Title: A pictorial history of rural James City County Author: Jim Izzo Publisher: Toano-Norge Times Date: 4/27/09 Get out. Explore James City County’s ancient landscape. One will find, even in these modern times, traces of the past,” writes Sara E. Lewis at the end of her new book, a pictorial history of rural James City. For those relatively new to this area, Lewis’ book is a good place to start your exploration. I’ve had it in mind for awhile, having lived here for 30 years, but it was a difficult decision to do a book about James City County, because there are so many professional historians here,” Lewis explained during a recent phone interview. Her first pictorial history was about Gloucester County, where she grew up; her second book focused on Mathews County, where her parents grew up and which still has mostly longtime residents. James City and Gloucester counties have many residents relatively new to the area.

With hundreds of photographs of the people and places that illuminate rural James City, preceding its growth as a predominantly exurban area,” Lewis’ book is a chronological summary of this historic area of Virginia, from the founding of the Jamestown settlement in 1607 to the middle of the 20th century. Oral legends, written memoirs, newspapers, and scholarly research were used to write the text. The photographs, contributed by many individuals whose families have lived in the area for generations, capture images of the county beginning about 125 years ago, which commemorate the rural way of life.” The book is available everywhere, including Barnes and Noble, Amazon and Colonial Williamsburg. The author’s website is www.saraelewis.com A brief glimpse at each chapter should whet your appetite to purchase the book, part of the Images of America series by Arcadia Publishing, the leading local history publisher in the United States,” according to its website. Chapter one begins in 1607 with Jamestown, first settlement” of the Virginia Company of adventurers, and covers approximately three decades.

In 1634 the royal colony was divided into eight shires, or counties, including James City. The origin of the name Stonehouse is explained. Chapter two focuses on the colonial part of the county, including Kingsmill Plantation, built in the mid-1730s, Governor Berkeley’s land, and Powhatan Plantation. Chapter three deals with the First American Century,” from the end of the Revolutionary War to the end of the 19th century. Photographs of Hickory Neck Church and Chickahominy Baptist Church, White Hall and Carter’s Grove are included, as are several maps from as far back as the Civil War. Chapter four focuses on the turn of the century, when Norwegian immigrants from the Midwest built the community of Norge in James City County. Chapter five is devoted to Toano, which had become the county’s primary commercial center” by the early 20th century. Photos of the Wilkinson and Geddy Store, perhaps the busiest one in town,” and Toano School students are featured.

The photographs in chapter six help color in the story of the rural James City County way of life.” Chapter seven covers the period of the two World Wars and Chapter Eight captures more than one moment at mid-century.” Photographs of the county’s prominent families, donated by members still living here, are featured throughout the book. Lewis acknowledges all of her sources on page 6; she mentioned Doris Wildenberger, Fred Boelt, and Donna Garrett during our conversation. My first love has always been history. It’s always been an avocation, if not a vocation,” Lewis said. She double-majored in history and art at The College of William and Mary and art history at Virginia Commonwealth University, before accepting a position as Curator of Collections with the Mississippi Department of Archives and Hist.