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 Bassett Hall in Colonial
Williamsburg by deecat
When you visit, you experience a video program shown in the Bassett Hall reception building that describes the beginning of the restoration of Williamsburg.
For those who do not know, John D. Rockefeller Jr. was an heir of the Standard Oil wealth. He became a wonderful philanthropist who became interested in the Reverand Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin's desire to restore all of Williamsburg. He invited Rockefeller to visit, showing him the Bassett Hall Home.
Eventually, Goodwin convinced Rockefeller to purchase the home. Rockefeller was most interested in the GreatOak, a huge tree that was over 100 years old. Bassett Hall became the Rockefellers' residence during their twice-annual trips to Williamsburg. Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, John's wife, decorated Bassett Hall with folk art. (The folk art museum was developed from her folk art collection.)
The home is a simple two-story 18th -century white frame farmhouse that sits on 585 acres of woodlands, lawn, and gardens. The garden blooms in the spring and in the fall, just as it did when the Rockefellers made their seasonal visits. You can use the trails that the Rockefellers made in the woods and use an audiotape tour.
It's called Bassett Hall because Burwell Bassett purchased it around 1800; it was then acquired for Colonial Williamsburg in 1927. Rockefeller purchased it in 1936, and it stayed in the Rockefeller family until 1979 when it was bequeathed to Colonial Williamsburg. It was opened to the public in 1980, and was completely restored in 2000 (it took two years so it did not reopen until 2002.)
Unlike the rest of the Historic Area (18th century restorations), Bassett Hall appears as it did in the 1930s and the 1940s (the early days of the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg) when the Rockefellers lived here. Leave a Comment
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 Richard T. Nowitz photo of
decorations by deecat
Williamsburg is most well known for its creative use of "natural decorating materials". The houses and public buildings are decorated with crafted arrangements of pine, boxwood, Frasier fir, magnolia leaves, holly, and fruits and berries. Guides lead tours through the historic area and describe the techniques and materials used in the making of the various decorations.
This year (2004),they were to have a conference and classes on this very topic.
I guess for some families, it's a tradition to come to Colonial Williamsburg each year...some have come as newly weds and now bring their own grandchildren! Remember, it is crowded during the holiday seasons so you have to make reservations early.
You can enjoy a candle-lit holiday feast at a Colonial tavern; take in the production of Babes in Toyland at the Kimball Theatre; take part in caroling at various locations throughout town; go to the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum and learn how children of the past amused themselves at "Child's Play: A Celebration of Antique Toys"; take a Christmas Decorations Walking Tour; or learn how Colonial-era enslaved Africans celebrated Christmas at "Everybody's Shoutin' at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum. There is a one-man show performed by Gerald Charles Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens doing A Christmas Carol. Leave a Comment Phone: (800) HISTORY
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 The Capitol by chewy3326Leave a Comment
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 by acemjLeave a Comment
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 BOHEA & COFFEE by matcrazy1
The name "bohea" was formerly applied to superior kinds of Chinese black tea. The name originates from the mountain range where it grew (on the border of Jiangxi and Fujian provinces of China). In 18th and early I9th centuries tea generally, including more and more often an inferior kinds of tea, was called bohea.
I found Bohea in local grocery in Colonial Williamsburg. I have no idea whether it was primarily choicest grade or later an inferior variety of Chinese black tea. The price indicated rather the first option but... it's pricy Colonial Williamsburg. Leave a Comment
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 FAKE PETTICOATS OF THE
FIRST LADY by matcrazy1
Usually the skirt was open in the front to reveal the separate petticoat. The first lady had a little bit different, more modern and easier to fast wear, gown with many... fake petticoats. A real petticoat was a seperate cloth but an essential part of the dress and not an undergarment.
Haha, I just realised that I know personally one, over 70 years old, woman living in a small village close to my hometown in Poland, who used to wear a few skirts (something like petticoats) but exclusively for special occasions (when she goes to a church for example). Anyway, it's very unique custom in Poland, now. Leave a Comment
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 COOK IN THE PALACE
KITCHEN by matcrazy1
Well, I got an impression that in these old times of poor cooking equipment, no exact measurements of quantity and temperature, cooking had to be real art. Making delicious meal depended more on the cook's skills, his taste, nose and heart than on exactly written and done step by step recipe.
The only inconvenience is that those delicious meals cooked by highly skilled cooks were availavble for very few folks of the upper class. I am not sure whether I would be born in rare upper class that time :-). The cooking and preparing food in upper class houses took ages and was very expensive. Leave a Comment
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 SMILE OF WILLIAMSBURG by matcrazy1
Generally I found the USA a very smiling country. Keep smiling is the main and pretty rule in the USA. When you see people smiling all over the place, like I saw in Williamsburg, it is usually for one of two reasons.
One, because they are happy people.
Two, because the business they work for INSIST that they smile at customers.
Of course, after one gets used to smiling everytime they see someone, it becomes a habit, a very pretty habit.
Keep smiling :-)
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 WOMAN IN 18TH CENTURY
WOMEN by matcrazy1Leave a Comment
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 OVEN IN KITCHEN OF
GOVERNOR'S PALACE by matcrazy1
Wood was used for both heating and cooking in colonial Virginia in 18th century. There was a lot of trees in Williamsburg that time. Later on, the wood had to be transported from surrounding areas. During the Civil War, the Union troops which occupied Williamsburg, used numerous wooden fences for heating and cooking. Leave a Comment
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