First settled by the English colonists in 1607 at Jamestown, the County was formally created in 1634 as James City Shire by order of King Charles I. James City County is considered one of only five original shires of the Virginia Colony to still be extant today in essentially the same political form.
On high ground midway across the Virginia Peninsula, Middle Plantation was established in 1632 as a fortress in the ongoing conflicts with Native Americans. It became the site of the College of William and Mary in 1693 and became the location of the capital in 1699 after Jamestown was burned (again) in 1698. Shortly thereafter, Middle Plantation was renamed Williamsburg in honor of King William III of England. The capital was moved to Richmond in 1780 at the outset of the American Revolution.
Williamsburg is the county seat. Other towns include Jamestown, Norge, and Toano.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 730 km² (282 mi²). 688 km² (266 mi²) of it is land and 42 km² (16 mi²) of it (5.76%) is water.
James City County/Williamsburg Circuit Court
5201 Monticello Avenue
Suite Six
Williamsburg, VA 23188-8218
Phone: (757) 564-2242
FAX: (757) 564-2329
James City County Historical Commission
101-A Mounts Bay Road
P.O. Box 8784
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8784
Telephone: 757-253-6685 (James City County Planning Commission)
General
James City County Government
Williamsburg/James City County Courthouse
Census Bureau Profile
James City County Wikipedia
E-Podunk
NACo
Genealogical
James City County Rootsweb
James City County GenWeb Archives
James City County VA GenWeb
James City County Vital Records
Historical
James City County National Register of Historic Places
American Memory - Built in America - James City County images from the Library of Congress
James City County Storms (1950-2006)
Free Online Research Sources
1790-1800 James City County Tax Lists
James City County Census Online
James City County Confederate Units
WW II Casualties Army and Air Force
Cemeteries
USGS GNIS James City County Cemeteries
James City County Political Graveyard
James City County Find a Grave
Newspapers
Online Maps, Geology
1895 James City County Map
James City County Place Names
James City County Physical and Cultural Features
