Yorktown: The Beginning of the United States

Yorktown, Virginia was founded in 1691 as a port for tobacco exports to Europe. It was originally founded as “York” after York, England, but came to be called Yorktown after the Revolutionary War.

Yorktown is most famous for the Siege of Yorktown, and the surrender of British General Cornwallis to General George Washington, basically ending the American Revolutionary War.

Yorktown, with Williamsburg and Jamestown, is part of the Historic Triangle, and is connected to the other locations via the Colonial Parkway.