Rockfish back to Lafayette

Shenandoah Valley to Colonial Williamsburg: 17 July 10

Historic Landscape at Colonial Williamsburg

After spitting out of Rockfish Gap, we followed Karen’s advice (our GPS) and took the I64 back to Colonial Williamsburg to find a room for a night or two.  Woodlands Hotel was perfect – close to the Visitors Centre, had a regular free bus service to the Historic Downtown and was easily accessible to all Virginia’s Historic Triangle attractions.  Not that we needed more things to do!  Even a full day did not give us time to see all of Colonial Williamsburg’s attractions; but we did our best!

On Guard

Just to be clear, all the workers at these historic sites are period re-enactors.  That means their role is not to simply walk about in historical costume looking charming.  They are meant to engage with visitors and take them back to life in 18^th century Virginia when Williamsburg was Virginia’s capital and site of important events before and during the war of independence.  We were in taken back to 1776 - 1781 and became active Citizens at War.  Even our evening meal was no exception.  We dined at Chownings Tavern and were entertained by musicians playing a violin, a fife and a hurdy-gurdy.  Another encouraged gambols, a popular pastime of the day. Others told us gossip about the goings on at the Capitol and the rising burden of British taxes.

Citizens at War

We helped chart the Bill of Rights in the Capitol’s Burgess’s Meeting Room, gossiped politics over coffee in Charlton’s Coffeehouse all before gathering at the Capitol with other citizenry to hear the Declaration of Independence being read (26 July 1776).  Soldiers marched, bands played and we moved in closer to hear American turncoat General Benedict Arnold (20 April 1781) deliver a speech after the English seized Williamsburg.  The crowd booed and hissed, discontent was very apparent; soldiers tried to keep the crowd calm.  We were rather glad we didn’t have our Aussie flag T-shirts on with its apparent British connections!! (Our prepared storyline, if needed, was that Australia hadn’t been discovered yet – and anyway, we were only convicts!)

Prayin' for your Soul behind Charltons

Down behind Charlton’s Coffeehouse, we met for some preachin’ (well - it was a Sunday) and a little more discussion on matters of separation of church and state.  A young soldier expressed his hopes & fears about going to war.  He led us on to meet General George Washington (28 September 1781) who was keen for victory at Yorktown.  He rallied troops and citizens alike to support his efforts in front of the Raleigh Tavern. 

By george, It's George. Washington.

Later that evening, the Cap’n went to a public audience with Marquis De Lafayette to answer questions of the day.  Had we not had a dinner engagement at The Kings Arms Tavern later that evening, our Cap’n may just have enlisted WJ3 in support of the French Fleet.