Colonial Williamsburg
Thanks to the efforts and love of history, John D.
Rockefeller, Jr saved the Williamsburg Village seat for future generations.
Williamsburg was first established in 1699 as the first capital of the Virginia
Colony after the death of Jamestown settlement. Williamsburg lays between the
James and York rivers five miles inland from where Jamestown, the first English
speaking colony was established in 1607. Rockefeller spent thousands of dollars
of his own money to restore many of the buildings and created a learning center
at the heart of the village so that future generations could learn just how the
colonists lives, survived and maintained their existence in the new world.
I first went to Williamsburg in 1971 with my two
sisters and a brother-in-law on a camping trip and a long weekend exploring
this historical site. I think this was when I fell in love with American
history. Every smell, vision and experience in Williamsburg sparked my interest
in history, crafts, cooking and gardening all at once. Life in Williamsburg is
something to behold and admire because those people who lived there were
pioneers in the creation of this country and our way of life.
Williamsburg
was the center of all learning because it
was made up of famous leaders who walked the streets of this once bustling town
center. The College of William and Mary was created in 1683 and educated
figures that would become memorable to the future nation they would create one
day. Those leaders were, Thomas Jefferson, John Tyler, and James Monroe to name
a few. Williamsburg was the heart of Virginia’s political, religious, social
and economic lifestyle in the New World. It was the capital of the largest
British Colony in the Americas. The craftsmanship of the buildings lasted the
test of time, war and destruction, even for the oldest legislative assembly to
have had so much power and influence over the colonists that it stands today as
a reminder of how much power the British had over the new world. In 1780 the
Capital was moved to Richmond where is it remains to this day. However,
Williamsburg, thanks to the restoration and renewal of the Rockefeller family
money helps us to learn about those craftsman, seamstresses, tailors, cooks,
candlemakers, tinkers and gardeners of old so that we can remember their work,
even though they weren’t politicians and law makers, but average citizens who
built and maintained a beautiful town that helped transform a country into what
we know today as, America.
One of the many things I love about Colonial
Williamsburg are the shops that depict how life was lived back in the day. You
can go into the candle shop and learn how they made their candles, or go into
the cobbler shop and see how they made their shoes, or better yet go into the
paper mill and see how paper is create, then go into the tinsmith shop to learn
how they made their pots and pans for cooking. If you’re hungry you can go into
the sweet shop or the tavern and get something to fill your belly and quench
your thirst. No matter your pleasure, Colonial Williamsburg will have what you’re
looking for except the technology of today. Don’t look for modern day
electronics because you won’t find it. But you will find DVD’s created by the
talented actors that roam around the streets telling what life was like back in
the day.
Author Elizabeth Kilbride is a former
political operative, author, scriptwriter, historian, journalist. business
professional, creative artist, and life coach consultant. Ms. Kilbride holds a
Masters in Criminology and a BS in Business Management who stepped out of the
loop for a while, but who is now back with a powerful opinion and voice in the
direction of this country and our economy. As a life coach, she is available to
counsel individuals to enjoy their dreams and a better life. Ms. Kilbride loves
to travel, photograph her surroundings and is also a gourmet cook who loves to
garden and preserve food for the winter months.
Comments
Post a Comment