My oldest is studying about Native Americans in her second-grade Social Studies class. Despite previously being a teacher and therefor now being deathly allergic to the phrase “teachable moment”, I took the girls back to a spot behind the farm called Indian Island.
Indian Island lies on the Blackwater River. According to the history books, Native Americans were forced to various spots along the river around 1646 after two years of fighting between the Virginia Colony and the Powatan Confederation.
It’s also a great place for little girls to show off stereotypes that they learn on television.
We sat by the swamp for a while (I recommend visiting Indian Island ONLY in the dead of winter. Any other time and the mayflies and mosquitoes will eat you up.), played around for a while and then looked for arrowheads (we found a few) and other artifacts.
The girls don’t give much thought to living in a place where history is so accessible but I happen to think it’s pretty darned cool.
What kind of history exists where you live? Do you ever explore your local history?
thecottonwife.wordpress.com 