Henricus
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Henricus Henricopolis, Henrie Town, Henrico |
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| Town | |
Reconstruction of Mt. Malady, the first English hospital in America.
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| Present Country | United States of America |
| State | Virginia |
| Established | 1611 |
| Abandoned | by 1622 |
| Founded by | Thomas Dale |
| Named for | Prince Henry |
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Henrico
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| Nearest city | Dutch Gap, Chesterfield County, Virginia |
| Area | 12 acres (4.9 ha) |
| Built | 1611 |
| NRHP Reference # | 72001400 |
| VLR # | 020-0709 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1972 |
| Designated VLR | December 21, 1971 |
The "Citie of Henricus" — also known as Henricopolis, Henrico Town or Henrico — was a settlement in Virginia founded by Sir Thomas Dale in 1611 as an alternative to the swampy and dangerous area around the original English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. It was named for Prince Henry, the eldest son of King James I.
The site of Henricus later became part of the Shire of Henrico (1634), renamed Henrico County in 1637. In 1749, the portion of Henrico County that lay south of the James River was detached to form the present-day Chesterfield County.
Today, the settlement is interpreted via Henricus Historical Park, a living history museum.
Henricus was one of the earliest English settlements in the New World. It was located on the James River, a few miles southeast of the modern city of Richmond, Virginia. At the time, the First Anglo-Powhatan War was raging, and the natives offered much resistance to the English encroachment, largely orchestrated by native captain Nemattanew — or as the English garrison knew him, "Jack-of-the-Feather". Prior to the development of Richmond, Henricus was one of the westernmost outlying developments from the Colony of Virginia's fortified capital downriver at Jamestown. In 1612–1613, a facility known as "Mt. Malady" was built nearby; it was the first hospital in the English colonies of North America.
This settlement was near where Pocahontas grew up among the tribe of the Powhatan Confederacy. Reverend Alexander Whitaker converted her to Christianity during her captivity under Sir Thomas Dale, deputy governor of the colony. She met settler John Rolfe during this time and they married on April 5, 1614. Rolfe's longtime friend, Richard Buck, presided at their wedding. They lived together across the river at the Varina Farms Plantation. Their mixed-race son, Thomas Rolfe (named for Sir Thomas Dale, deputy governor of the colony of Virginia), was born on the plantation. His descendants were among many of the so-called First Families of Virginia (FFV).
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Wikipedia