Werowocomoco

The site of Werowocomoco is located nearby at Purtan Bay. This Algonquian Indian settlement was the center of power of the Powhatan paramount chiefdom when the English established James Fort in 1607. Captain John Smith was brought to Werowocomoco as a captive in December 1607 where he met the Powhatan leader Wahunsonacock and his daughter Pocahontas. Archaeologists working closely with present-day members of Virginia Indian tribes investigated the site from 2002 to 2010. They documented that Werowocomoco was an extensive settlement, including trenches defining an area of restricted access or sacred space, from the 13th century through the early 17th century.