YorktownOutdoor Escape Game & Treasure Hunt

From Tobacco Port to Revolutionary War Battlefield

Yorktown was established in 1691 by the Virginia Port Act, an effort by the colonial government to encourage urban development. Fifty acres of land along the York River were purchased for 10,000 pounds of tobacco, a valuable form of currency in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its location on the York River, where the river narrows to about half a mile, made it a port for exporting tobacco to England. By the early 1700s, Yorktown had become a Virginia port and economic center, with a waterfront of wharves, docks, storehouses, and businesses. Main Street was lined with homes, taverns, and shops. At its peak around 1750, Yorktown had between 250 and 300 buildings and a population of almost 2,000 people, comparable in size to colonial Williamsburg.

The Decisive Siege of 1781 and its Aftermath

Yorktown's prominence shifted in 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. British General Lord Charles Cornwallis brought his army to Yorktown to establish a naval base. General George Washington, with support from French forces led by Lieutenant General Comte de Rochambeau and a French fleet commanded by Admiral Comte de Grasse, trapped Cornwallis's army. The combined American and French forces marched hundreds of miles to Yorktown, initiating a three-week siege. On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered his British Army, marking the decisive engagement and effectively ending the American Revolution. The siege left much of the town destroyed, with fewer than 70 buildings remaining by the war's end. Yorktown never fully regained its economic prominence, suffering further damage from a fire in 1814 and during the Civil War Siege of 1862.

• —Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center — This center provides an overview of the 1781 Siege of Yorktown. It offers a 15-minute orientation film, museum exhibits with artifacts such as General Washington's tents, and information for self-guided or ranger-led tours of the battlefield.
• —Yorktown Victory Monument — This memorial column, topped with a statue of Liberty, commemorates the 1781 battle and the peace treaties that followed. Its base features four emblems representing nationality, war, alliance, and peace.
• —Historic Main Street — Walk along this street to see buildings that have stood for centuries. Many structures here reflect the town's colonial past.
• —Yorktown Custom House — Built in 1721 by Richard Ambler, a merchant and customs collector, this two-and-a-half-story brick building is one of Virginia's surviving colonial storehouses. It served as a place to store goods until taxes were paid and was used as barracks by British troops during the Revolutionary War.
• —Nelson House — This Georgian-style home, built around 1730, belonged to Thomas Nelson Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence and commander of the Virginia Militia during the Siege of Yorktown. Evidence of damage from the 1781 siege is visible on its facade.
• —Moore House — This early 18th-century house was the site where representatives of General Washington and Lord Cornwallis negotiated the Articles of Capitulation on October 18, 1781, ending the major land battles of the American Revolution. The house was chosen for its neutral and undamaged location, outside the line of siege fire.
• —Yorktown Waterfront (Riverwalk Landing) — This area offers views of the York River. It serves as a location for local events and provides access to Yorktown Beach.

The period from August through November offers pleasant weather for exploring outdoor historical sites and the York River. The fall season includes themed events like the Victory Market in October and the Harvest Festival in November, part of Yorktown Market Days. For fewer crowds, the months from December through March provide a cooler experience. Avoid visiting in the peak of summer if you prefer milder temperatures and fewer people.

Yorktown is part of Virginia's "Historic Triangle" with Jamestown and Williamsburg. From Richmond, take I-64 East to exit 242B (Marquis Center Parkway), then Route 199 East to the Colonial Parkway, which leads to Historic Yorktown. From the Virginia Beach/Norfolk/Hampton area, take I-64 West to exit 250B (Fort Eustis Boulevard East), then Route 17 North.

Free public parking is available at York Hall, the York-Poquoson Courthouse, the County Administration Building, and the Riverwalk Landing Parking Terrace. The Riverwalk Landing Parking Terrace has a three-hour limit on its lower level, but unlimited parking on the upper deck. A complimentary, ADA-accessible Yorktown Trolley operates with stops throughout Historic Yorktown, including the Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center and Yorktown Beach. The trolley runs daily from mid-March through late November, with varying hours, and on weekends in December.