Hampton's Second Annual 'First Light'
Event to be Held at Hampton History Museum

On December 7th, 2009, the Hampton History Museum will again commemorate history's first recorded English Christmas in America. Join us at 5:30PM for Olde English caroling, children's activities, ginger cakes, plum pudding, wassail, corn cakes, and more! At 6:00PM, the event kicks off with a reenactment of the story of Capt. John Smith and the Kecoughtan natives with commemorative artwork and ornaments available by nationally noted artist Gail Duke. The event will conclude with a new and larger blue star lighting atop the Hampton History Museum. Not only will it illuminate our city, it will shed light on some of Hampton's and America's little-known history. This event is free and open to the public.

At 7:00PM, we invite you to join us inside the museum for the Old Port Lecture Series featuring a surprise encounter of re-enactors representing Colonial Americans. This event is free to museum members and $3.00 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

New this year, a lecture series regarding this first English Christmas will be presented on-the-road to area museums and partners as "FIRST LIGHT: The Story Behind The Celebration."

Dates include:

• November 7th - 11:00AM and 2:00PM ~ McDonald Garden Center, Hampton
• December 5th - 11:00AM ~ Gloucester County Museum and also 2:00PM ~ York County Historical Museum
• December 11th - 7:00PM ~ Isle of Wight County Museum
• December 16th - 12:00 noon ~ Hampton History Museum
• December 17th - 7:00PM ~ Poquoson Museum at the Community Center
• December 27th - 2:00PM ~ Mariner's Museum in Newport News
• Other sites to be announced

The 'Kecoughtan Christmas' is the first recorded English Christmas in North America. In December of 1608, Captain John Smith recorded the events leading up to, during, and following their Christmas with the Native Americans. It was a hard second winter for the English settlers, and Smith sought trade with Chief Powhatan so that his people could survive. It was negotiated through messengers that if Chief Powhatan gave the settlers a boatload of corn, they would in turn build Chief Powhatan an English-style house, along with a grindstone, as well as numerous weapons, copper, and beads. While Smith knew he could not give the natives weapons, he sent word to the Chief agreeing on the trade constituents.

With forty-six men at his command, Smith began sailing down the James River, and made formidable progress on the first day. However, when they woke the next morning, a snowy nor'easter was brewing, and their progress was severely cut, forcing them to seek shelter at Kecoughtan Village. Chief Pochins and his people welcomed them with great hospitality as the settlers 'kept Christmas' during the English days of Twelfth Night. For a week, until the storm passed, there was merriment, delicious food, and comfortable lodging. His journey led him to today's Yorktown, Gloucester, and beyond. During this time, Smith actually described their Christmas in his journal, thus leading to evidence for celebrating the 401st anniversary of the event this year.

Hampton, Virginia, the oldest continuous English speaking settlement in North America, celebrates four centuries of history. Hampton invites you to Explore Old Worlds, New Worlds, Our World. In 2010, Hampton will celebrate its 400th Anniversary with a myriad of events, commemorations, and legacy projects.

The Hampton History Museum is located at 120 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton, Virginia across from the downtown parking garage off of Settler's Landing on History Museum Way. For more information call 727-1610.

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Media Contact: Winette Jeffery, Education/Public Relations, 757.727.6838, wjeffery@hampton.gov