LeGrand and I were staying in DC with Kellie and the kids this summer. One day LeGrand felt particularly good so we decided we ought to make the trip to see where our country got started. Previously touring Philidelphia, Washington DC, Mount Vernon, etc., our patriotism levels were sky high. We were hopelessly hooked on American History so while we were in the neighborhood we decided to take an overnight trip to Virginia to explore the Historical Triangle.
You can buy a ticket that will get you into some great preservation sites in Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown. Each is wonderful, but everyone told us to spend most of our time in Williamsburg so we started there. Williamsburg was remamed after the King of England after the capital of the Virginia Colony was moved there from Jamestown in 1698. The town received a royal charter as a city in 1722, and was the center of political events in Virginia leading to the American Revolution.
The Colonial Williamsburg Park is an is a large living museum of early American life. It has dozens of restored and recreated buildings and reenactors. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. We loved this place and could have spent days there.
Of course, we were still under British Rule in early Williamsburg, but
colonists were getting tired of the oppression. This palace was the house
of the British rulers of the colonies until the Revolutionary War.
Thomas Jefferson address--I loved this lecture! This was one of my favorite memories and made me really think about the events that led to the formation of the United States of America.
George Wyclith Home--Original home where Washington and many of the framers of
the Declaration of Independence met.
LeGrand outside the original Church of England where the colonist met in Williamsburg.
Among the men of the Revolution who attended Bruton Parish Church were Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Richard Henry Lee, George Wythe, Patrick Henry, and George Mason.
The Pew of the Jefferson Family
This is the speaker's stand in the Church. Notice the little roof above where the
speaker stood that amplified the sound to the congregation. This was a very cool church
and you can still attend services there. We decided to go to a wonderful LDS ward that Sunday,
but next time, we'll go to both services. I wanted to sit in the church where so many of
our founding fathers worshipped!
This was the cobbler's shop where this guy made shoes. Beautiful store. All the
store shop keepers and actors would stay in character and discuss issues of the
day with us or explain how they made or created their wares.
LeGrand attended an organ recital in the Wren Church built on the College of William and Mary campus. The campus was named after the British Emporer William III and his wife Mary II and is the 2nd oldest college in the country after Harvard.
The organist played from orginial musical transcripts copied by hand in England from the masters' scores by the original organistof this church. LeGrand loved this event and was thrilled to see this performance. He told me all about the Wren Chapel and I told him all about Thomas Jefferson.
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The chapel of the Wren Church. LeGrand took me back later to see this, but a
wedding was taking place and we did not get to enter.
Williamsburg Courthouse -- We attended a trial sesson in this English Courthouse to learn about the British Judicial System. The tourists were pressed into service to represent all the people involved in the court. It was hilariously fun and educational too! The Court Clerk- Sober and Sanctimonious
Patrick Henry -- "Give me liberty or give me
death!" This lecture/performance was
outstanding! After it was over, some in the audience
came up and asked questions. The actor stayed
in character and answered so intelligently.
Patrict Henry
The Palace Gardens -- The Colonial Williamsburg historical site is
so clean and well-kept. The gardens of the original palace
were beautifully done in the old English style. |
