Colonial Williamsburg, VA

Williamsburg, VA became the headquarters for the Virginia Colony after Jamestown was finally surviving on its own.  They built the Governor's Palace and it had 7 royal Governors of which were Patrick Henry (served 5 terms) and Thomas Jefferson.

Here is the front of the palace with its gates to open up to a huge mall in front (behind me).

This is in one of the rooms of the Governor's Palace. Still original furniture.

Paint has been duplicated.

There were various tradesman - shoemakers, coopers, blacksmith, gunsmith, bookbinders, brickmakers, etc.... that were all set up to display and actually do the craft. I was impressed how every person (except the Visitors) were dressed in period costume and kept their language to that. They never used the language of today or talked about a time past what they were portraying. I think it would be fun to do something like that. Reminded me of Nauvoo in that sense.

This is the courthouse. I am in the red shirt.

This is inside the courthouse. The 4 judges (3 from audience) were seated up on the stand. Before the mock trials started they recruited about 5 different people to bring a case to the court for some reason.  They were handed a script and then the Judge in the robes spoke in old english. He was quick with the ton. Funny!! When one of the audience participates did really well we clapped. He kept bringing order to the court and that we are not at the theather. I loved every moment of it!

This was brick making. They used clay and kids of all ages got in and trudged the clay and water with their feet. There were moms and little toddlers in this when we left. 

This shop was the cabinetry maker. These are real craftsman (in each of the shops) who are working the old trade. They have apprentices and journeyman in their shops. It was fascinating. One man was making an actual harpiscord that will be used in one of the homes they are reconstructing!

This is "THE" original House of Burgess in Virginia!  We got to inside. The left side was the Governor's offices, etc.  The right side was basically the House of Representatives and laid out like we would see in one of our capitols.  This has never been destroyed. This is going back to colony days!!!! Wow!!

Here they are re-enacting the Governor's men closing the House of Burgess. It started to rain LOTS then.

There was a museum that housed "mental - medical" stuff. They had a room that replicated a confined area for someone not stable in the mind. They were put in a room with an ankle chain, given a large pillow like mattress to lay on and a skimpy blanket.  When they were so wired up and would not calm down, they would strap them in the above photo contraption to "calm" them. Notice it has a bucket potty. These people must have been in the chairs for long periods of time! The head piece flipped down over their head to keep them sitting upright.

What an amazing time we had seeing this place. I have wanted to go there for YEARS!  A few weeks before we were there the Mormon Tabernacle Choir did a Flash Mob singing at Williamsburg. Looking at those photos there were hundreds of people in attendance. They day we were there it was extremely light! Perfect for me!