Days Inn Williamsburg Colonial Historic Area

Colonial Williamsburg

by MandaJ320

Williamsburg is great for young children. It's a time warp to the 1700 colonial days, complete with a whole village of historical fun. It really is like you've stepped back in time.... and it's a must see for anyone who likes history.

Have a ball

by b1bob

Ballroom dancing was as much a symbol of status in colonial days as how many total acres of land you owned or what your title was. Honoured guests would dance a couple at a time in descending order of rank to the tune of the harpischord and (then) new-fangled piano. The guess was at that time that the piano would go out of style.

Tappahannock

by gipper84

Tappahannock is more than just the midway point on the road of my weekly pilgrimage to Northumberland County to visit my girlfriend Jessi. It is a picturesque small town on the Rappahannock River and the gateway to the Northern Neck which dates back to the earliest colonial days.

Tappahannock was established by the colonial legislature in 1680 and laid out in uniform half-acre squares. 68 lot numbers and 8 more slip lots along the river were the original lot numbers. A town square designated for public use set off by four landmark buildings.

I was impressed by the architecture. The old brick house in the picture is the Custom House. It is believed to be older than 1750 when its first recorded owner was Archibald Ritchie. In early times, it adjoined the Rappahannock River bank where its basement floor is still just above high water mark, while the rest of the building is two stories above this. In the mid 1780s, the Port of Tappahannock was established and Lawrence Muse was Collector of Customs for both the Town and County of Essex lived here. It is now a private home and a stop on the town's historic walking tour.

I like to shop for antiques even if I can't always afford them. There are almost a dozen small and locally-owned antique shops.

Tappahannock is only 40 miles east of Richmond on Route 360 and every June, it has the Riverfest.

History Re-Created

by jne7299318

"An Overview....."

Because I am a teacher, I have to take vacations when school is closed for major holidays. So, for the Christmas holiday of 2002, I spent the week in Williamsburg, Virginia with my mother and son. I returned later that summer on my way to N.C.

Williamsburg today is a re-creation of what the town was during the establishment of our country. People walk around in period clothing giving talks and demonstrations on Colonial life. All persons of the time period (rich, poor, slaves, indentured servants, politicians, priests etc.) were equally represented. The roles they played in the development of the United States were described in detail throughtout the town.

Several museums can also be found in Williamsburg. Permanent displays as well as special exhibits also provided insight into what life was like during colonial days. I found the mental health museum to be quite fascinating. The Abbey Aldrich Folkart Museum had a special exhibit called (will add later) which took my breath away. (this exhibit can now be found at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.).

Many homes of prominent families and individuals, as well as families of workers and artisans are re-created in Williamsburg. Although many of the properties are not authentic, they have been recreated to represent what housing was like during colonial times. Many of the re-created properties have been thoroughly researched so that accurate replications could be made.

One special event that takes place during the Christmas holiday season is a wreath making contest. Actual residents of Williamsburg make wreaths of natural materials and display them on their doors. The wreaths are judged for prizes. I don't know how they chose winners.... all of the wreaths were beautiful.