In June of 1606, King James I granted a charter to a group of London entrepreneurs, the Virginia Company, to establish a satellite English settlement in the Chesapeake region of North America. On May 14, 1607, the Virginia Company explorers landed on Jamestown Island. Unfortunately, the English were not prepared for Virginia and many died from disease and famine. Later on, John Rolfe came to Jamestown and Jamestown started to prosper with Rolfe’s introduction to tobacco growing in Virginia. Today, Historic Jamestown is jointly operated by the APVA and NPS which gives tourists and opportunity to revisit Jamestown as it was in the 1600’s.
Today, the area's rich history and natural beauty draw millions of visitors a year, supporting extensive and exciting hospitality and retail industries. They come for Jamestown , Yorktown, and Colonial Williamsburg, as well as Busch Gardens , Kingsmill Resort, the Michelob Light Open LPGA tournament, outlet and boutique shopping, colonial taverns, five-star restaurants, and more. James City County is rapidly becoming the residential community of choice for many people as well. With a full range of housing types from which to choose, a brimming community calendar, an excellent school system, low crime rate, and well-run local government, it has all the appeal of a small town, but offers many of the amenities and services of a major metropolitan area.
James City County is an industrial base to three fortune 500 companies: Anheuser Busch brewery, a Ball Metal aluminum can plant, and a 2 million square foot Walmart distribution center. Technology companies are becoming prominent too, like a company that has pioneered smart cards, and another that develops bioinformatics software for use in genetics research. James City County is committed to evolving as a world-class business location that will complement and support the area's established reputation as a world-class visitor destination and beautiful, well-managed community.
Size: 144.1 Sq Miles
Population (2004 est.) $55,944
Major Industries:
Anheuser Busch, Ball Metal Container, Owens-Brockway, Walmart Import Distribution Center
