Dameron-Damron Family Association

Family CrestDameron-Damron Family Association

2022 ANNUAL DAMERON-DAMRON FAMILY ASSOCIATION REUNION

WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA FROM JUNE 16 – 19, 2022
EMBASSY SUITES, WILLIAMSBURG
3006 MOORETOWN ROAD
WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA 23185
PHONE: (757) 229-6800

Directions to the hotel
Things to do
Places to eat
Dameron Marsh

On Saturday June 18, 2022, we will hold our annual banquet/meeting in the Jefferson Room of the Embassy Suites from noon until 5:00 pm. Embassy Suites will cater our event and the cost for the banquet is $25.00 per person with children ages 10 and under half price. The meal must be paid in advance with payment made to DDFA and mailed to Willmore Dameron. For a mailing address, please email Willmore at dameron3@comcast.net

For more information on the reunion please contact Cindora through the DDFA Reunion Facebook page or email. The deadline for the banquet reservation and payment is June 2, 2022.

Our meeting will have door prizes, a guest speaker, cousins old and new, and lots of friends to visit with. We’re sometimes lucky and have Dameron-Damron’s in the area stop by to meet the family. Please feel free to bring any photos, family history, heirlooms, or stories you would like to share. We will have books with Dameron – Damron history displayed, posters, and pictures of past reunions. There will t-shirts, hats, mugs, and newsletters available to buy.

Membership renewal and new memberships can also be done at this time. The membership fee is $15.00 annually, which includes the two newsletters printed that year.

DDFA membership is not required for our reunion so please feel free to bring a friend or anyone interested in our Dameron-Damron family history.

Our hotel is within walking distance of various restaurants and less than two miles from central Williamsburg. Attractions like Historic Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Busch Gardens are within eight miles. The Embassy Suites Williamsburg is an all-suite hotel, surrounded by Williamsburg’s best, minutes from a wide variety of activities including shopping, golf, history, entertainment, education and much more. With a towering presence in Williamsburg, this hotel offers exceptional accommodations, luxurious amenities, and impeccable service. Embassy Suites offers free parking, complimentary hot breakfast made to order, cocktail reception from 5:30 to 7:30 each evening with 2 complimentary drinks per person and plenty of finger foods, free Wi-Fi, indoor heated pool, fitness center, room service, on-site restaurant, business center, concierge, Atrium Café and Lounge.
  • 50 miles to Richmond, Virginia
  • 50 miles to  Portsmouth, Virginia
  • 59 miles  to Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • 97 miles to Fredericksburg, Virginia
  • 156 miles to Washington, D.C.
The DDFA has reserved a block of 12 suites with the discounted rates of $159.00. You will be responsible for your own reservations. For reservations by phone, you can call 800-284-3930 and use group code DDA for the preferred rate. You can stay up to five days and several of us plan to stay a week to make it a family vacation. The hotel will honor extra days at the discounted rate if the rooms are available. The deadline for room reservations is May 17, 2022. These rooms fill up fast so please don’t hesitate to make your reservations.
Please join us and help make this year’s DDFA reunion another success story.

Hotel Directions

  • From I-64 Exit 238 and go east on 143. Turn right onto Route 132 South, turn right on Route 60 Bypass, go approximately one mile, turn right on Waller Mill Road, turn left onto Mooretown Road.

 

  • From I-64 Exit 234 and go east on Route 199. Take Route 603 East, Mooretown Road, (2nd exit) and go approximately 4.5 miles. The Embassy Suites Hotel is on the left.

Things to do in the Williamsburg area

Williamsburg Family History Center
2017 Newman Road Williamsburg, Virginia
Phone: (757) 220-0266 during operating hours or (757) 232-1417 when center is not open
williamsburg.fhc@gmail.com
The center is affiliated with LDS and offers personal assistance, Lexmark multi-function printer/scanner with direct scan to FamilySearch Family Tree, ScanPro digital film/fiche reader, NMI 2020 microfilm readers, Canon Lide flatbed scanner, and Wifi access. Their computer workstations provide free access to subscription genealogy websites including Access Newspaper Archive, American Civil War Online, Ancestry.com, ArkivDigital online (Swedish church records), findmypast (UK/Ireland/US/World Research, PERSI), Fold3.com (US National Archives records), MyHeritage.com (includes WorldVitalRecords and Mocavo data), NewspaperArchive.com, ProQuest Obituary Collection, and 19th Century British Newspapers.

John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library
313 1st St. Suite 4306, Williamsburg, VA 23185
Phone: (757) 220-7249
The library’s collections encompass more than 10,000 rare books, 50,000 manuscripts and 100,000 images. The collections document the history and culture of colonial British America, the American Revolution, and the early national period. Materials created by Colonial Williamsburg Foundation staff document the restoration of Williamsburg in the first half of the twentieth century.

Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William & Mary
400 Landrum Drive, Williamsburg, Virginia
Phone: (757) 221-3072
The library is named for Earl Gregg Swem, College Librarian from 1920-1944. In 2008, the Princeton Review rated William & Mary’s library system as the eighth best in the United States.

Jamestown Settlement
2110 Jamestown Rd Williamsburg, Virginia
Phone: (800) 987-9852
Explore replicas of the ships that brought the English colonists to Virginia, the life-size re-creation of a military fort and a Powhatan village, then relive the days of the early 17th century. Thirteen years before the Pilgrims made their voyage to America, 104 English men and boys made a home on the banks of Virginia’s James River. The Virginia Company of London wanted to make a profit from whatever resources the “New World” may bring, and therefore funded the voyage of these men in 1607. After suffering through many hardships that threatened lives, the men and boys were able to survive and became America’s first permanent English colony.

Colonial Williamsburg
101 Visitor Center Drive Williamsburg, Virginia
Phone: (800) 987-9852
Have you ever wanted to visit a museum or historical attraction where the artifacts are able to answer your questions? Do you want to travel back to the 18th century to see how different our world was, but not have to give up your phone and electricity? You’re in the right place. The people here are not actors – they live the part and they are skilled at what they do. You’ll meet people who built our nation such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry. Learn their history and how their legacy still shapes our world today. You will immerse yourself into an 18th-century city and learn about trades. You’ll see the places where they worked and be able to ask any questions that you may have. Some trades that you will learn about and see are blacksmithing, carpentry, tailoring, silversmithing, and shoemaking.

Williamsburg Operation City Quest
Merchants Square
134 North Henry, Williamsburg, Virginia
THE ORIGINAL SCAVENGER HUNT GAME
Looking for a family friendly activity? We can help you explore the city with our fun photo scavenger hunt. Using your smartphone, you’ll be given a list of items to find in the form of riddles and challenges to complete on our scavenger hunt app. You’ll go look for the item described in the riddle, complete the accompanied challenge, and send in a photo to get points. Your points will show up on the app’s leaderboard so you can see how you’re doing compared to teams across the country!
Time: About 2 hours
Distance: About 2 miles
Suggested Transportation: Walking

Busch Gardens Williamsburg
1 Busch Gardens Blvd., Williamsburg, Virginia
Phone: (800) 987-9852 or (417) 823-0981
Thrilling roller coasters, exciting European themes, and incredible wildlife shows highlight the scintillating theme park. This amazing theme park is one of the great treasures of the south. With numerous attractions and roller coasters in the park, this place has long been a favorite of locals and guests alike. Williamsburg area. NEW for 2022 Opening on March 25, the brand-new Pantheon ride is sure to thrill. As the world’s largest multi-launch coaster, visitors will travel 73 miles an hour. The ride stretches to an impressive 180 feet tall and features more than 3,300 feet of track. Other aspects of the ride include a 95-degree drop, four different launches, 5 air-time hills, and two inversions.

Water Country USA
176 Water Country Parkway Williamsburg, Virginia
Phone: (800) 987-9852
The park offers a great family fun-filled adventure with a 50s and 60s retro surf theme, 30 state-of-the-art rides and attractions including the park’s newest coaster, Cutback! You and your entire family will enjoy multiple different kinds of fun including slides, pools, lazy rivers, and kid play areas.

Carlton Farms
3516 Mott Lane, Williamsburg, Virginia
(757) 342-2001
Historic Trail Rides on Horseback
Explore the Historic Battleground of Greensprings on horseback! With a tour guide, you will learn historical facts about this famous battle all while enjoying our beautiful vast property! Carlton Farms has been a working horse barn for over 30 years. As the grounds for the Historic Battle of Green Springs, our 100-acre property is rich in history and beauty! The owner purchased the farm in 1990. He fell in love with the story of Secretariat in 1973 and entered the racing business in the late 70s. Twenty years later, he longed to have horses a little closer to home and decided to get back into the horse industry. Since then, the stables have flourished into a breathtaking escape. There are several Horse Farms that offer trail rides and not as expensive as Carlton Farms, but Carlton Farms offers a unique ride into the past.

James City County Marina
2054 Jamestown Road Williamsburg, Virginia
Phone: (757)565-3699
The James City County Marina is located on the historic Powhatan Creek, behind Jamestown Island and across the street from Jamestown Settlement and Jamestown Beach Event Park. There are standard, tandem, and trailer bike rentals available. Rental equipment may be reserved up to seven days in advance, but not less than 24 hours in advance. There may be paddle boats available, but only if construction is finished so call ahead to check.

Jamestown Discovery Cruise
2054 Jamestown Road Williamsburg, Virginia
Phone: (757) 253-TOUR (8687)
The only river-based tour boat on the James River in Williamsburg Virginia. Enjoy the sights & sounds along the river and learn a more about our beautiful area. Our Spacious U.S.C.G. Certified pontoon boat can accommodate up to 28 passengers comfortably and provides guests with an amazing view from the vessel. Our tour boat also has a restroom on board that is also handicap accessible. Call now to book your Sight Seeing Tour, Sunset Cruise, or The Haunted River Cruise of Jamestown Island.

The Haunted River Cruise of Jamestown Island
2054 Jamestown Rd, Williamsburg, Virginia
Text: (757) 777-2101
The Historic Triangle is one of the most haunted areas in the United States, and it all starts with the English Settlement at Jamestown in 1607. Jamestown was a place where the British Colonists experienced a tremendous amount of suffering and death. From the beginning, locals have believed that there was something “not quite right” about Jamestown Island. Climb aboard the only river cruise Ghost Tour on the James River at Jamestown Island. Come listen to the stories of strange occurrences and hear of the spirits that still haunt America’s oldest permanent English settlement!

The Original Ghosts Of Williamsburg
345 W. Duke of Gloucester St., Williamsburg, Virginia
Phone: (757) 342-6599
Text: (757) 707-7144
Have you ever wanted to walk through the streets of a historic town at night and discover it’s hidden secrets? Then allow our expert storytellers to guide you on a candlelit walk-through Colonial Williamsburg, while they share many strange stories and other-worldly happenings that have occurred over the years. With 30 years of experience, we are Virginia’s #1 and oldest Ghost Tour and have accumulated the best tales and local legends passed down through the years. Be sure to bring your camera! It is believed that paranormal entities often produce light phenomena in photographs. Thousands of our guests each year get pictures of light orbs and sometimes even shapes and images that resemble human like figures. Performed in a true story telling format, our 90 minute walking tour is great.

Places to eat

Chowning’s Tavern
109 E. Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg Virginia
(855) 270-5114
Gather ‘round at Chowning’s Tavern for hearty, Colonial-inspired pub fare, all served up in an authentic alehouse atmosphere. Try favorites of our founding fathers, including savory Shepherd’s Pye and satisfying trenchers served in bread bowls. Want to take a piece of Colonial Williamsburg home with you? Order a local craft beer and keep the traditional salted mug.

Berret’s Seafood
199 S Boundary St., Williamsburg, Virginia
Treat yourself to an award-winning seafood dinner at the charming Berret’s Seafood in Williamsburg. Voted “Best in Williamsburg” for more than ten years straight, this Virginia staple is a must-visit for any seafood lover.

Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant
5363 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, Virginia
Family-friendly seafood spot, one of a nautically themed chain, with a buffet featuring crab legs.

Visit Dameron Marsh while you're here!

For those interested in visiting Dameron Marsh while in Virginia it is about an hour and thirty-minute drive from Williamsburg.  Lawrence Dameron and family are buried to the left of the entrance to Dameron Marsh in what is now the Harding Cemetery. The 316-acre Dameron Marsh Natural Area Preserve is one in a series of protected lands that line the western and eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. This preserve contains one of the most significant wetlands on the Chesapeake Bay for marsh-bird communities, and its pristine beach habitat is highly important for the federally threatened northeastern beach tiger beetle (Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis). DCR’s efforts to conserve sites like Dameron Marsh are an effective means to sustain these important coastal ecosystems and both rare and common species. Dameron Marsh supports impressive salt marsh communities, sand beach, and upland forest habitats. Most upland portions of the property were used for agricultural purposes for over three centuries. However, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the Army Corps of Engineers, has restored the former fields to forested habitats that now support a great diversity of wildlife and contribute to water quality improvement in the Chesapeake Bay. The Department’s Chesapeake Bay Region Steward oversees the management and restoration activities at the preserve, monitoring marsh and shoreline habitats for birds, tiger beetles, and other natural heritage resources. Public access facilities at the preserve include a small parking area, walking trails, and a boardwalk and wildlife viewing platform overlooking the marsh and Chesapeake Bay. A designated “hand-carry” boat put-in site is also accessible via a short trail that accommodates kayaks, canoes and other small “car-top” vessels. An online Dameron Marsh NAP self-guided field trip guide is available as a PDF to help you enjoy your visit. Dameron Marsh and Hughlett Point natural area preserves contain some of the most significant Chesapeake Bay wetlands for marsh birds, and also support pristine sandy shorelines that provide habitat for the federally threatened northeastern beach tiger beetle and nesting sites for rare shore birds. To protect these species and their significant habitats, designated sections of preserve shorelines are closed during specific periods of the year to both land (walking) and water (boat landing) access.