COLONIAL
Yorktown's Main Street
Historic Resource Study
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER

ABSTRACT

FOREWORD

PART ONE: YORKTOWN'S MAIN STREET
(FROM SECRETARY NELSON'S TO THE WINDMILL)

CHAPTER I. YORKTOWN STREETS AND WAYS

CHAPTER II. THE WINDMILL AND WINDMILL POINT

CHAPTER III. THE SECRETARY NELSON MANSION

CHAPTER IV. DEVELOPMENT ALONG MAIN STREET (LOT BY LOT)

Lot:

3 and 6

7

12

13

18

19

20

24:The Courthouse Lot


The First Courthouse: 1697-c. 1733

The Second Courthouse: 1733-1814

The Third Courthouse: 1818-1863

The Fourth Courthouse: 1876-1940

The Fifth (Present) Courthouse: Dedicated in 1955

Other Development on Lot 24

     A. Prisons

          The First Prison: 1698-1737

          The Second Prison: 1737-1863

          The Third Prison: 1889-c. 1955

     B. Clerk's Offices

          The First Clerk's Office: 1708-1808

          The Second Clerk's Office: 1808-1863

          The Third Clerk's Office

     C. Other "necessary instruments of justice"

25

30

31

36

37

42

43: The "Old Courthouse" Lot

46 and 47

48

52

56

60

64

68

72

77

79

81 and 82


PART TWO: MILITARY ENTRENCHMENTS
CLOSE IN AND AROUND THE TOWN OF YORK

CHAPTER I. THE BRITISH INNER LINE AS BUILT AND USED

Redoubts
Batteries
Water Batteries

CHAPTER II. THE FRENCH OCCUPY YORKTOWN AND ALTER THE BRITISH LINE

CHAPTER III. AMERICAN TROOPS FOLLOWED THE FRENCH INTO YORKTOWN FOR A TIME

CHAPTER IV. EFFORTS TO LEVEL THE WORKS AROUND YORKTOWN FAIL

CHAPTER V. THE OLD WORKS AT YORKTOWN BECOME LANDMARKS AND SLOWLY FADE

CHAPTER VI. THE CIVIL WAR WORKS OBSCURED OTHERS THAT REMAINED

APPENDIXES

A. Notes on Some Archeological Finds along Main Street
B. Chastellux on Secretary Nelson
C. The APVA Engineers the Acquisition and Marking of the Secretary Nelson Home Site
D. Lot 20
E. Yorktown: Size and Population
F. Some Archeology along the British-Confederate Line
G. Yorktown People Have Some Unpleasantness with the French

NOTES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ILLUSTRATIONS



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Illustration

1. Berthier billeting plan of Yorktown, 1781

2. Main Street east from Church Street prior to siege of 1781

3. Main Street west from Church Street prior to siege of 1781

4. Yorktown as viewed from river, 1755

5. James Peale painting, "Meeting of the Generals at Yorktown"

6A. 1850 land plat

6B. Old windmill tower at Yorktown prior to 1840

7. Secretary Thomas Nelson mansion

8. Early photograph of Main Street, 1870's

9. Main Street, 1880's

10. Main Street, c. 1900

11. Main Street, c. 1903

12. Main Street, c. 1905

13. Main Street,c. 1907

14. Burcher Spinning Wheel Antique Shop, 1931

15. Hills (British) siege plan

16. Fage (British) siege plan

17. Hayman (British) siege plan

18. Bauman (American) siege plan

19. Gouvion (American) siege plan

20. La Combe (French) siege plan

21. How the French shortened the British line — a siege plan

22. Plan of Confederate line around Yorktown

23. Yorktown area detail, 1931 U.S. Geological Survey

24. Section, 1931 battlefield topographical map, U.S. Geological Survey

25. Cross sections, two types of British works at Yorktown, French siege plan

26. Yorktown before siege of 1781

Plan. "Yorktown and Its Additions," (with street names and lot numbers)



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Last Updated: 22-Jan-2010