This home, which was built in the mid-1750s, belonged to George Wythe, who helped to lead the patriotic movement against England's rule and became Virginia's first signer of the Declaration of Independence. His home, which stands today as part of the Colonial Williamsburg living museum, has been restored to how it would have looked when George Wythe and his wife lived there. Aside from being the home of a famous patriot, the house also served as George Washington's headquarters when the British seized Yorktown. Thomas Jefferson also made a visit to the home in 1776, adding to the house's list of famous guests. Today, visitors can explore the beautiful brick building and perhaps even imagine that they are standing where George Washington once stood.
The Bassett Hall is an 18th Century farmhouse that is known for its prominent owners, lovely architectural details, and Colonial Revival gardens. The house was named in 1800 after its owner Burwell Bassett, who was Martha Washington's nephew. In the the 1920s, John D. Rockefeller Jr. moved in with his wife Abby Aldrich Rockefeller and they renovated the already historic home. Today, you can see how the Rockefellers lived since the building and its furniture has been beautifully preserved. After taking a tour make sure you take a stroll around the gorgeous gardens.
Music aficionados will be sure to love the Virginia Musical Museum, where historic and beautiful instruments from throughout Virginia's history are on display. Visitors to the museum will learn all about the fascinating history of music in Virginia and will recognize some of the famous musicians that have come out of Virginia, including June Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, and Wayne Newton. Kids will delight in watching the music boxes and nickelodeons play music, witness a talking doll, and explore the amusement park musical instruments. Whatever your age, you are sure to be fascinated by the instruments on display at the Virginia Musical Museum.
The Governor's Palace was the home of Colony of Virginia's Royal Governors and later post-colonial governors Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry. Built in the early 1700s, the main building was burned down in 1781 and was reconstructed in 1930. The reconstructed building was based upon the original architectural design as well as influenced by Jefferson's suggested renovations while he was a governor. Visitors can tour this elegant residence which was built to showcase the Crown's influence. After seeing the Palace, make sure you explore the gardens outside and see if you can navigate your way around the boxwood maze.
The Peyton Randolph House is noteworthy because it is both a prime example of colonial architecture, and a reminder of the history of slavery in Williamsburg. The house, which is located inside the Colonial Williamsburg living museum, was built in 1715 and has undergone several restorations. Visitors today will be able to see what the house looked like when in was owned by Peyton Randolph in the early 1700s. Randolph acted as the first President of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, the event that eventually led the forming of the Unites States. Visitors to the house can wander through its beautiful halls while also learning about the slaves that lived in the outer houses, and what their lives were like. The house is sometimes opened up at night for special night tours, during which visitors search for the many ghosts that are said to haunt this big red estate.
Once the capital of colonial Virginia, Colonial Williamsburg is a living history museum, lending stirring insights into its heyday during the 1700s. The centerpiece of Williamsburg's historic district, this territory features winding thoroughfare dotted with charming edifices in evocative Colonial Revival architectural styles. For the better part of the 18th century, the city was the center of the most civilized life in the colony of Virginia. Having undergone a massive restoration, Colonial Williamsburg is today a heartwarming canvas of a culture which eventually made way for the democratic tenor of the country. Today, this antiquated region is permeated with the exuberance and cultural nitty-gritty that comes with glassblowers, blacksmiths, and artisans producing goods by authentic, tried-and-true colonial methods just as they did back then. The period homes, stores, and other buildings are full of interesting things to do and see. There are even costume rentals and historic accommodations which delve deeper into American history.
This home, which was built in the mid-1750s, belonged to George Wythe, who helped to lead the patriotic movement against England's rule and became Virginia's first signer of the Declaration of Independence. His home, which stands today as part of the Colonial Williamsburg living museum, has been restored to how it would have looked when George Wythe and his wife lived there. Aside from being the home of a famous patriot, the house also served as George Washington's headquarters when the British seized Yorktown. Thomas Jefferson also made a visit to the home in 1776, adding to the house's list of famous guests. Today, visitors can explore the beautiful brick building and perhaps even imagine that they are standing where George Washington once stood.
The Bassett Hall is an 18th Century farmhouse that is known for its prominent owners, lovely architectural details, and Colonial Revival gardens. The house was named in 1800 after its owner Burwell Bassett, who was Martha Washington's nephew. In the the 1920s, John D. Rockefeller Jr. moved in with his wife Abby Aldrich Rockefeller and they renovated the already historic home. Today, you can see how the Rockefellers lived since the building and its furniture has been beautifully preserved. After taking a tour make sure you take a stroll around the gorgeous gardens.
Music aficionados will be sure to love the Virginia Musical Museum, where historic and beautiful instruments from throughout Virginia's history are on display. Visitors to the museum will learn all about the fascinating history of music in Virginia and will recognize some of the famous musicians that have come out of Virginia, including June Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, and Wayne Newton. Kids will delight in watching the music boxes and nickelodeons play music, witness a talking doll, and explore the amusement park musical instruments. Whatever your age, you are sure to be fascinated by the instruments on display at the Virginia Musical Museum.
Yorktown Battlefield is the site where the last major land battle occurred during the American Revolution. Ranger-guided tours of the battlefield are available or you can grab a set of headphones and take the audio tour. During the summer months, learn from a costumed actor about the life of a soldier. Activities geared towards children are available.
The Colonial National Historical Park is made up of some of the most important battlefields in the nation's history and memorials to famous war heroes and figures. This park includes Historic Jamestown, Yorktown Battlefield, Colonial Parkway and the Cape Henry Memorial. This vast park lets you travel back to 17th Century colonization and the American Revolutionary War. There is a bevy of family and kid activities including guided tours by extremely knowledgeable historians that will even dress the part of a 17th-century pilgrim, or you can travel by car through the beautiful Colonial Parkway and stop along the way to check out all the sites. Visitor centers and museum shops are located throughout the park so you will never get lost trekking back through history.
The Governor's Palace was the home of Colony of Virginia's Royal Governors and later post-colonial governors Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry. Built in the early 1700s, the main building was burned down in 1781 and was reconstructed in 1930. The reconstructed building was based upon the original architectural design as well as influenced by Jefferson's suggested renovations while he was a governor. Visitors can tour this elegant residence which was built to showcase the Crown's influence. After seeing the Palace, make sure you explore the gardens outside and see if you can navigate your way around the boxwood maze.