York County recently launched a website dedicated to the 18th-century French ship replica — the Hermione — that left France on April 18 and is scheduled to arrive in Yorktown on June 5. The region has also organized many pre-arrival events to raise awareness about the vessel’s history.
The site http://www.HermioneYorktown.com offers information about the ship’s history and the Marquis de Lafayette — the French military officer who sailed on the vessel to fight in the American Revolutionary War and Yorktown.
“The county has been working for several months on the events associated with this visit,” said Brian Fuller, manager of the county’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism department. “With plans well underway, the website now will become an important information tool for those interested in visiting Yorktown the weekend of June 5, 6 and 7.”
Yorktown is planning a full three-day event that will include deck tours, a Heritage Village traveling exhibit, entertainment and vendors.
Throughout the month of May the Yorktown Library is holding a “Liberty in Full Sail” exhibit focused on the Hermione and other 18th century ships. Christopher Newport University’s library will offer a Poitou Charentes exhibit from April through June and the Yorktown Victory Center will hold a Hermione gala event from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on May 20, among other activities.
The Jamestown Settlement-Yorktown Foundation’s ship called the Godspeed will also visit Yorktown that weekend, the press release said. The Godspeed, a replica of one of the three ships that brought America’s first English colonists to Virginia in 1607, will also hold deck tours, the release said.
For more information visit the website, Facebook http://www.facebook.com/yorkcountyva, Twitter @yorkcountyvagov or call the public information office at 757-890-3300.
Cook Road wetlands nearly completed
The development of wetlands at the intersection of Cook Road and Old York-Hampton Highway will be completed in two to three weeks, according to a county press release.
Crews will install pipes to drain stormwater to these new wetlands, which will cause temporary road closures. From May 4 through May 6 Old York-Hampton Highway will be closed to through traffic between Cook Road and Falcon Road, the press release said.
Around May 8 Cook Road will be closed to through traffic between Old York-Hampton Highway and Falcon Road. This closure should last for about two weeks.
Signs will be up to alert motorists of the detours available to them. Weather conditions could affect timing, the press release said. For more information, call the stormwater division at 890-3774.
Middle School kids raise money to feed the needy
Yorktown Middle School students held a “read for pledges” event in to honor National Read Across America Day, which was March 2. The students raised $3,692 for an organization called Stop Hunger Now that feeds undernourished people around the world, according to a York County School Division press release. To reward the students the organization will bring its mobile-packing operation to the school.
The packing operation will give selected students the chance to package 10,000 meals in two to three hours, the press release said. Students will set up and take apart packaging equipment, fill bins with ingredients, weigh and seal bags and load the food onto a truck, among other activities, the press release said.
For more York County and Poquoson news, go to dailypress.com/news/york-county.
