Mark your calendars for a celebration that happens but once in a century. The Jamestown Quadricentennial: A Celebration of America’s Providential History is the Christian history event of the year. Come to Virginia’s beautiful Jamestown-Yorktown-Williamsburg colonial Historic Triangle for a joyous family vacation that exalts Christ, celebrates His providential hand in our history, and prepares our sons and daughters to defend the truth and lead our culture as the visionaries of the next one hundred years.

The Providential Meaning of Jamestown

Providence: God, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. (Westminster Confession)

At a time when many government officials have expressed outright opposition to celebrating the Christian influence of Jamestown, or viewing our country’s birthday as little more than the commemoration of an unjust “invasion,” we believe it is important to defend the truth and thank God for His many providences through our Jamestown forefathers.

And there is much for which we can be thankful.

Jamestown was not only the first permanent English settlement in the New World, it was the spot where Protestant Christian worship was brought to the new land. At Jamestown, we experienced our first Gospel conversion and Christian baptism. In fact, Jamestown is the site of the first “interracial” marriage in our history — the marriage of Englishman John Rolfe with the converted princess Pocahontas.

The Jamestown colony was birthed by Christian visionaries like Richard Hakluyt who desired to see the New World become a place for religious freedom and evangelism. Their dream ultimately became a reality. At Jamestown, Americans got their introduction to Christian common law and republican representative government. In fact, as Dr. Paul Jehle will address in his presentations, without Captain John Smith and Jamestown, there would be no Pilgrims and Plymouth. Though the legacy of Jamestown includes the mistakes of imperfect men, these imperfections only drive us to deeper appreciation for the mercy of the Lord and for His providence in the lives of these persevering forefathers. Learn more about Jamestown’s history.

A Week of Signature Events

When you attend Vision Forum Ministries’ Jamestown Quadricentennial Celebration, you will be able to soar into the sky for a panoramic view of Jamestown in a tethered hot-air balloon. You will be able to catch dramatic presentations that tell the stories of God’s providence, or walk the ancient paths of our forefathers with some of the great Christian history teachers of our day.

You will have opportunities to attend symposia with instructors who will bring you the truth about our providential history and address some of the hottest controversies of early American historical interpretation. You may listen to ballads of bravery and music of the colonial era, or take a providential history boat-tour down the James River. There will be opportunities to learn the proper techniques for handling colonial weaponry, and you will be able to march to the fife and drum.

The Jamestown 400: Our National Treasure Hunt

It is certainly not too late to join the thousands who have participated in the Jamestown 400: Our National Treasure Hunt and to take a crack at unlocking a mystery that leads to real buried treasure. This fascinating mystery involves clues, ciphers, and, most importantly, a unique opportunity to be exposed to some of the more fascinating issues surrounding the providential history of America. In the month of May, the one hundred most successful providential history hunters will win an opportunity to search for the real buried treasure — 400 gold coins — located somewhere in the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg. Sponsored by Vision Forum, Inc., the Jamestown 400 will culminate during the week of June 11-16, 2007, as part of the Jamestown Quadricentennial Celebration. You won’t want to miss this unforgettable event.

Grand Celebration Finale

Celebrate our birthday in the grand style with six days of orations, games, reenactments, competitions, fireworks, and much more. Join us June 11-16, 2007 in Virginia’s Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg. Exciting events will be held throughout the week, with the grand finale culminating at Fort Pocahontas on Friday the 15th and Saturday the 16th. Read more about it here.

Discover the Generational Legacy of Our Grand Marshal

If you were standing on the hallowed grounds of the James River for the 1807 Jamestown Jubilee, you might have met revolutionary war hero John Tyler and his seventeen-year-old son, John Jr., who was then a student at the College of William and Mary. Fifty years later, John was no longer known as Jr., but as the former President of the United States of America and the keynote speaker for the 250th Jubilee of Jamestown. President John Tyler would remind those in attendance that they must honor their fathers, give thanks to almighty God, and never forget the many kindnesses which He had bestowed upon our land.

Nearly a half century later, the President’s son, Lyon Gardiner Tyler, would be the first to officially propose a Tercentenary celebration. He became the primary historian of the event. Now, for America’s four hundredth birthday, Harrison Tyler — the grandson of the tenth President of the United States and a direct descendant of Pocahontas and John Rolfe — will continue the multi-generational legacy of the Tyler family when he serves as Grand Marshal to the Jamestown Quadricentennial: A Celebration of America’s Providential History. Read more about it here.

Featured Speakers

In the tradition of past American jubilees and centennial celebrations, the Jamestown Quadricentennial: A Celebration of America’s Providential History will feature some of the great orators, preachers, and teachers of our day. Those joining us for the celebration will be able to hear inspiring, vision-casting messages for the children of this generation and the next. They will also be able to listen to messages that equip them to better defend our providential Christian history against revisionist historiography and political correctness.

Our Mission

Sponsored by the Faith of our Fathers Project, our vision for the Jamestown Quadricentennial is fourfold:

First, we aspire to leave a witness for future generations that a) on her grand birthday celebration, America did not forget the providential hand of God in the life of this nation; and b) we were a thankful people who were willing to honor the faith and perseverance of our forefathers.

Second, we endeavor to create a joyful and exciting event for the entire family that gives them an unforgettable experience that a) cultivates gratitude in the hearts of children by teaching them the tremendous scope of God’s work in American history; and b) prepares them to intelligently and carefully defend our rich providential legacy.

Third, we hope to leave a record of poetry, literature, and scholarship that will instruct and inspire generations who follow after us.

Lastly, we purpose to raise rocks of remembrance and Ebenezers of hope that will cast vision for children of today to take the best of their forefathers, to learn from their mistakes, and (in the spirit of Psalm 78) to chart a Christ-honoring vision of victory for the future.

The Jamestown Children’s Memorial

Past generations have recognized the importance of using the occasion of historic anniversaries to raise up rocks of remembrance to the glory of God and His many providential blessings through the lives of our forefathers. One example — the great 103-foot-tall Jamestown Tercentenary Monument — was erected by the United States in 1907. It bears the following inscription:

Lastly and chiefly the way to prosper and achieve good success is to make yourselves all of one mind for the good of your country and your own, and to serve and fear God the giver of all goodness, for every plantation which our heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted out. Advice of London Council for Virginia to the Colony 1606

Vision Forum Ministries and the Faith of Our Fathers Project are calling upon the grateful children of America to take advantage of an important moment in time. This is our opportunity to offer praise to the Lord for the mighty deeds He has done in the days of our forefathers. We intend to place a monument of honor on the occasion of America’s four hundredth birthday as the event will be celebrated by thousands of families who we trust will be participating in the Jamestown Quadricentennial: A Celebration of America’s Providential History.

Paid for by the one-dollar donations of the children of this generation, the Jamestown Children’s Memorial will be a reminder to future generations that we honored our fathers by raising rocks of remembrance on the anniversary of our nation’s birth. It will stand as a testimony to our children’s children, letting them know that we were a thankful people. To read the text on the proposed monument and learn more about this historic effort, click here.

Early-bird Registration Open Now

Early-bird registration is now open and priced to make this event affordable for the entire family. We are pleased to offer a range of ticket options to best suit your needs. Register now with our early-bird offer for significant savings. Please note that some of the events have a limited capacity, therefore, we encourage you to make your reservations soon.

Visit the official site for more information and to sign up.

Evening on the James

Before the sun begins to set, our yacht will transport us into the past as we experience four hundred years of history. As our captain sails us down the James, our historians will direct you to the sites of some of the most remarkable providential events in our nation’s history. You will view the Jamestown Settlement from a unique vantage point, not dissimilar to the viewpoint of Captain John Smith, Sir Christopher Newport, and the other forefather explorers. You will see the magnificent plantation homes of the seventeenth century which adorn the James River and establish it as one of the best-preserved and most historic river locations in our nation.

Join us for an unforgettable quadricentennial VIP dinner and history cruise down the James River on the Spirit of Norfolk, a state-of-the-art yacht featuring three decks, huge panoramic windows, outdoor strolling decks at bow and stern, and an upper observation deck perfect for viewing the shoreline and catching the sunset. This event is in addition to our other festivities of the week. Vision Forum Ministries and the Faith of Our Fathers Project are offering this “Evening on the James” for those individuals, businesses, and organizations who wish to support the Quadricentennial Celebration efforts and the ongoing mission to defend, preserve, and promote our rich providential legacy of liberty. Learn more about it here.

Visit Our New Quad Blog

In the next few weeks, Vision Forum will offer practical suggestions for how moms and dads can take advantage of America’s 400th birthday to teach history to their children. In addition to the rich diversity of helpful reading and audio/visual material available, we recommend that you consider joining the Jamestown 400: Our National Treasure Hunt and using it as a teaching tool for learning more about our nation’s providential history. You might also enjoy keeping up with our Jamestown Quad Blog — a blog celebrating the providences of God associated with America’s 400th birthday. Visit the blog to learn about the role of great Americans in honoring Jamestown’s Christian legacy of law, life, and liberty.

Come to Jamestown

Here amid the graves of our ancestors, we renew our pledges to those principles of self-government, which have been consecrated by their examples through two-hundred and fifty years; and implore that great Being who so often and signally preserved them through trials and difficulties, to continue to our country His protecting guardianship and care (President John Tyler, 1857 Jamestown Jubilee Speech)

Come to Jamestown. Gather your children and show them the legacy of the Lord so that “the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments” (Psalm 78:6-7).

Come to Jamestown. Help us leave a testimony of honor for the generations who follow us. Stand with other Christian families from across the nation as we raise rocks of remembrance and Ebenezers of gratitude on this historic occasion. Join us for a unique moment in American history, in which we not only recall the mighty deeds of God in the past, but we charge our sons and daughters to advance as men and women of vision in the twenty-first century.

This year, mark your calendars for a family vacation and celebration filled with joy, purpose, and adventure. Join us for the Jamestown Quadricentennial: A Celebration of America’s Providential Heritage.

Visit the official site for more information and to sign up.