and Mary Mathews: Nick's Seafood Pavilion 142

20 Bicentennial Celebration of 1981 149

21 Museums Cover Town's History 155

Selected Bibliography 163

Index 167

About the Author 175