Visit Yorktown Battlefield and take yourself back in time to where history was made.
Jamestown is where America was born. Williamsburg is where our nation’s ideas matured. Yorktown is where America became of age. Visit Yorktown Battlefield and take yourself back in time to where history was made. A tour of the battlefield begins at the National Park Service Visitor Center (Colonial National Historical Park), where the battle on land and at sea is presented through a series of multimedia exhibits. You can walk through a full-sized replica of the quarterdeck of a British warship, view the movement of troops through a special lighted map display and browse the beautiful collection of Revolutionary War artifacts, including the tents used by General George Washington to plan the siege. A 15-minute film, “The Siege at Yorktown,” discusses the importance of the battle. Then, explore exhibits that focus on the 1781 Siege of Yorktown, the Battle of the Capes and British General Cornwallis’ campaign tables used during the siege.
Experience the National Park and Historic Yorktown by taking a stroll with an NPS certified tour guide. Just a short walk from the battlefields, located on Main Street, you will find historic buildings original to before the Revolutionary War that house Little York Confectionery home of Yorktown & Co Steamer Wagon Tours and Mobjack Coffee Roasters. As the only authorized tour providers for the National Park, you can be confident the information is vetted for accuracy and provides pass access to the park. General tours and private tour options are available. A new and unique way to explore Historic Yorktown is riding high on board their open air, shiny red replica Stanley Steamer Wagon, which departs from Little York Confectionery located in the Somerwell House c1690 and runs through the National Park Battlefields and Historic Village. Tours run multiple times a day and tickets can be purchased online or in person. The Steamer Wagon is ADA accessible with a wheel chair lift.
Through careful examination of 18th-century military maps and archaeological excavations, the National Park Service has reconstructed a nearly complete picture of General Washington’s siege. Earth works and siege lines mark the positions of British and American troops during the battle. Tours of the battlefield are conducted from the Visitor Center by park rangers. Park brochures, maps and audio tours are also available for a self-guided driving tour of the battlefield and encampment areas, as well as a walking tour of the town of York. The National Park Service also maintains the restored 18th-century homes of Augustine Moore, where negotiations were conducted for the surrender of the British army, and Thomas Nelson Jr., one of Virginia’s signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Be sure to ask about these opportunities when you visit the National Park Service Visitor Center, or call 757-898-2410 for dates and hours.
