Virginia - Colonial Williamsburg

It was time to go back in time to pre Revolutionary War period.

Once the capital of Virginia, Colonial Williamsburg is a living history museum, lending insights into the pinnacle of its power and influence in the region during the 1700s.  For most of the 18th century, the city was the center of the most civilized life in the colony.  Having undergone a massive restoration since then, Colonial Williamsburg displayed a culture which eventually made way for our present day form of government in the country.  

We knew that things had changed in the years and years since we'd been there but we had no idea just how much.  So we started at the Visitor's Center to buy tickets and catch the shuttle.

When we exited the bus, it was like we'd stepped into another world.  There are no cars allowed in the historic section so that visitors can walk the streets without worry.  We came across the horse/buggy starting point and were surprised that there was already a sign up which said "carriage rides sold out" at 10:00 in the morning.  

Waiting for the next passengers

We were told at the Visitor's Center that if a building was open for tourists, a flag would be displayed outside to indicate that.  No flag, no entrance.

First stop was the Courthouse, which was constructed from 1770 to 1771 in the Georgian style.  The property was acquired by Colonial Williamsburg in 1928 and was added to the National Register as a contributing property to the Williamsburg Historic District in 1966.

The courthouse once housed two separate court systems, one being the James City County Court, responsible for carrying out county cases, and the other the Hustings Court, responsible for the city cases.  The courthouse was the site where Benjamin Waller read aloud the Declaration of Independence on July 25, 1776, after it arrived from Philadelphia.  The building was also used as a hospital for the Confederate Army after the Battle of Williamsburg.

This is where the criminals ended up.

The Capitol housed both Houses of the Virginia General Assembly, the Council of State and the House of Burgesses of the Colony of Virginia from 1705, when the capital was relocated there from Jamestown, until 1780, when the capital was relocated to Richmond.  Two capitol buildings served the colony on the same site; the first from 1705 until its destruction by fire in 1747; the second from 1753 to 1780.

There were also trials that were held in the capital depending on your status within the community.  This was the main courtroom - the accused would stand right were the guide is standing.

Meeting room

We walked around a bit to take in the sites.  Need a hat?

Looks like this kid talked his parents into one.

There was an interesting re-enactment in the street depicting two enslaved people who were trying to get married before he had to leave the following day with his owner for Richmond.

Some interesting buildings.

The Prentis store is an original building.  Merchant William Prentis oversaw construction of this store in 1740.  His family managed the business until 1779.  It is the oldest commercial building in town.

This mid-eighteenth century building was the home of George Wythe, tutor and friend of Jefferson.  Wythe was the first professor of law at an American college, and first Virginia signer of the Declaration of Independence.  Washington used the house as his headquarters in 1781 before the siege of Yorktown.  Five major outbuildings and garden plan reflect a plantation layout.  Furnishings are in the manner of a well-to-do eighteenth-century Virginia household.  We didn't see his gravesite in Richmond but at least we saw his house.

This original eighteenth-century building, expanded to its present site after 1751, housed one of the best known taverns in Williamsburg.  It bears the name of its builder and first owner, Henry Wetherburn, who previously operated the Raleigh Tavern across the street.  A distinguished clientele was attracted by the good food, and festive social life.  An inventory of Wetherburn's fine furnishings guided their replacement.  The tavern has been restored to its appearance of about 1760.

We meandered down to the "shopping" district to look around.  Wendy had suggested the Cheese Shop for lunch so that was our first stop.

I can see why they call it the Cheese Shop!  Besides cheese, we left with some delicious bread.

Years ago when we were in Williamsburg we remembered buying some pewter items.  We couldn't remember the name of it but when we saw this, we knew it had to be the spot.

We were told that it started as Shirley Pewter Shop (yes, that was it!) in 1964.  After a complete renovation in 2013, it became Danforth Pewter.

Yes, we might have bought a thing or two.

We sat and took in the sights and I noticed this friendly face watching me.  Real or not?

Not but it sure looks real

A winery?  Thank you, we will go in.

The next day, we went back so that we could see the Governor's Palace.  The Palace was the home of the Royal Lieutenant-Governor, two Royal Governor's, and the first two Governors of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson.  An act by Virginia's General Assembly in 1706 authorized the construction of a residence in Williamsburg for the Governor.  The Palace, completed in 1722, was destroyed by a fire in 1781 while it was being used as a hospital for Americans wounded at the battle of Yorktown.  The Palace was reconstructed on its original foundation and is furnished to represent the house of the last British Royal Governor of Virginia, John Murray, the fourth Earl of Dunmore, and his family.

The guide took his job very seriously.

The map behind him depicts how Virginians saw the country in the mid 1600s.  Notice the pink of Virginia - they considered that it went all the way to California.

The entry hall was interesting - notice the weapons.  The guide suggested this should be a lesson to all women to never let a man decorate.

The dining rooms were beautiful.

The form of heating was ornate and, apparently, effective.

We learned that these were not called chandeliers but lusters.

Being that we'd just been to Red Hill and learned about Patrick Henry's death while sitting in his favorite chair, this was especially interesting.  The guide stated that this was the actual chair that he was sitting in when he died.  He didn't explain how it got from his estate at Red Hill to Williamsburg which is a significant distance.  We didn't ask how or why it ended up in Williamsburg but perhaps they're not sure, either.

It's called a corner chair because it fits into a corner.

The guide had fun while we was teaching the ladies to curtsy.

The gardens are incredible - can you imagine taking care of this?

And as we left we took a last look at the Palace.

And then it was time to leave.  After so much walking first in the rain, then in the heat, we decided to take the shuttle back to our car.