Graffiti Philosophy At The College Of William And Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Beneath this office window on the campus of the College of William and Mary a student scrawled "Under whose window do we seek?" In his or her simple graffiti is an important question for any of us seeking wisdom.  Ah, but we wax philosophic while they, perhaps, were just trying to be funny.

Trio of Trendy Tourists, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

This trio of trendy tourists enjoyed the sites on Duke of Gloucester Street in Colonial Williamsburg.

Pruning In Colonial Williamsburg, Williamburg, Virginia

You rarely see a tool being used in Colonial Williamsburg that is not time period appropriate to the 1770's.  We caught the gardener pruning the trees in the small orchard next to the nursery on Duke of Gloucester Street. We won't tell if you won't.

Tight Rope Walking At The College of William And Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

These students at the College of William and Mary took a little time away from their studies to attach a tight rope between two trees and practice their circus skills.  Maybe it was a physics experiment?

Colonial Camouflage, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

 



One of the difficulties of operating a living history museum, such as Colonial Williamsburg, in which great effort is made to be historically accurate in your presentation, is how to offer necessary modern amenities.  The first photo shows barrels and a box that appear to be shipping crates.  The other photos show how they camouflage a water fountain and recycle bin.

Lady With Carriage, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

This lady about town has her own carriage with bright red spokes and a green wooden chair in place for the seat. A nice rig for a gentle ride through town.

The Sunken Garden At The College of William And Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

The Sunken Garden on the campus of the College of William and Mary provides a large lawn area between the historic Wren Building and Crim Dell with its beautiful bridge.  It is used for relaxation, recreation and, when the trees and shrubs are in full foliage, creates a beautiful view.

The first photo is facing the Wren Building; the second is facing Crim Dell.

Chiswell-Bucktrout House, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

This is the Chiswell-Bucktrout house on Francis Street in Colonial Williamsburg.  It has well-groomed shrubbery and gardens and a couple of acres of pasture neatly fenced.

Liberty Tax Time, Williamsburg, Virginia

Each year, Liberty Tax advertises its services by having folks dress in overdone patriotic costumes stand along the side of the road and interact with those driving by.  This one is certainly eye catching.  It's fun to see but sadly reminds us that the time to pay our taxes is upon us.

John D. Rockefeller's Bassett Hall, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

This is the lane leading to the front door of Bassett Hall, John D. Rockefeller's home in Williamsburg.  Rockefeller was amazingly wealthy and poured millions of dollars into the restoration of Virginia's colonial capitol, now known as "Colonial Williamsburg."  When we last toured the facility we learned that at the time, this was the only home the Rockefeller's owned with fewer than 100 rooms.

Click here to see the floor plan and interior photos. Unlike the other structures in Colonial Williamsburg which are restored to colonial times, this is decorated as it was in the 1930's and 1940's when Abby and John Rockefeller were in residence.

Little Tourist On Duke of Gloucester Street, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

Auto traffic is not normally allowed on Duke of Gloucester Street during the day except for special events at Bruton Parish Church. That makes it an ideal place for kids to romp and play.  This little girl was taking her father in every possible direction while she explored each nook and cranny.

Sculpture On The Campus of William and Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia

These are some of the sculptures located on the campus of The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg.

Inviting House, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

This inviting little house is reminiscent of a Thomas Kincaid painting with light and color accenting a quaint home with a white picket fence.  It is behind the Custis Tenement in Colonial Williamsburg.

Winter Gardening In Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

The gardeners at Colonial Williamsburg's Colonial Nursery are already planting and growing the old-fashioned way.  Bell jars act as individual greenhouses for some plants, while straw and fabric provide cover for others. The large water barrel for the nursery is seen in the background.

Crime And Punishment In Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

The public stocks and pillory are popular attractions in Colonial Williamsburg.  Crime in colonial times was not tolerated and punishment was swift, public and severe. The stocks is the punishment where you sit on a board with your feet through the restraining device while the pillory is the device where you stand with your hands and head through the holes. Common punishments for theft and other misdemeanors included whipping, fines, and some time in the pillory or stocks in full view of your neighbors.  Depending on the offense, the person's ears could be nailed to the pillory board or, at times, branding was used to identify certain criminals and their crimes. A thief could have his hand burned with a "T" to forewarn the general public of his proclivity. So, it's fun today but then, not so much.

Nibbling On A Tree, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

Apparently, these guys needed a little more bark in their diet.  As you can see, they have eaten most of the reachable bark from this tree. It must be tastier than the others since it was the only one visibly nibbled.

Thomas Jefferson Statue, College of William And Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

This statue of Thomas Jefferson stands on the campus of the College of William and Mary and was a gift from the University of Virginia for the tercentenary celebration of the school.

Maid Service In Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

This historic house in Colonial Williamsburg is one that is rented to tourists.  The small sign to the left of the door makes that clear, but the maid service request is a dead give away.  Keeping with historical presentation, it requests cleaning in anticipation of a visit from Mr. Jefferson who later became President Jefferson.

Flat Stanley Meets The Publisher, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

This gentleman, who identified himself as the printer and publisher of the Virginia Gazette, took some time from his busy schedule to ride Duke of Gloucester Street and mingle with the tourists.  In the top photo, he assisted a young boy with his "Flat Stanley" Project, in which a paper doll of the child is sent to someone to visit various spots or visits with the child to have his picture taken with the intention of the children learning about the visited areas. It is based on a popular children's book, "Flat Stanley" by Jeff Brown. Flat Stanley is being held in the rider's left hand on the first photo. They attached him to a paint stick to make it easier to hold him for photographs.

Court House And Magazine, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

The Courthouse and Magazine in Colonial Williamsburg soak up the last of the sunlight at the end of a long day.  For an interactive map of the historic district, click here.

Yorktown Beach At Riverwalk Landing, Yorktown, Virginia

The beach at Yorktown's Riverwalk Landing is empty and quiet now, but in weeks, it will be filled with activity and people.  For now, we can just enjoy the serenity.

Out Of Step Military Drill, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

It is not unusual to see costumed military personnel drilling on the parade grounds or at the armory in Colonial Williamsburg. In fact, they do so in large numbers on a daily basis to entertain the tourists. This session was a little odd in that it was in an alley off of Duke of Gloucester Street and included one member wearing a purple hoody, jeans and sneakers rather than standard military attire. Colonial Williamsburg is usually very particular about being properly attired unless the lady in purple is a guest who paid for the privilege.  Irrespective, they loaded, simulated firing, fixed bayonets and marched off down the street.

Customs House, Yorktown, Virginia

The Customs House in Yorktown was built about 1720 to collect taxes on items shipped into the colonies.  Yorktown was the largest deep water port between Charleston, South Carolina and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In addition to collecting taxes, the building has housed British and French troops during the Revolutionary War, Union soldiers during the Civil War, the African-American physician who also served in the state legislature, was used as a school for African-American children, a general store, a bank, a barber shop, as military housing during World War I, and finally ended up in the care of the Daughters of the American Revolution who restored it for their use and operate it as a public museum on Sundays and holidays.  It is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmark Register.

Bruton Parish Church, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia

Historic Bruton Parish Church dominates the skyline at this area of Duke of Gloucester Street in Colonial Williamsburg.  Click here, here and here for additional photos of the church exterior and click here and here for photos of the interior.

Cannon At The College Of William And Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia

This cannon was nicely framed by a live oak on the campus of the College of William and Mary. The Williamsburg area was prominant in both the Revolutionary and Civil War.