By Ed Lowe
Senior Writer
American democracy was rocked in many cradles—in Boston, in Philadelphia and in a small historic triangle of land in Virginia centered around Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown. The ads tell you that "Virginia is for Lovers." That's especially true for lovers of history. It was in these towns that American history developed, from its first faint settlement at Jamestown to the final major battle of the American Revolution that established the basis for our country and our way of life.
All three towns are connected by the very peaceful Colonial Parkway, a road maintained by the National Park Service. It's an easy 23-mile drive from one end to the other through trees that arch over the roadway. There are no billboards or gas stations to intrude on your sense of history. You'll find only the occasional directional marker.
At the beginning, there is Jamestown. In 1607, a group of 144 settlers ventured forth from England to the New World. There were no settlements; only tales of savage Indians and of plentiful land and water on which their crops would thrive. They arrived aboard three tiny ships and established a town. Some returned to England with stories of the settlement and with some of the tobacco they had grown. It was an attempt to induce others to make the same journey.
The National Park Service has restored portions of the original settlement. On those shores, Captain John Smith took command of the garrison and John Rolfe took Pocahontas, daughter of Indian Chief Powhatan, as his bride. Smith is an historical mystery. Part pirate, part leader, part settler and part merchant, he assumed several roles during his years of involvement with Jamestown.
Moving past the National Park Service portion of the town, we visited Jamestown Settlement with reproductions of the original ships used by the English settlers. A replica of the fort allows visitors to see how people lived in those primitive years. There are demonstrations of how early settlers used muskets, as well as prepared food, wove cloth, planted crops and otherwise found local means of survival which were foreign to their relatively refined English habits.
Williamsburg is at the center of the Parkway between the two bookends of Jamestown and Yorktown. It is the most fully reconstructed colonial village in America, and it is done with care and devotion to detail that could only evolve after years of study. Arriving in Williamsburg is a step into the 18th Century. Here, the patriots of their time met and discussed the dissolution of their ties to their mother country, England. Here, in taverns and in shops, they gathered to rail against the onerous taxation imposed by the British crown. Here, the first assemblies took place forming the nucleus of our form of representative government. It was here that Patrick Henry said, "I know not what course others might take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death." And it was in the House of Burgesses that the calmer manner of Thomas Jefferson enunciated the reasons for the separation of the colonies from the Crown.
In its time, Williamsburg housed the seat of the Virginia Commonwealth and the Royal Governor. Both his palace and the House of the Burgesses can be visited and have been restored to their original condition. In addition, shops throughout the main street of the town are open with costumed interpreters offering exhibitions of their skills. Many of these interpreters are fixed in time and know of nothing that might have followed 1774. You can visit the wig maker whose periques are to be worn by proper gentlemen when they appear before the royal court. Or you might want to see the silversmith in action preparing earrings for the women of position. The costumes throughout are replicas of 18th Century clothing down to the buckled footwear for which there is no right or left shoe. The Williamsburg buildings are authentic. Many are original, others are careful reproductions.
When dining at one of Colonial Williamsburg's excellent restaurants (all of which serve food prepared from 18th Century recipes), you might encounter Stevie Kauffman, who assumes the role of Christiana Campbell, proprietress of her own tavern. She'll introduce herself to diners and tease those who have beards or who place their napkins into their laps instead of wrapping them at their throats in "proper fashion." In telling the history of the time, she relates how married women have few rights, but as a widow she was able to buy the tavern and operate it with the help of one of her two daughters, the second being married to the mayor of nearby Fredericksburg.
At the other end of the Colonial Parkway is Yorktown. Most eighth grade history students know that Yorktown was the site of the final major American victory over the British in the American Revolution. What isn't taught is the extent to which George Washington, leading a force of 17,000 troops and with the help of a substantial French fleet, prevented the reinforcement of Lord Cornwallis' 8,000 man army, thus forcing the British leader to surrender. This effectively ended the war. At the Yorktown Battlefield site is a visitors' center which details the battle. Free conducted tours walk visitors around the area to show the tactical moves of both the British and Colonial forces. Field guns and other weaponry are on display.
A more extensive view of the Revolutionary War army is available at the Yorktown Victory Center. There, staff members costumed in Revolutionary War uniforms explain an encampment of colonial soldiers. We learn how they camped, cooked their meals, cared for their muskets. There is a demonstration of how a six pound cannon was loaded and fired. "Revolutionary War Sergeant" Don Reimert barks commands like a marine drill sergeant as he guides visitors through the maze of tents and explains the role of the wives, widows and orphans who became camp followers.
During our visit, a group of re-enactors was present. Men and women alike gather periodically to enact battles and to "play soldier" in the context of a particular war. They are more than anxious to tell visitors about the most intricate aspects of their gear and of the strategies used to fight and win important battles.
In one area of the re-enactors' encampment, there were British and Hessian soldiers. In another were French forces friendly to the colonials and prepared to fight along with their leader, the Marquis de Lafayette. We learned a great deal about how Washington fought the war, and nothing glossed over his military shortcomings. The needs of the troops, the shortages of supplies, the mistakes that were made were all clearly in evidence. We were, for example, very impressed by the extent of French involvement and especially by the effect of the French fleet in fending off the British navy. This, along with the overwhelming superiority of numbers in the American force, explains why the well led British surrendered. The entire battle lasted only about 20 minutes. Casualties were light and the formalities of 18th Century warfare were observed in both the fighting and in the ultimate surrender.
Many have visited Revolutionary War sites in Boston, in New York and in Philadelphia, but for a feeling of continuity and fullness, these three towns in Virginia offer a concise, accurate and fascinating view of American history during its first 176 years. Between 1607 and 1783, a nation gestated, was finally born on the battlefield of Yorktown, and with the Treaty of Paris became independent. Its early leaders, ranging from the irascible John Smith to the suave and genteel George Washington, from the gentle Pocahontas to the fiery Patrick Henry, come to life in these few miles of Eastern Virginia.
Within the region, you are also invited to visit some of the early plantations including Shirley Plantation (1613), which has been operated by the same family since 1638; it is considered to be the oldest family-operated business in the United States.
Visiting Colonial Williamsburg is easy. There are several hotel options available. The classic Williamsburg Inn is the traditional luxury hotel. The Woodlands Hotel and Suites offers 300 modern guest rooms. Colonial houses offer historic accommodations in the middle of the reconstructed community. All of them have been upgraded; they contain modern amenities and offer maid service. The Woodlands is an easy walk to the Colonial Williamsburg Visitors' Center where free shuttle busses run to the historic area's various points of interest. Tours of the historic buildings are included in the general admission passes that are available at discounted rates from your concierge.
Bed and Breakfast accommodations are numerous throughout the entire region. You might opt to spend a night in tiny Yorktown at the York River Inn Bed and Breakfast where Bill Cole will gladly explain his unique collection of Pocahantasiana.
After spending your vacation days immersed in historic Eastern Virginia, you will certainly come home with a deeper understanding and appreciation of how our nation's founders lived and experienced the pangs of freedom and independence which have become a part of our personal way of life.
Resources:
www.visitwilliamsburg.com
www.colonialwilliamsburg.com
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