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Colonial Williamsburg is the historic district of the Independent City of Williamsburg, Virginia . Colonial Williamsburg consists of many of the buildings that formed the original Colonial capital of Williamsburg in James City County from 1699 to 1780. Early in the 20th century, the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg, one of the largest historic restorations ever undertaken, was championed by the Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. , who wanted to celebrate the patriots and the early history of the United States of America. Some of the structures from the Colonial period have been reconstructed on their original sites. Many other structures have been restored to their original 18th century appearances. Most buildings are open for tourists to look through. A main source of tourism to Williamsburg, Virginia and the surrounding area, visitors can witness a tree lined interpretation of a Colonial America n city with exhibits including dozens of authentic colonial homes, American Revolutionary War history exhibits, and the town jail, which includes an authentic Stocks and Pillory display. Other notable structures include the large Capitol and the Governor's Palace , each carefully reconstructed and landscaped as closely as possible to original 18th century specifications. Dependency structures and animals help complete the ambiance. One of the most unusual things about visiting Colonial Williamsburg is that costumed Interpreters work, dress, and talk as they did in the era, teaching visitors more about the site, and life in the period represented. Although modern transportation is close by, the tourists themselves are virtually the only things visible that vary from what a day "back in the day" may have really looked and been like. Colonial Williamsburg is owned and operated (as a Living Museum ) by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the non-profit entity endowed by the Rockefeller family. Although it is not directly affiliated with the nearby Colonial National Historical Park , the nearby Colonial Parkway and attractions at Jamestown and Yorktown presented by state and federal entities are complementary adjuncts to the restored area of the colonial city. With Colonial Williamsburg as its centerpiece, the Historic Triangle Of Virginia is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. HISTORY Jamestown On May 13 , 1607 , at a small low-lying wooded peninsula, virtually an island, the Jamestown Settlement was established on the south side of what is now known as the Virginia Peninsula by English colonists. Soon about a dozen subsidiary settlements such as Martin's Hundred and Henricus were established in areas along the James River . The first meeting of a representative government group in the American colonies was held at the Jamestown Settlement on July 30 , 1619 , making Jamestown the first Capital of Virginia. Among the 22 members of the colony was the governor, who was appointed by officials of the Virginia Company in London . The governor in turn appointed six important members of the colony to be his council. The other 15 members were elected by the free men of the Virginia Colony who were over 17 and also owned land. This body, known as the House Of Burgesses , later became the Virginia General Assembly . ''See more about Jamestown today in the Historic Triangle section below.'' Middle Plantation, College of William and Mary Middle Plantation was originally established in 1632. Unlike Jamestown and other early settlements along the rivers and navigable waterways, Middle Plantation was located on high ground about half-way across the Virginia Peninsula between the James and York Rivers . Not only was it at the highpoint of the width of the peninsula, it was also at the western edge of a geographic plateau of the Tidewater Region, from which the land slopes eastward down to Sea Level at the lower end of the peninsula. This was a natural point to build a line of defense for the lower peninsula during early conflicts with the Native Americans . In 1676, after the State House at Jamestown was burned during Bacon's Rebellion , the House Of Burgesses met at Middle Plantation, which was nearby. With education long a goal of the colonists, the College Of William And Mary was founded in 1693 and established adjacent to Middle Plantation beginning in 1694. George Washington received his surveyor's license from the school. Thomas Jefferson and John Marshall were among many of Virginia's (and the nation's) future leaders who received their higher education there, a tradition which has continued for hundreds of years. Williamsburg becomes Capital The statehouse (capitol building) in Jamestown burned again on October 20 , 1698 . Once again, the legislators found themselves meeting at Middle Plantation. The following year, in 1699, in a meeting held by the colonists, a group of students from the College of William and Mary submitted a proposal to move the capital to Middle Plantation, to escape the dreaded Malaria and Mosquitoes that plagued the Jamestown Island site. The capital of the Virginia Colony was relocated to Middle Plantation. Soon thereafter, Middle Plantation was renamed Williamsburg by Royal Governor Francis Nicholson , proponent of the change, in honor of King William III of Great Britain. The new site was described by Nicholson as a place where "clear and crystal springs burst from the champagne soil." In 1705, the first Capitol building in America was built at the end of the Duke of Gloucester Street. Williamsburg was to be the capital of Virginia for the remainder of the Colonial Period. It was the center of the political and social life of Virginia for most of the 18th century. Famous members of the House Of Burgesses which met in the Capital there included Patrick Henry , George Washington , George Mason , and Thomas Jefferson . A fire destroyed the building in 1747. It was rebuilt, but fell into disrepair after the American Revolution . The building now standing on its site is a recreation of the 1705 building. The new Capitol was dedicated with a ceremonial meeting of the Virginia General Assembly on February 24 , 1934 . As a tradition in Virginia, since 1934, Virginia's state legislators have reassembled for a day every other year in the Capitol building at the east end of Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area. Capital moves to Richmond; Williamsburg takes a nap During the American Revolutionary War, in 1779, the Capital of Virginia was moved to Richmond , about 55 miles (90 km) west for security reasons, and there it was to stay. For many years thereafter, the colonial section of Williamsburg was neglected as the modern town was built around it. By the early 20th century, many of the older structures were in poor condition, and were no longer in use. The site on high ground and away from waterways was also not reached by the early railroads. When Collis P. Huntington built the new Chesapeake And Ohio Railway through the area in 1881 , his main purpose was the through shipment of Coal from West Virginia to Newport News and the new Coal Pier on the harbor of Hampton Roads . In fact, the entire Industrial Revolution also seemed to only pass by Williamsburg, with barely a Flag Stop . Aside from The College (technically a University ), to some appearances, Williamsburg seemed to have drifted into sleepy retirement. However, the visions of an Episcopalian minister and the interest of a wealthy American family were to combine to make that sleepy era only a nap in the city's history, as the Colonial era was re-awakened with a new mission. RECREATION AND RESTORATION, COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG TODAY Dr. Goodwin and the Rockefellers The Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin , became rector of Williamsburg's Bruton Parish Church in 1903. The energetic 34-year old native of Nelson County was soon leading a successful campaign to save and restore the historic church building, which had been built beginning in 1711. Dr. Goodwin was also an instructor at the nearby College Of William And Mary , home of the historic Wren Building . .]] In 1923, fearing that the many other historic buildings in the area would be destroyed as time went on, he started a movement to preserve the buildings in the historic section of the town. After working for several years to interest potential individuals or organizations to assist with funding, Dr. Goodwin was fortunate in this effort draw the interest (and major financial commitment) of John D. Rockefeller Jr. , the wealthy son of the founder of Standard Oil . Rockefeller's wife, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller was also to play an active role. Re-creation and restoration started on November 27 , 1926 with the noted designer Arthur Shurcliff as the chief Landscape Architect . Since then, Colonial Williamsburg has been nearly completely recreated. It features shops, taverns and open-air markets in the colonial style. The Governor's Palace and the Capitol building are among the significant buildings built to conjectural designs during the 1930s. Many other newer, but historic buildings were demolished to return the district to an approximation of its earlier appearance. Of the approximately 500 buildings in the historic area, 88 are original. In the western side of the district, near the College Of William And Mary , modern shops have been groups under the name "Merchant's Square". Modern asphalt and brick paving lines the street and sidewalks to make the experience accessible to all. A major 21st century destination Colonial Williamsburg can be described as a combination of a historical Theme Park and a Living History museum in one large and nicely executed package. Both clean and safe, it has become one of the more popular tourist destinations in the world for families and groups. With its historic significance in Democracy , it and the surrounding area have been the site of many summit meetings of world leaders. The Visitor's Center (right off the Colonial Parkway ) features a short movie and is an excellent place to start (and leave automobiles, which are restricted from the restored area, where wheelchair-accessible shuttle Bus service is provided). Grand Illumination The Grand Illumination is an outdoor Ceremony and mass celebration involving the simultaneous activation of thousands of Christmas Lights held each year on the first Sunday of December. The current Grand Illumination event, which began in 1935, is derived from a colonial (and English) tradition of placing lighted Candle s in the windows of homes and public buildings to celebrate a special event. The winning of a war and birthdays of the reigning Monarch s (King and/or Queen) were examples of such national events. (The American tradition of Fireworks displays for Independence Day and other holidays and events is of a similar nature). Local lingo When visiting Colonial Williamsburg, it helps to know some of the local lingo. Locals and employees frequently call Colonial Williamsburg "CW." The main portion is often called the "Restored Area" or the "Historic Area." They also advise motorists to avoid "confusion corner," which is the unwieldy intersection of Jamestown Road, Richmond Road, and North and South Boundary Streets (in front of the Wren Building of The College Of William And Mary , itself often called simply "The College.") Transportation options Getting there The closest commercial airport is Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport about 15 minutes driving distance away. Williamsburg is about midway between 2 larger commercial airports, Richmond International Airport and Norfolk International Airport , each about an hour drive with limousine service available. The land transportation service from Richmond is more dependable time-wise due to periodic traffic delays from Norfolk at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel . Amtrak offers a passenger rail service stop at Williamsburg, as does Greyhound and Carolina Trailways with intercity buses. Williamsburg is located adjacent to east-west Interstate 64 and the parallel U.S. Highway 60 actually passes through the city. Many visitors also approach via Virginia State Highway 5 , a Scenic Byway from Richmond which passes many of the James River Plantations , or from the south via Virginia State Highway 31 and the Jamestown Ferry . A bicycle trail along VA-5 is in the planning stages. Getting around Unlike many U.S. destinations, Williamsburg offers good non-automobile driving alternatives for visitors. The area has both a central intermodal transportation center and a public Transit Bus system. Williamsburg Transportation Center is a combined facility (itself in a restored building) with Taxicab s, Amtrak passenger railroad service, and Intercity Bus service provided by Greyhound Lines (and its Carolina Trailways subsidiary) and Hampton Roads Transit (HRT). The transportation center affords access to the CW Visitor's Center and is located near the downtown and restored areas and the College of William and Mary. CW operates buses with stops close to attractions, although no motor vehicles actually operate on Duke of Gloucester Street (to maintain the colonial-era atmosphere). The community's public bus system, Williamsburg Area Transport (WAT) , has its central hub at the transportation center. Various color-coded routes, with buses accessible to disabled persons, serve many hotels and motels, restaurants, stores, and non-CW attractions in City Of Williamsburg and much of neighboring James City County and part of York County . HISTORIC TRIANGLE: JAMESTOWN, WILLIAMSBURG, AND YORKTOWN The Historic Triangle is located on the Virginia Peninsula and includes the colonial communities of Jamestown , Williamsburg , and Yorktown , with many restored attractions linked by the Colonial Parkway . Colonial Parkway The National Park Service 's Colonial Parkway joins the three popular attractions of Colonial Virginia with a scenic and bucolic roadway carefully shielded from views of commercial development. This helps visitors mentally return to the past and maintain the ambiance while moving between the major attractions by motor vehicle or bicycle. There are often views of wildlife and waterfowl. Many visitors and local citizenry feel this two lane roadway is the best (but certainly not quickest) way to move between the three points. Near the James River and York River ends of the parkway, there are several pull-offs, where some families allow their children to feed bread to the Seagull s. (Warning: No trucks are allowed, animals and birds have right-of-way over vehicles, and the modest speed limits are vigilantly enforced). For an even better experience, some visitors choose to approach the area from the south by water from Surry County with a ride aboard one of the Jamestown Ferry s, which include the ''Pocahontas'' and ''Williamsburg''. As passengers cross, they can walk about the boat or go up to an enclosed viewing level with restrooms. Weather and daylight permitting, passengers usually see the Jamestown Island much as the first colonists may have approached it. In fact, the replicas of Christopher Newport 's three tiny ships, '' Susan Constant '', '' Godspeed '', and '' Discovery '' are docked near the northern ferry landing. (Both the Jamestown Ferry and Colonial Parkway are toll-free). Jamestown The first permanent English settlement in the New World which was established at Jamestown in 1607. Today, you can visit the Jamestown Festival Park and Jamestown Island attractions. Included are recreations of a Native American village and colonial fort, and Archaeological sites where current work is underway. Yorktown Yorktown is where General Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington in 1781, ending the American Revolution . There are two large visitor centers, battlefield drives, and a waterfront area. Commercial Enterprises Notwithstanding the successful efforts to provide a non-commercial atmosphere at the three Historic Triangle areas (and on the Colonial Parkway between them), there are many hotels, motels, campgrounds, restaurants, shops and stores, gasoline stations, and amusements close by. Several major attractions are:
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