JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. — On Monday, a church tower dating back to the 1600s got a structure in place for a roof; the building hasn’t had one since the American Revolution.
Historians believe the roof collapsed sometime around the Revolution, but they say it's unclear how exactly it happened.
“It is the only above ground 17th century structure on Jamestown Island, and a clue that Jamestown was the capital of the New World for the 17th century,” said Director of Collections Michael Lavin.
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In 1619, the first representative governmental body in English North America was inside of a timber frame church, and the foundations for that church are underneath the tower, according to Director of Archaeology David Givens.
Givens said while they've been excavating for the project, the next phase of which will include a glass floor, they've had several interesting finds.
“The amazing things that are coming out of there like window leads, what’s so cool about that is that some of them are dated," said Givens. "You can actually tell maybe it was there before or after the tower, and it gives us a better understanding of the structure we are studying.”
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Jamestown — the birth place of America — is a site to be treasured and preserved.
“It’s a very special and very sacred spot for not only our state and our region, but our nation,” said Givens.
In the next month a glass ceiling will be installed on top of the steel beam structure installed Monday, completing this part of the tower's restoration.
