Colonial Williamsburg

America’s past comes alive this year in the Historic Area and museums of Colonial Williamsburg. Guests to the restored 18th-century capital of Virginia, the largest, wealthiest and most powerful colony in the years leading up to the American Revolution, can have fun, re-energize and re-connect with the critical issues of the opening chapter of America.

Guests may discover themselves in the middle of a debate between a patriot and a loyalist or engaged in a lively discussion among family members holding strong, if divergent, views about the issues of the day. Perhaps they will find themselves eavesdropping on a conversation among slaves talking about a runaway, a not uncommon occurrence in a town where the 18th-century population was more than 50 percent black, either free or enslaved.

Colonial Williamsburg guests are invited to public meetings with Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry to discuss troubles with the mother country. Just down Duke of Gloucester Street, the town’s main 18th-century thoroughfare, guests may learn from barkeep John Burgess why the Raleigh Tavern might very well have been America’s most important and historic watering hole.

At the nearby Capitol, guests will be invited to debate political leaders of the day about the relative merits – and dangers -- -- of independence. Guests at the spacious Governor’s Palace will hear Lord Dunmore’s dilemma as he attempts to serve Virginians’ interests while faithfully executing the policies of the crown.

Families are especially welcomed and encouraged to join in hands-on and participatory activities. Whether joining an 18th-century militia or running errands for a shopkeeper, learning about Colonial Williamsburg’s Rare Breeds animal program or dressing in authentic costume, young guests (and the young at heart) are invited to join in children’s games and other leisure activities, household chores and interactive learning at sites such as the James Geddy and Benjamin Powell Houses where colonial family life is particularly emphasized.

Colonial Williamsburg’s newest interpretive site, Great Hopes Plantation, invites guests to become a part of the experience of most 1770s African Americans living and working in rural areas, a stark contrast to life in “downtown” Williamsburg. Back in town, in the backyard of the Peyton Randolph House and at the Raleigh Tavern, urban slave life is explored. Guests discover how slaves developed strategies for surviving and coping with the harsh conditions in which they were forced to live.

Costumed artisans working in Colonial Williamsburg’s acclaimed Historic Trades shops and sites authentically reproduce items and artifacts like those originally found in the town’s colonial homes and workplaces. Many such reproductions now can be purchased at the Prentis Store on Duke of Gloucester Street. By observing the gleaming, intricate work of the silversmiths, inspecting the furniture at the cabinetmaker shop or examining the precise workmanship of a rifle at the gunsmith shop, guests come to appreciate the challenges of 18th-century manufacturing.

A rich and varied slate of Colonial Williamsburg evening programs continues the 18th-century experience “after hours.” Whether attending a candlelit concert at the Courthouse or Capitol, taking an active part in an emotional drama such as “Cry Witch” or laughing along at a theatrical farce like “The Anatomists,” guests are transported back in time to the entertainments and diversions so frequently and fondly attended by colonial Virginians. -Courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg
Williamsburg VA
1-800-HISTORY
http://www.history.org/