Next we walked to the “Wythe House” and since we were early birds, got a very personal tour for just the two of us! (The tour guide was originally from Buffalo.) Mr. Wythe was the first law professor at William and Mary College, and taught/mentored Thomas Jefferson. You could tell from the house and furnishings that Mr. Wythe was well-respected and of the gentry class. When we went upstairs we met “Mr. Wythe” at work in his office. He told us about his work with nature/science and how he valued education. When I told “Mr. Wythe” I was a teacher for forty years, he thanked me. As we said our good-byes to Mr. Wythe, I shook his hand, and he acted shocked since that would not be the appropriate way to bid adieu in Colonial times. He then taught Ladd and me the correct way to “courtesy” (different for men and women) to say good-bye. We went behind the Wythe house to see the gardens and to visit the basket-making house. As we were learning about basket-making, we heard voices from out on the Green that sounded like a reenactment.
We headed out quickly to the Green in front of the “Governor’s Palace” to find a reenactment practice happening. Hooray! They were reenacting the time the Governor took the colonists’ gunpowder and weapons out of the “Magazine”. They were supposed to be stored there since they belonged to ALL the Williamsburg colonists when needed for protection. The Governor feared the Colonists were getting “restless” and took the gunpowder and weapons out of the “Magazine”. The reenactment showed the Speaker of the House, the head of the Militia, and some of the Militia on the Green marching to the “Governor’s Palace” to confront him about the missing gunpowder and weapons. Other actors were portraying interested colonists, slaves, and bystanders. The head of the Militia and members of the Militia wanted to use force to enter the “Governor’s Palace” to find the gunpowder/weapons. The Speaker of the House was trying to calm them down and use reason to speak to the Governor. The Governor and his guards came out of the Palace and told the Colonists that he had just moved them for “safe keeping” since it was “rumored” that the slaves were planning a rebellion against their owners. Absolutely no one believed that, but the Speaker of the House convinced the Militia to stand down and the Governor and his guards returned to his Palace. (We learned that the Governor and his family “ran away” during the night.) As this reenactment was occurring and we were watching, we were spoken to by the actors/actresses as if we were Colonists, too. They expressed their views to us and encouraged us to participate. What GREAT fun! When it was over and we walked by the group of Militia actors I told them I had a strong feeling they should “go for it”! LOL! We’ve done many, many interesting things and learned lots in “Colonial Williamsburg”, but I think this was the most fun. (I REALLY wish I could sign up to be one of the actors at “Colonial Williamsburg”!)
The next event was held at “The Secretary’s Office” for “The Capitol” of “Colonial Williamsburg”. We got to meet with Thomas Jefferson for the second time of our visit! (One more time and he may well become my new B.F.F.! <g>) The actor portraying Thomas Jefferson spoke in this small building to a group of approximately 40 tourists about the work he and the other Founding Fathers did to help to establish a self-governing republic. Again, he answered spontaneous questions from the audience at the end of his presentation. This presentation by the same Thomas Jefferson actor was just as impressive as yesterday’s was!
We then went to “Merchants’ Square” to find the “Cheese and Wine” shop, which is also a deli, to have lunch. I had a Virginia Ham (What else??!!) and Swiss cheese sandwich, and Ladd had a roast beef sandwich that we ate outside on the square.
We had just enough time to head over to the Art Museum for the next presentation there. This was called “A Conversation with Patrick Henry”. Before the presentation started I got talking (no surprise) with the woman seated next to me. I discovered that she had been a teacher in Boston for 36 years! No wonder we were of “like minds” throughout our conversation! This actor was great, but not as fantastic as the Thomas Jefferson actor. “Patrick Henry” shared his thoughts, memories, and beliefs of his life.
For our short break before the next presentation, Ladd and I looked at some of the exhibits in the Art Museum. One exhibit was the first “hospital” for those with mental problems. It showed the transition over the beginning years, but let me just say, “YIKES!” As I said to Ladd, “If you weren’t ‘crazy’ when you came in here, you most certainly would be in a very short time!”
Our last presentation for the day in the Art Museum auditorium was entitled “My Daughter, My Mistress; My Mother, My Slave”. Two actresses performed the reuniting of Betty Hennings and Martha Jefferson at Martha’s new home, Monticello. Betty Hennings was a slave who raised Martha when her mother died two days after her birth. Later Betty Hennings had six children by Martha’s father. In this presentation Martha’s father had “willed” his slaves including Betty and her children to his daughter, Martha. Their reunion was at first touching and then tense as they confront the harsh truths that will alter the lives they once knew. These actresses were super, too, and also fielded questions so well after their performance!
We caught the shuttle bus back to the Tourist Center. It was now 4:30 and the gift shop there closes at 5:00. Do you think I had time to explore the gift shop and make a purchase in time? If you said yes, you are right! I FINALLY found the type of wine glass with “Colonial Williamsburg” on it that I was looking for!
When we returned to the hotel, Ladd and I decided to walk across the street to a restaurant called “The Whaler” for their early-bird dinner specials. (O.K., I guess we are now officially seniors seeking early-bird dinner specials…ha!) Ladd had clam chowder for an appetizer and a seafood platter for his entrée. I had shrimp scampi over linguine. We both enjoyed our meals and the fact that we just had a short walk back to our hotel.
Our time in “Colonial Williamsburg” was so, so interesting! Should I start a second career, you may just find me in colonial garb participating in a reenactment!
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