Colonial Williamsburg
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It is hard to put an address on this attraction, we are talking about a whole Colonial village with hundreds of 18th-century buildings, numerous streets and an ambience that puts visitors in another place and time. To get your bearings, start at the Visitor’s Center and get acclimated to the environment of America’s largest living history museum. For over 70 years, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has kept alive the spirit that began here and created the building blocks of our country and government.
Williamsburg encompasses a district over one mile long and a half-mile in width. Eighty-eight buildings are refurbished originals including the Courthouse, Powder Magazine, Public Gaol, Public Records Office, Bruton Parish Church, Wetherburn's Tavern and the Wythe, Peyton Randolph and Powell houses and Bassett Hall. The rest (over 500 buildings) are reconstructions from documentation found on a 1781 survey. The two of the three major sites, The Governor’s Palace and The Capitol, were rebuilt on their original foundations, whereas the Wren Building was brought back to it's original exterior appearance. Their facade details were accurately recreated from 18th century engravings of these same structures found in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University in England.
Rebuilding Williamsburg to its former greatness as a cradle of liberty was the dream of Dr. W. A. R. Goodwin, rector of Bruton Parish, who in turn inspired Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to become involved with making the restoration a reality. Work started in 1926, and for more than thirty years, Mr. Rockefeller gave his generous and enthusiastic support to the reconstruction. He further established an endowment to provide for the foundation’s educational programs. Thus the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation was born and continues today as a nonprofit educational foundation administering the largest living history museum in the country.
Today, visitors can experience life during the period just before the Revolution and may run into Patriots, Torys, slaves, craftsmen, shopkeepers and ladies on the daily errands, all giving their opinion on the events of the day. Revolutionary City is a multi-day re-enactment of events as they transpired during those dark days and it takes place along the east end of Duke of Gloucester Street (check daily schedule listings for times). Craftsmen and artisans ply their trades in several locations, including wig makers, coopers, leather-smiths, silversmiths, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, gunsmiths and cabinetmakers. Household crafts can also be found, such as candle making, weaving, basket making as well as gardening and animal care. Several kitchens are open with typical and special meal preparations on-going.
Colonial Williamsburg has three museums of note, two are the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum and the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, both may be entered through the Public Hospital building on Francis Street. The third is Bassett Hall, a 18th century house museum and 20th century Williamsburg home of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and his wife Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. The Foundation also has several taverns situated in different locations around the historic area that serves food and ambience that may have been found during the Colonial period.
It's all here! Experience what our fore-fathers went through to make the 13 colonies a great nation, visit Colonial Williamsburg.
Colonial Williamsburg
757-229-1000
For general admission various Day Passes, Multi-day Passes and Year-Round Passes may be purchased for adults, with discounted rates for youth ages 6 to 17.
Evening Programs are ticketed separately and for those only wishing to visit Colonial Williamsburg Museums, separate Museum Passes are also available
Images are © Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
