Williamsburg Historic Triangle is at the Center of American History
What is It- Three seminal events relating to the history of America took place over two centuries in a coastal section of Virginia near the Chesapeake Bay and the James River. These events began with the founding of the first permanent English Colonies in North America by the Virginia Company at Jamestown in 1607 and continued with the expansion of colonial life and exploration of representative government at Colonial Williamsburg during the 1700s. The third historic event was the decisive victory of the Continental Army and French forces over British forces at Yorktown in 1781. These historic locations, often referred to as the Historic Triangle, are now educational and historic landmarks.
In addition to these important places, legendary figures from the nation's past such as Patrick Henry, James Monroe, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Marquis de Lafayette, and others lived nearby or participated in important events there. Each of these three sites have been developed into living museums and outdoor national historic sites for the public to enjoy. Together with many other family-oriented activities in the area such as Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country, they draw more than three million visitors each year. The main places you can see and explore in the Historic Triangle are:
COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG
Over the past five decades, the historic center of Williamsburg has been molded into a pedestrian friendly village that encompasses 301 acres of cobblestone streets, town greenspace, and parks. The historic district also contains several hundred restored and recreated buildings from the 18th century period of the Virginia Colony. Some of the most popular experiences available for visitors who also purchase an admission pass to the village include the following:
Visitors Center- The Visitors Center located adjacent to the parking and transportation center is a great place to begin a visit to Williamsburg. This majestic building includes two theaters which present a classic film about the background of the Revolutionary city called "Williamsburg-The Story of a Patriot". The Visitors Center also has a large bookstore, cafe, and restroom facilities. Visitors can walk along a rustic path through the woods for a short distance to reach the main part of the village or take the shuttle bus that stops at various locations around the perimeter.
Governor's Palace and Palace Green- Taking a guided tour of the Governor's palace and viewing it from the impressive Palace Green are an important part of the Williamsburg experience. Throughout the colonial era, seven royal governors occupied the Palace, and it served as a constant reminder of the English Crown's authority over the Virginia colony and its residents. The residence featured gardens, a canal, fishpond, stables, and terraces and was lavishly decorated with imported furniture and goods. The Palace served as a prominent meeting place and venue for colonial celebrations and balls and required dozens of servants and enslaved people to maintain it for the colonial administration. Used later by Virginia's first two elected Governors, the palace fell into disuse until reconstructed by Colonial Williamsburg in the 1930s.
Historic Trades- Some of the buildings in the center of Williamsburg are devoted to the two dozen historic trades that were part of daily life in colonial times. Many of these buildings are located along the wide thoroughfare of Duke of Gloucester Street or its side streets. These exhibitions feature craft people in period dress who provide demonstrations or explanations of the skills used there. For example, you can see a colonial pharmacist's medical treatments for various ailments at the Apothecary or a blacksmith shoeing a horse, along with a carpenter, gunsmith, silversmith, and printer hard at work.
Live Performances - Live performances of staged plays and costumed historians are another prominent feature of Williamsburg. Some of the Nation Builders bring history to life by portraying a famous speech by one of the many important people who lived in the region or by firing the noontime gun at the magazine. Other role players march in a fife and drum parade or converse with guests about their daily work as a servant or enslaved person in the house of one of the city's wealthy residents.
Taverns and Dining- Williamsburg has also restored or recreated many of the inns, taverns, and food stands that would have nourished residents and visitors in the 1700s. You can sample cider, tea, and baked goods at one of these shops, or explore the peanut soup, meat pies, and cured hams in popular restaurants such as the Kings Arms Tavern.
Other Activities- As a living museum, Williamsburg employs experts who are continually working behind the scenes on research, conservation, and preservation activities. In addition, there are special events throughout the year such as Presidents' Weekend, a Juneteenth celebration, Drummers Call parade, and the popular Christmas season decorations and Grand illumination Celebration.
YORKTOWN
The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown explores the important events that led to the American Revolution in 1775, and the climactic battle that caused the total surrender of Britain's large army in Yorktown in 1781. The film "The Siege of Yorktown" along with gallery exhibits show how a strategic plan developed by Washington's Generals and the French navy enabled the colonists to surround British troops at Yorktown peninsula, mount a siege, bombardment, and naval blockade of the British encampments, and prevent their reinforcement or rescue by the British navy. Yorktown effectively ended the war, and many of the important people and prior events that led to that day are explained in another film called "Liberty Fever" and in colorful museum displays. Next to the Museum is a recreated Continental Army encampment where visitors can learn about the daily life and activities of a soldier. Close by are also remnants of the battlefield sites where the opposing troops were deployed along with their earthworks and siege lines.
JAMESTOWN
The third historic site in the Williamsburg Historic Triangle is the Jamestown Settlement. The outdoor part of the museum recreates one of the ships that brought the English colonists of the Virginia Company to North America in 1607, an early fort built around the settlement in 1610, and an Indian village. Inside the museum, a sociodrama and other exhibits show the challenges experienced by the Jamestown colony in seeking to build and maintain a permanent settlement on inhospitable land, coexist with the local Powhatan Indians, and survive winter conditions and poor harvests. While the Jamestown settlement failed, it provided the foundation that allowed Williamsburg and the Virginia Colony to grow and prosper.
WHEN TO GO AND WHERE TO STAY
The southeast coast of Virginia has pleasant weather throughout the year with 6 to 9 rainy days per month. For planning purposes, both the outdoor and indoor attractions at all three locations in the Williamsburg historic triangle can be enjoyed from early April through the end of December. However, both the temperature and the humidity can get quite high in the late summer, so plan your time carefully, especially if spending a lot of time outdoors at Jamestown or Williamsburg during those months. Cold temperatures at night, combined with limited daytime hours and occasional episodes of freezing rain and light snow, can make visits to the area less enjoyable from January to March. Once you arrive in the Williamsburg area, there are plenty of hotel options to consider. The Colonial Williamsburg Inn, located within the historic area, retains a long-standing reputation as a classic and romantic lodging and dining destination. Within a five-mile radius of Williamsburg, all the major hotel and motel chains are well represented by properties geared to both luxury customers and family travelers. Yorktown also offers many lodging facilities and bed and breakfast offerings.
The Traveling American appreciates the additional photographs contributed by Terri Pierse to this article.