Wednesday Headlines: May 13, 2026

Here's a quick overview of our top stories for Wednesday, May 13, 2026:

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TOP HEADLINES:

Butte appoints former deputy coroner as interim coroner

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THAT’S INTERESTING:

Here's a list of historical facts and tidbits about the May 13, 1607, Jamestown landing:

The Journey and Arrival

• The Fleet: Three ships carried the colonists - the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery - departing England in December 1606
• The Timeline: The expedition took nearly 5 months, departing in December 1606 and arriving at the Virginia coast in late April 1607
• Leadership: Captain Christopher Newport commanded the sea voyage
• The Numbers: Originally 105 passengers departed England, but one died during the voyage, leaving 104 colonists to establish the settlement

The Site Selection Process

• Two Weeks of Exploration: After reaching the Virginia coast in late April, the colonists spent two weeks exploring before selecting their final location on May 13
• Strategic Location: They chose a site 50 miles up the James River for its deep water anchorage and good defensive position
• The Peninsula: The settlement was built on a narrow peninsula - virtually an island - in the James River, about 40 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean
• Distance from Coast: The site was approximately 60 miles from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay

The Naming and Founding

• Royal Honor: The settlement was named Jamestown after King James I of England
• The River: They named the waterway the James River in honor of the same king
• Official Establishment: While they arrived May 13, the settlement was officially established as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607
• First Permanent: This was the first permanent English settlement in North America, predating Plymouth by 13 years (1620)

Leadership and Governance

• First President: Captain Edward Maria Wingfield was elected president of the governing council on April 25, 1607
• Notable Leaders: The governing council included Christopher Newport and Captain John Smith, a former mercenary
• Company Backing: The settlement was financed by the Virginia Company of London, a joint-stock company

Early Challenges and Conditions

• Marshy Land: The colonists situated their camp on a marshy jut of land, which would later contribute to disease problems
• Initial Relations: The Powhatan Indians were initially friendly and traded with the English settlers
• The Fort: Work began immediately on building James Fort for defense
• Spanish Concerns: The Spanish feared and wanted to destroy the English colony, viewing it as a threat to their dominance in the New World

Historical Context

• European Competition: The colony gave England its first foothold in the European competition for the New World, which had been dominated by Spain since Columbus
• Previous Attempts: This followed the failed Roanoke Colony attempts (1584-1587), known as the "Lost Colony"
• Royal Charter: King James I had granted the Virginia Company a charter in June 1606 to establish settlements in the Chesapeake region

Long-term Significance

• Political Capital: Jamestown remained the capital of the Virginia colony until 1699, when the seat of government moved to Williamsburg
• First Assembly: In 1619, Jamestown hosted the first representative legislative assembly in British America
• Cultural Impact: The founding sparked a series of cultural encounters that helped shape both the nation and the world
• Archaeological Treasure: Modern archaeological work has uncovered nearly 2 million artifacts from the original settlement

Commemorative Traditions

• Regular Celebrations: Jamestown's founding has been regularly commemorated every 50 years since American independence
• The Grand National Jubilee: The bicentennial celebration on May 13-14, 1807, was called the "Grand National Jubilee"
• Modern Recognition: The site is now jointly operated as a National Historic Site by the National Park Service and Preservation Virginia
  

Parts of this story were adapted for this platform with AI assistance. Our editorial team verifies all reporting across all platforms for fairness and accuracy.