Always, the night before we leave for CW, my son starts humming Yankee Doodle and my daughter gets more fluttery and excited.
Lafayette’s medal from King Louis XVI
Thursday we arrived and ventured to Kimball Theater for a presentation from the Marquis de Lafayette, which is always wonderful.
At the end, my son wanted to meet with Lafayette to ask for a picture of the medal he received from King Louis for valor while fighting in the American Revolution.
Footman at the royal governor’s carriage
While walking to the street theater program, we saw the royal governor’s footman posed dutifully next to the carriage in preparation for the first scene.
Seeming familiar to me, I cocked my head.
Quickly he stepped out of character gave me a quick thumbs up and grin, then returned to character again!
Oh! I met him at the 1859 baseball game!
And thus the entire weekend went, various people recognizing us and giving us pause to remember where we had seen them before.
Constitution Day Concert
That evening we attended a special concert to celebrate Constitution Day, featuring the Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps, the USAF band, and the CW George Washington.
Gardens of Gentility Tour
Friday morning we took the Gardens of Gentility tour. This was extremely interesting.
We toured the palace gardens, which represent the ultimate genteel garden.
We looked at their kitchen garden, orchard, peek-through windows, and the symmetry of the pleasure gardens.
Since CW is a living history museum, you never know who will walk by, like Patrick Henry.
Incidentally, this was his home as the first governor of Virginia.
Then we went to the Wythe garden (to represent gentility of the gardens on a smaller scale)…
…and the kitchen garden behind the Geddy House to represent a middling garden.
Ending the tour, the guide assigned us the lovely homework of walking through the other gardens to identify its type.
Meeting Gowan Pamphlet
Then we joined other homeschoolers to visit with Gowan Pamphlet had received his freedom and was a Baptist minister.
Telling us about the Great Awakening, Pamphlet affirmed that it drove the colonies to unity before the American Revolution.
Learning to read at the Bray School, he told us about his teacher, Ann Wager.
18th Century Playhouse
Then we went to the playhouse and watched a few skits, common to the era.
The cast of characters included a doctor named Dr. Gargle and Mr. Lovewell
Meeting George Mason
While walking to the street theater for the Friday program, one of the gentlemen smiled and welcomed me, remembering our family. He was George Mason, who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
I told him that we were practically neighbors, since we live near his home of Gunston Hall.
Viola de Gamba and Harpsichord Evening Concert at the Capitol
That night we attended a musical concert at the Capitol, surrounded by candlelight.
The Viola de Gamba accompanied by the harpsichord gave us beautiful music.
Through the Garden Gate Tour
Saturday we began the day with another garden tour, Through the Garden Gate, which showcases the architectural research to recreate the gardens with accuracy.
We walked through a few gardens off Waller Street, land that had been owned by Mann Page.
The kids looked for dependencies in the garden that matched the picture cards the tour guide gave them.
During the tour, a man who takes care of the pigeons came over to show us one up close! Lancelot was incredibly gentle and soft.
Meeting Patrick Henry
Then we went to the private audience with homeschoolers, featuring Patrick Henry.
His father had a small Latin school at home for the area boys.
He was asked to give his famous speech, “Give me Liberty or Death!”
Well, that wouldn’t happen until the future, but he is always willing to delve into the future, so he told us what he might say!
It was great! He always says he can talk to us about anything in the future, because history repeats itself.
On many an occasion, I’ve heard contemporary questions asked, that Henry can answer, using stories from his era.
75th Anniversary Governor’s Palace archaeology and restoration tour
Then we went on a special 75th anniversary tour of the Governor’s Palace about its archaeology and restoration.
That afternoon we went to Basset Hall, which was the colonial home of the Rockefellers who provided the finances to restore the historic area.
They lived there every April and October and had the gardens specially designed for those bloom periods.
The gardens continue to reflect that, so I told the family we need to tour the house again in those months to see the gardens.
Evening dance at the Capitol
That evening we went to the Capital to dance! We all got to dance as 100% participation is required.
I danced with the colonel, who with a thick Scottish accent talked in my ear, to either chit chat or give me direction and twirling me about.
This is the colonel, who left before I could have my picture taken with him.
My son’s partner…
This is my other dance partner, who also did a great job narrating for the evening.
We each got to dance two dances, while a few more were demonstrated for us.
75th Anniversary Capitol Archaeology and Restoration Tour
Sunday we took the 75th anniversary tour of the Capitol, again about the archaeology and restoration.
Tailor Showcases Fancy Waistcoat with Fancy Buttons
We took a visit to one of my favorite places, the tailor and I analyzed, as usual, the garment he was sewing.
My son told him I needed to make a new costume for him, since he’s outgrown the old one.
He’s grown 5″ since moving to Virginia!
The tailor showed us a fancy waistcoat with fancy buttons, that I could replicate for my son to wear to the next dance.
Colonial Games
After some refreshment, my son borrowed some hoops from the Kings Arms Tavern and played up and down the Duke of Gloucester Street.
Then he asked me to participate. How can I say no? I had never played this before, but it was fun.
Then my daughter got into it and the three of us were hitting hoops up and down the street.
Then we went to the Geddy House to tour the home and his Silversmith shop. In the backyard are games like mancala, ring toss, hoops and nine pins.
