Presentation on Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail
March 31, 2010 at 5:00 pm
On Wednesday, March 31 at 5:00pm at historic Menokin near Warsaw, Virginia, Joel Dunn of The Conservation Fund will present a lecture on the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail. Dunn will refresh our memory of John Smith’s monumental 1607-1609 voyages of exploration in the Chesapeake Bay region and speak about the 400th Commemoration and Reenactment of Smith’s trip.
Additionally, Dunn will explain the path followed to pass legislation that established the Historic Trail. He will also discuss the Chesapeake Treasured Landscapes Initiative being developed in response to the President’s Executive Order to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. The Treasured Landscape Initiative promotes public and private efforts to preserve the most ecologically and culturally unique lands from development pressure.
Menokin, a National Historic Landmark, was the home of patriot Francis Lightfoot Lee, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and his wife Rebecca Tayloe Lee. The Menokin Foundation currently owns and manages the property, and acquired the house and 500 surrounding acres by gift in 1995. The property is located at 4037 Menokin Rd., four miles north of Warsaw. It is open for tours Monday-Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, on weekends by appointment. Starting in May, the property will be open during the weekday hours and on Saturdays 10 am to 2 pm. Sundays remain by appointment. This lecture is free and part of Menokin’s 2010 Speaker Series. Contact Pam Narney, Menokin Education Coordinator at menokin@menokin.org or 804/333-1776.
Long before the development of a colonial-era plantation at Menokin, this area along Cat Point Creek was home to the Rappahannock Indian Tribe. In 1608, Capt. John Smith recorded 14 Rappahannock towns on the north side of the Rappahannock River and its tributaries. The general plantation site was referred to as "Menokin" by the Rappahannock, which likely translates to "He gives it to me" in the tribe's Algonquian-based language. Francis Lightfoot Lee kept the name for his home. For more information on the Rappahannock Tribe, visit www.rappahannocktribe.org.