Colonists of the first British colony of Jamestown, Virginia land at Cape Henry, Virginia.

Many people think of Plymouth Rock and Thanksgiving as the first colonial meeting with Native Americans and The New World, but those who believe so are sorely incorrect. It is a story that involved Disney’s favorite Native American, Pocahontas.

On this day April 26th, in 1607, British colonist land at Cape Henry, Virginia. They would then travel upstream about 40 miles and found the first colony, Jamestown, on May 24th. John Smith was one of the leaders of these colonists, and according to his tale, as his brains were about to be smashed in, Pocahontas threw herself over him and protected him from her father. He was eventually returned unharmed.

Cape Henry was named after King James I son, Henry Prince of Wales. Cape Henry is now referred to as Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay at one point was abundant with fish and fed the Algonquians, but since the 1970’s it has been a dead zone. Marine life cannot be sustained there, many of its inhabitants die, and the toxicity level is so high that it’s considered dangerous to eat.