Jamestown Festival Park, Virginia 1960

This authentic 1960s color photograph, captured in 1960, documents a living history demonstration at Jamestown Festival Park (now known as Jamestown Settlement) in Virginia. The archival image features a group of historical interpreters portraying 17th-century English soldiers. The lead figure is a drummer wearing a breastplate and a morion helmet adorned with a large red ostrich plume, while behind him, a color guard carries pikes and the white flag with the red Cross of St. George. The soldiers are dressed in period-accurate doublets, breeches, and red stockings, standing on a concrete plaza near the park’s entrance. This site was established in 1957 to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown and became a major destination for educational tourism in the mid-century. While the park is still standing and has since evolved into a highly detailed museum and outdoor living history site with updated research and costumes, this photo captures the distinct style of pageantry used during the 1950s and 60s. This factual record preserves the colorful and formal atmosphere of Virginia’s colonial reenactments during the early sixties. All our images are available as royalty-free instant downloads for use in books, media, and creative projects – or make your own prints for home, work, or as a truly unique gift.