Colonial Williamsburg - Where History Lives!

Colonial Williamsburg (CW) is a collection of approximately 40 original, restored and/or reconstructed buildings located in Williamsburg, Virginia. The 300+ acre area has been beautifully restored to allow visitors to experience what life was like in the 17th and 18th centuries. As the largest British colony from 1699 until 1780, Williamsburg was the political and social hub of Virginia. Many famous Americans graced the streets and taverns of the city, including George Washington, Patrick Henry, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.

Much of this area fell into terrible disrepair, especially after the state capitol was moved to Richmond by Thomas Jefferson in 1780. Even the exquisite Governor's Palace was in ruin by 1900, destroyed by fire during the Civil War. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation was created to raise funds to restore and preserve the sleepy town to the defining period in American history. Thanks to the interest and financial commitment received from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1926, Colonial Williamsburg invites visitors to learn and experience history through first hand interaction with interpretive actors and artisans continuing the skilled trades of an era gone by. His commitment was to assure that “the future may learn from the past.”

The restored area of CW includes homes, gardens, taverns, shops and workshops that represent how the citizens went about their day to day lives in colonial times. Take time to interact and experience colonial living first hand in Williamsburg . . . spend a day or spend a week here . . . you will surely learn through the educational programming that has been carefully created based on historical journals, newspapers and personal letters from residents and visitors during this defining time in American history.

There are also a number of museums that help to tell the story of Colonial Virginia and Williamsburg role in the formation of a nation. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, Bassett Hall (the former residence of Mr. & Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr.) and the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum are all part of Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s collection and included in most CW admission packages.

All of the restored areas of Colonial Williamsburg require the purchase of an admission ticket. There are several different options available from a single day to annual pass, and discounts for children. Check out their website (www.history.org) for details including internet specials offering 10% discounts. In addition to admission to the historic area, your ticket will afford you free parking at the visitors’ center and shuttle service from the center to and throughout the historic area.

There are also two outstanding videos (each approximately 30 minutes in length) that are included in your admission ticket purchase. The first tells the story of John D. Rockefeller Jr.’s involvement in the restoration process, including vintage film and photos dating back to the early 21st century. Interviews with Rockefeller’s children share the passion for Williamsburg that both John and Abby had for the preservation of our American heritage and the role Williamsburg played in our history.

The other, “Williamsburg – The Story of a Patriot” shares what it was like to be a Virginian representative to the House of Burgess during the turmoil of British rule leading up to the dissolution of the representative body. Virginians were torn between loyalties to Britain and the desire to have fair representation in the governance and other matters of the colonies. Filmed in 1957, enjoy a very young Jack Lord in the staring role.

When you arrive in Williamsburg, you will want to pick up a “Colonial Williamsburg This Week” brochure at the visitors’ center or any CW ticket center. This will be your planning guide that will be invaluable as you plan your visit and activities throughout CW’s many exhibits, programs and activities.

Having just vacationed in Colonial Williamsburg a year ago, I wasn’t sure how much would be "new" in terms of the evening programming and entertainment. We were fortunate in that there were a lot of activities that we weren’t able to schedule during our 2007 visit, so we were able to make sure that we did some of the really wonderful shows so that Mom would have the opportunity . . . but also take in some different programs to avoid possible boredom.

As we did last year, we thoroughly enjoyed "Cry Witch" (a dramatization of a real court trail of a woman suspected of being a witch in the early 18th century) and "To Go A-Pirating" (another court case of suspected pirates from the Carolina Colonies). These two programs remained unchanged given their historical basis.

We also took Mom to and "Papa Said, Mama Said" (the passing down of stories through the generations of slaves in America) and "Legends, Myths & Mysteries (storytelling by the citizens of Colonial Williamsburg). It was nice to see that they featured new stories at both of these programs making it fresh and entertaining, even though we had done both a year ago.

Because David’s Mom was with us, we opted to fill in our other evening programming slots with activities that we thought she would enjoy. There were some wonderful offerings which we were able to include in our evening itineraries.

The "Capitol Concert" featured Williamsburg’s premier musician, Peter Pelham. Pelham was the organist at Bruton Parish Church and was here direct from London in the mid 18th century. The concert was performed by Michael Monaco, a modern day harpsichordist and historian who has studied the music of that period and Peter Pelham in particular. Once in character, he based his performance on the writings of Pelham and other residents of the time. As many citizens of Colonial Williamsburg were fiercely loyal to the British Crown, the music was primarily British, including the great sing-a-long song "Rule Britannia" which we all learned to sing. This event was probably the highlight of all of the evening programs we participated in during the week.

Another musically based evening program that we attended was the "Revolutionary City: A Capitol Ball". Be prepared, however, this is a participatory event, with a large number of the tour group being brought in to learn the dances of the period. Actually, that is how the evening’s event concludes; I should really start at the beginning.

This show is intended to show guests how the local aristocrats entertained themselves during British rule of the American Colonies. The experience begins with some gossip of local Virginian women, passing on hearsay about the Governor’s wife, Lady Dunmore being with child. As the group is invited inside the Capitol, we step into a room where members of the House of Burgess are lamenting the Governor’s decision earlier in the day to disband the local representation to the government, beginning the unraveling of British rule of the colonies of America. Noticeably intoxicated from a long evening of ale, the gentlemen begin talk of "no taxation without representation" and support of their brothers up in Boston where the British Army was poised to attack to reinstate (British) law and order. We were then invited to sing the chorus of one of the Virginian songs of the period.

We then enter the burgesses’ chamber of the Capitol where we are greeted by several period costumed ladies and gents. Shortly after our arrival, Lady Dunmore made her grand entrance, requesting to be entertained with dance. The locals began the evening’s festivities with the minuet. It was after that dance that volunteers were sought (and hijacked) to participate in dance. Not a dancer, I was more than happy to enjoy the lovely music and watch the dancers.

The other evening program that we did for the first time was "Revolutionary Points of View". Conducted inside the Courthouse, this program provided a very interesting debate regarding whether or not America should declare its freedom from British rule . . . or remain loyal subjects in an increasingly tense period in our history.

The debate was whether Virginia and her citizenry would be best served remaining a British colony at a time when taxes were being increased on imports and embargos against importing not British goods were being enforced . . . or to declare her independence and pursue governance without the oversight from across the ocean.

The First Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia and representatives returned to Williamsburg to tell of intent to seek independence. Many local residents were dependent on England and her goods, and could not envision life without British involvement. Others sited the unrest that was becoming prevalent in Virginia and the need unify in order to survive. It was during this time in Virginia’s history that her British Governor Lord Dunmore and his family fled America and return to England out of concern for their personal safety. Shortly thereafter, Patrick Henry became the first Virginian born Governor of Virginia.

What made this evening program so entertaining was that each attendee received a 3x5 card with the name of a Virginian, the country they represented and a quote from the debate held at the time regarding revolting against the British control of Virginia and all of the American colonies. It was very interesting to hear all of the "revolutionary points of view" and educational too!

The average individual ticket price for the evening programming is $12 per person. Given that we did eight shows during our week in town, you can see that we received wonderful value from our $89 Independence Pass. And better yet, our passes from a year ago were still good, so David and I were able to get essentially two year’s of vacation experiences for a single annual pass. Mom felt that the $89 she paid was well worth it if only for the evening shows alone.

1/31/09 NOTE: The Independence Pass has been discontinued. They now offer just one annual pass for $50 which includes discounted, not free evening programming tickets. The good news is that this less expensive pass now includes the Governor's Palace which in the past was only available with the more expensive annual pass or by a separate admission ticket. From their web site at www.history.org:

Liberty Pass
Adults $49.95
Youth (ages 6-17) are admitted at half the adult admission price year-round.

Come-and-go flexibility - not limited to consecutive days
Access to ALL exhibition sites, regular daytime programs, and museums
25% discount on most Colonial Evening Programs 4
Exclusive access to special-topic, guided walking tours (reservations required)
Admission for up to one full year

The Lanthorn Tour is one of the many evening programs available to visitors. If you buy the $89 Independence (annual) Pass, you can receive free tickets to evening programming. It is not unusual to take the tour one week and see one set of trades, while returning months later to see another group. On this particular visit we were treated to the Cabinetmaker, Printing Office & Bindery and Blacksmith shops.

Our costumed guide was very knowledgeable about each of the skills and provided a historical overview of the trade in colonial times. In the Cabinetmaker’s shop there were several original pieces that had been crafted in that very shop by its shopkeeper back in the 18th century. A beautiful bookcase was a beautifully maintained example of the design of the time. Also there was a harpsichord, several tables and chairs, as well as an authentic period coffin. It was funny to hear her call it that, as today we know them as caskets here in America.

Our next stop was the Printing Office and Bindery where stationary and books were made. While the printing press is still used here, we had to settle for hearing about the printing process during colonial times. One of the most popular items of the time was the personal bound journal that people used to document the experiences of their lives. It is through those journals that much of what historians know about life in Virginia is chronicled.

The Blacksmith’s shop was our final destination of the evening. During the time that Williamsburg served as the capitol of the British colony of Virginia, the blacksmith was more involved in making repairs than actually forging items as most building supplies were imported from England. Once here in America, when something became broken or lost a part, the town blacksmith was called upon to make the item functional again. It was later during the importation boycott of British goods that the blacksmiths in America started to produce items for use in their community.

There are several other skilled trade shops in Williamsburg that the Lanthorn Tour may include: shoemaker, wigmaker, harness & saddlemaker, basketmaker, weaver, and milliner & tailor. Some of these shops have limited hours and most are rarely open seven days a week, so the Lanthorn Tour may be the only way to experience them during your visit to Colonial Williamsburg.

Overall the walking tour lasted about an hour. With group sizes limited, it is highly recommended that you book your reservations early. The price of this tour is ordinarily $12 per person if you do not have an annual Colonial Williamsburg pass. Independence Pass holders are free . . . and Freedom Pass holders receive evening programming tickets at half price ($6 for this tour). In my personal opinion, it is the value and abundance of evening tours that makes the $89 Independence Pass more than worthwhile. (See my separate review on the CW Evening Programming.)

Williamsburg served as the capitol of Virginia until Thomas Jefferson moved it to Richmond in 1780. Before the revolution, Virginia and the colonies were under British rule. As such, the monarchy appointed the leader – the Royal Governor – to rule and protect England’s interests. The Governor’s Palace was completed in 1722 to provide residency to the Governor and his family. In total, seven royal governors and Virginia’s first two state governors occupied the Palace.

The Palace today is a reconstruction of the original as it had fallen into disrepair after the move of the capitol to Richmond. Painstakingly care has been taken to recreate the palace to the grandeur of colonial times, in particular at the time of the Royal Governor Lord Botetourt’s death in 1770 as a thorough inventory of the Palace had been taken at that time. The next occupants of the Governor’s Palace were Lord & Lady Dunmore when he was reassigned by the King from the colony of New York.

Visitors are not permitted to tour independently, but not to worry, there are frequent guided tours throughout the day. The Palace tour begins in the expansive foyer. Generally the welcoming point for all visitors to the Governor, the foyer served much like a reception showing off the wealth and power of the office of Royal Governor. It’s stately and masculine with a fireplace and lovely furnishings. Most impressive were all of the guns and swords that adorned the walls. To the left of the foyer there is a room that was primarily used as the office and work space of the head chef of the household. Here merchants would come to sell produce and goods used for the meals provided the residents of the Palace.

Upstairs are the bed chambers of Lord & Lady Dunmore, as well as their children. The furnishings are quite exquisite, befitting royalty. The furniture, handcrafted linens and beautiful wall coverings all represent England and Virginia’s finest of the time. During the tour you are permitted to walk through or view into these rooms to imagine what it might have been like to live during the 18th century, and photography is encouraged.

As you descend the staircase you find yourself at the dining room which is also a fine display of how the affluent lived. During the time of our tour, the table was set for a dessert service. From there you head into the entertainment center of the Palace. The “great hall” is much like those seen in castles of the United Kingdom. Large portraits hang on either end of the room, portraits of the sitting King & Queen of England. The floor covering is a lovely hand woven carpet, made and laid in 28 inch wide segments. Musical instruments, including an original 18th century harpsichord are on display here. This is the place where Lord & Lady Dunmore would have hosted dignitaries and other guests for an evening of music and dance. The room is rather large and generally absent of furnishings. For those in need of a break or refreshments, there is a separate room adjoining the great hall, where folks can step away for conversation, food and beverages.

This is where the formal tour inside the Governor’s Palace ends. From here visitors may enjoy the grounds and other buildings including the cellar, kitchen, stables and wheelwright’s shop. The Palace gardens include a large maze, similar to many found in England during that time in history.

On the day of our visit, there was an educational program going on throughout the day on chocolate and confectionary making in Colonial Williamsburg. The gentlemen taught us about how cocoa beans are hand processed to create chocolate delights. Many of us were surprised to learn that chocolate during colonial times has a fair amount of cinnamon or nutmeg in it to enhance the flavor. The kitchen is not open on Sundays or Wednesdays.

We also enjoyed our visit to the wheelwright’s shop where craftsmen still continue the art of making and repairing the wooden wheels for the carriages used throughout Williamsburg today. During our time with them, they were working to create the planks used to make a wheel, as well as rounding and smoothing out the wheel itself. Plan your visit to make sure you don’t miss the wheelwright on Monday’s when this exhibit area is closed.

If you are interested in seeing more than just the Palace from the gated entrance from the lush green lawn, you will need to purchase an admission ticket that includes the Palace or an annual pass. If you wish to add the Governor’s Palace to your single day admission ticket, it will cost you an additional $6.

If you are not planning to take the formal Governor’s Palace you may have an opportunity to see specific areas of the Palace through the evening programming available. There is the Palace Concert that is held weekly (currently on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 or 9:00), which provides a wonderful experience of elegant 18th century music popular in the colonies at the time. Last year our Legends, Myths and Mysteries Tour also included a storyteller experience in the Governor’s Palace, although this year’s did not.

For those interested in very detailed history of the Governor’s Palace can learn more at: http://www.history.org/Almanack/places/hb/hbpal.cfm .

The Everard House is located right on the Palace Green across the street from the Governor’s Place. And while part of Colonial Williamsburg’s restored historic area, it is open and available to tour on a very limited basis . . . Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10:00a until 4:00p. Local volunteers serve as tour guides and are not dressed in period costume like other guides throughout Colonial Williamsburg.

Mr. Thomas Everard was a widower, living in this home with his adult daughter. A court clerk, Everard lived the lifestyle of a well-to-do middle class Virginian resident. While the furnishings throughout the house are not actual pieces from Everard’s residency, they are all originals from the period, and represent the types of things one might expect to see at the time in the home of a well to do Williamsburg family.

The first room that the tour visits is the dining room, which includes a number of beautiful Chinese china pieces. Again, not original to this home during the 18th century, most were recovered from a shipwreck that was scavenged about 25 years ago. The quality of the preservation of the 200 year old dishes is quite remarkable, we were told due to the large amount of tea that also went down with the ship. Apparently tea leaves have been known to provide protection and retard deterioration of colors and finishes on porcelain.

In the parlor, a spinet harpsichord served as the center of the room, even if it was tucked in a corner. Often evening interaction would revolve around the playing of music and singing of songs. The fireplace on the opposite wall served mainly for ambience while some warmth was also provided on cold winter nights. In front of the fireplace was a small table with an example of the types of games people enjoyed during this period in history.

Upstairs the bedchambers of Mr. Everard and his daughter represent how homes in colonial times were furnished and decorated. Not only in these rooms, but in all throughout the house, I was struck mostly by the vivid colors of the wall coverings and others items that tie the room together. If you take a look at the photos attached to this review, you will see what I’m talking about.

Returning back down the stairs, you reach the end of the formal tour. Out in the backyard area is the kitchen and a smokehouse. The kitchen is the original building and has received limited restoration. It was closed during our visit as it had become unstable and was in need of additional work.

Located on North Henry Street is the reconstructed Public Hospital of 1773. The hospital occupies the ground level of the building and shares a glimpse into how the mentally ill were taken care of in the 18th and 19th centuries. On the lower level of the building are the Hennage Auditorium, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum and the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, as well as a small café and gift shop.

The Wallace Museum contains some very beautiful household items from homes in and around Williamsburg during colonial times. Some of the pieces were made in Williamsburg by 18th craftsmen and sold to well to do Virginians throughout the state. Several pieces have been donated by their 21st century heirs.

Since we had about an hour before a show at the Hennage Auditorium, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through exhibits including a very large silver collection including items used in food preparation and serving, as well as entertaining. Serving bowls, platters and utensils have been well preserved.

Because the museum is not very large, you may find yourself a bit disappointed in the small collection of china and porcelain on display. The pieces that are available, however, are very lovely. Dishes, vases and teapots are just a sample of some of the things you may find on display during your visit.

There are a couple of nice furniture items including a tall grandfather clock that was made in 1770-1780 by a rural western Virginia clockmaker out of black walnut and yellow pine. Also on display is a wonderfully maintained harpsichord that was made by world renowned London maker Jacob Kirkman in 1762. While expensive to export to the colonies, many of Virginia’s most affluent owned the instrument which served as the centerpiece of home entertainment during the revolutionary period.

Those interested in the weapons of the American Colonies during this period in our history should enjoy the large wall case containing pistols, muskets, rifles and swords. This exhibit seems to be rather static, however, as it appeared to be unchanged since our visit a year ago.

The building containing the Public Hospital of 1773 and the museums is outside of the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg and is accessible via the CW shuttle line. It is also within walking distance of Merchants Square which is where many of Williamsburg’s finest shops and several restaurants are located. Because the building is part of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s exhibit area, you will need to have an admission ticket. While it is included in most ticket pricing, you can buy the "Colonial Williamsburg Museum" ticket: $9 for adults and $4 for youth. Annual "museum only" passes are also available for $19 and $10 respectively.