In his iconic “I Have A Dream” speech, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sought the day that the “Sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners would sit together at the table of brotherhood.”

We, at York River State Park are offering people of all backgrounds to walk our historic trails for that same purpose as we observe Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday January 18, 2016 we invited you to come out and join us for The Three Rivers and Three Peoples Hike from 10:00 a.m. to noon.

Let's explore the rivers together

Hiking in History

The hike will take us along the Backbone, Mattaponi, and Woodstock Pond Trails to sites of the former Taskinas Plantation. Among these are the locations of a plantation seat, slave quarters, and a wheel wrights’ shop. The trek also includes a bridge through a marsh and a commanding overlook of the York.

A shared past, present, and future

People and Rivers

This landscape etched by the Mattaponi, Pamunkey, and York Rivers was the home of Chief Powhatan’s kingdom. Africans lived here as indentured servants, slaves, and freedmen even during the colonial period. Europeans have been arriving here from the time of John Smith on up through the age of immigration in the early 20th century. The relationships between these three people have frequently been uneasy. However, in the midst of land and population loss, slavery, and segregation; we have all had moments of cooperation and friendship.

Bridge Builders

One Step to Hope

We hope that this hike will be informative and an inspiration to open lines of communication between people of different backgrounds. One hike cannot possibly bring about the end to past or current issues. But, by sharing a common interest in the outdoors, perhaps we can begin to build bridges.

Directions to York River State Park: From I-64, take the Croaker Exit 231B. Go north on Route 607 (Croaker Rd.) for one mile, then right on Route 606 (Riverview Rd.) about one and a half miles to the park entrance. Take a left turn into the park. Click here to learn more about York River State Park.