Historical Markers
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Hiking · County in Virginia

Scout History Badges and Hikes in James City County, VA

History hikes and site visits for scout troops working on heritage and citizenship requirements, with the stops worked out.

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A field trip that costs a bus and a morning has to be worth it. James City County is one of 134 counties in Virginia. The listed sites near your school are the cheapest primary sources you will ever use.

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Girl wearing blue backpack - scout history badges and hikes
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On the record near James City County, VA

The 12 nearest

122 listed historic sites on the record within 30 miles of James City County, VA. 3 listed sites carry James City County as their county.

  1. First Baptist Church2.9 miles from the center of James City County · Building · Williamsburg (Independent City) · listed 2017National Register of Historic Places
  2. Armistead House3.2 miles from the center of James City County · Building · Williamsburg · listed 2020National Register of Historic Places
  3. Whaley, Matthew, School3.2 miles from the center of James City County · Building · Williamsburg (Independent City) · listed 2004National Register of Historic Places
  4. Chandler Court and Pollard Park Historic District3.2 miles from the center of James City County · District · Williamsburg · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
  5. Oak Grove Baptist Church Historic District4.0 miles from the center of James City County · District · Williamsburg · listed 2023National Register of Historic Places
  6. Norge Train Depot5.7 miles from the center of James City County · Building · Williamsburg · listed 2009National Register of Historic Places
  7. Jamestown National Historic Site5.9 miles from the center of James City County · District · Jamestown · listed 1966National Register of Historic Places
  8. Hickory Neck Church7.3 miles from the center of James City County · Building · Toano · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
  9. Cappahosic House9.1 miles from the center of James City County · Building · Gloucester · listed 2003National Register of Historic Places
  10. Mica School9.5 miles from the center of James City County · Building · Charles City · listed 2025National Register of Historic Places
  11. Reed, Walter, Birthplace (Boundary Increase and Additional Documentation)11 miles from the center of James City County · Building · Gloucester · listed 2015National Register of Historic Places
  12. Reed, Walter, Birthplace11 miles from the center of James City County · Building · Belroi · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of James City County, VA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Scout History in James City County, step by step

  1. 1

    Check the trail and the access to each site before you go

  2. 2

    Pack water, a charged phone and the offline map

  3. 3

    Hike to the first site and read the record on the spot

  4. 4

    Respect closed ground and view private sites from the trail

  5. 5

    Log the sites reached and mark any the record has wrong

What people in James City County, VA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in James City County, VA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Is this suitable for students in James City County, VA?

Yes. Every stop is a published historic site with its record attached, so the content is factual and sourced. Teachers choose the stops, and the route can be kept to sidewalks and public ground.

Does this line up with state standards?

State history standards in most grades ask students to connect events to local places. The listed sites near your school are those local places, with the primary record already attached.

How a visit works in James City County

  1. Step 1

    Find the place

    Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In James City County, VA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Read the story

    The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.

  3. Step 3

    Get there under your own power

    Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in James City County, VA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.

  4. Step 4

    Collect it and come back

    Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.

The rules that make it work

The record comes first

Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.

Read the whole story

A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.

Movement makes it stick

People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.

Local beats famous

The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.

Respect the ground

Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.

Every visitor can improve it

Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.

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Scout History near James City County

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