Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg

5.8.17

written by Mom mostly from Brie's journal

We spent a lovely day traveling back in time to Colonial Williamsburg in the late 1700's.

In the morning, we hopped on the time travel bus.  It really did have a narration about getting yourself ready to enter the past.  We exited the time machine and entered the colonial city of Williamsburg, the original capital of the Virginia Colony!

We first met a sweet lady who filled us in on the gossip of the town, and asked why Dad had stubble on his face, why Mom was wearing pants, if Jadan was looking for an apprenticeship, and how many tobacco seasons I was.  She told me that this was the best place to find young gentlemen...  "Now, whatcha wanna do is look at their ankles.  Big ankles means they don't have to work,

 and that means they're pretty well off!"

We were greeted by these colonists on the steps of the Court House.

Inside the courthouse, we learned that a citizen (a white man who owned property) could have a trial by jury.  The jurors had to be from his home town - so that they knew his character.

Very different than today!

We toured the Magazine, where we heard gossip that the King's men had recently 

come and taken the gunpowder away... and Governor Dunmore knew about it!

This is the original magazine building.

 The outside wall dates back to the French & Indian War!  (I think.)

A lady soldier here told us about the many weapons stored here,

and enthusiastically told a story about how Blackbeard the pirate

came after the colonies and was killed.

This town sure has some adorable babies!

The governor's palace has a beautiful garden in the back.

Mom was in her happy place.

 

We listened to James Madison tell us a bit about himself.  He began by telling us that he's not a good speaker, and someone (was it John Adams) said that he was the most reserved and quiet imp he ever saw.  This man, however, was a very good speaker.  He talked about how powerful the written word is.  It can be kept, preserved, and other inspiring things I can't remember that I tried to remember.  ...but it was spoken and not written!  ;)  He said something about how England was trying to suppress the flame that was kindled in America, but they couldn't.

Mom asked him if he knew Lafayette..."Well, let's say, hypothetically, that in the future I would run for President.  Hypothetically.  And that I would become President in say, hypothetically, 1809.  And that, hypothetically, Lafayette would come from France to America in 1824...and I would meet him at Monticello, and we might become great friends.  Hypothetically."

He explained why he was carrying that small pocketbook.
 His good friend Thomas Jefferson wanted him to make notes on some American animals, to prove that they weren't "less superior" than English ones.  :)

We toured the Governor's Palace.  Again, lots of weapons.

Governor Dunmore, who served at the kick-off of the Revolution, was an interesting guy.  As tensions were heating up, he went off to fight the Indians and left the colonists to ponder liberty...

In the ballroom were original portraits of King George and the Queen.
When guests came for a ball, they had to bow to the paintings.
George Washington was invited to a ball, but politely refused the invitation.

George Wythe mentored Thomas Jefferson and many others of the Founding generation,
and he signed the Declaration of Independence.

There were bantam chickens at his house!

Inside the house, we conversed with a very delightful older gentleman about Wythe, his cool card table, and the flower posters on the wall which told which ones bloom in which month.

Gotta love the looks on J & E's faces...

We met Benjamin Powell in a room upstairs!  He was very serious and fascinated by the things Mr. Wythe had on the table for his students... "Ever heard of Sampson?  Well, this is a donkey jaw bone, like he used!"  On the globe, the Americas looked so funny and small... but Mr. Powell said that the globe was already outdated.  We're in the 1770's now.  ;)

We listened to a talk about slavery - by Baptist preacher Gowan Pamphlet...

...the Marquis de Lafayette!...

...and George Washington!!

Pamphlet was a free black.  He read us his freedom papers.  He said "Amen!?" a lot.  Did you know that Baptists were put in prison for being Baptists?  Lafayette wanted all the slaves freed, now.  He and his wife started a community for some freed slaves in Africa, proving that they could be productive citizens.  Washington wanted slaves to be freed slowly, not at once.  He tried not to get stuck in debate about it, but his wife posted a runaway slave advertisement in the newspaper, directing inquiries to the President's house.  "Doesn't she know the difficulties that could cause me?"

We love Lafayette!

Then we went to the Capitol - the place where it all happened!

Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington served here!  The men in this building debated over pivotal thoughts and happenings in such a monumental time.  We were in the same room that all that brave, stubborn independence had been!!

We walked about the town and went into some of the shops.

A wig was a sign of status and cost a crazy lot of money.

This very polite soldier showed us on this map the positions of General Washington's army, 

and said that he was in the city to gather supplies.

(Later in a gift shop, we saw him on the cover of a book!)

This dog is named Liberty.  The horse is Toby.  As Toby trotted away from us, 

he farted as only a horse can do... one of Jadan's best memories of the day.  ;)

The girls went to the Foundry and watched as a lady poured liquid pewter into a spoon mold...

Patrick Henry!

He's so dramatic!  :)

Dad, Mom and I went on a walk back to Williamsburg that evening.

We saw three young redcoats leading a group of people with fife and drum, people on ghost tours walking about, Baby cow frolicking in her pasture, and more buildings like this mill...

We talked to a lady on the Courthouse steps about how she likes her job.

She's been working there for 35 years!  She loves teaching kids through fun, relatable story-telling.

Earlier in the day, we had talked with a lady who was gardening in the back yard of the Randolph house.  She often does the baking there, getting up at 5:00 to gather wood to make the kitchen fire.  She teaches people about culture and food as she bakes, and she loves it.

 She really inspired me with her joy in her craft and her love of the past!

I loved Williamsburg.