Williamsburg

One thing is certain, at least for some of us, when you venture into America's past by visiting Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown: what they taught you in grade school about American history is not only a simplified gloss over of the subject, but in many cases just plain wrong. While it's important to see America's wonders in the southwest, like the Grand Canyon and all the other magnificent parks and forests, it's at least as important to visit the places where the country started; to see what happened not so long ago that caused this country to be born, and what the circumstances were that allowed her to prosper.

One place that should be on everyone's “American Adventure” list is Williamsburg. Operated by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation”, this destination location is not only a historical lesson, but a resort destination for everyone. There are no thrill rides that tumble and throw people into the air, but there's a certain thrill in walking down Willimsburg's main street, seeing the people in costume and talking with people in full Williamsburg character; realizing that you could have actually lived here.

While this community contained British loyalists, rebels and supporters of independence, slaves, and indentured servants, there was a purpose to this community, and even then the people involved must have known how important their choices and actions would be.

When you think of Williamsburg, your context is probably its involvement with the American Revolutionary War. While the people of Williamsburg were certainly involved, they also represented an extremely successful colonial city. There were trades people working in all the trades necessary to make life in the “Colonies” as sophisticated as anywhere in the world, and the present day Colonial Williamsburg does a complete job depicting American life in this era.

Williamsburg was originally named Middle Plantation, and was established in 1632 (or 1638 depending on which account you read) as a fortification and place of safety for settlers along the York River, on the northern border of the Virginia Peninsula. The location of Middle Plantation was half way between Jamestown, the established location and capitol of the Virginia Colony, and the area of settlement.