Down on Water Street sits a Yorktown mystery. Well, sort of. Legend has it that Cornwallis' Cave (hidden across from the bustling beach) is where the British General retreated to avoid bombardment during the Battle of Yorktown. The National Park Service has long since claimed research shows otherwise.
In reality, the cave dates back to before the Revolution, and was likely used for potato storage during colonial times and later for storage of Confederate munitions during the American Civil War. Large, visible recesses were cut into the front wall by Confederate forces to install support beams for a plank roof and walls that were then covered with earth to protect the munitions from Union warships offshore.
The gated cave has since fallen into disrepair as a result of the natural processes of weathering and erosion. The possibility of stone falling inside is one of the reasons it is blocked off to the public, but you can still drive or walk by its location on Water Street beside the Archer Cottage.
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Last Updated: 09/15/2020
