67 Results for tag "Explore From Home"

• Wythe 102

  So, you think you know George Wythe? Hey, I get it. A few months ago, you read my Wythe 101 blog post. Mulling over the exquisite verbal craftsmanship contained within its 1,616 words, your confidence soars. “I’m giddy with knowledge,” you tell yourself, “I know practically everything about the venerable …

• 5 Things You Might Not Have Known About Martha Washington

  Martha Washington could be considered a household name in America. There are Martha Washington cookbooks, children’s books, and even a Martha Washington Minuet!

• Brewing Beer, sharing Knowledge from England

  Food historian Marc Meltonville brewed a batch of pale ale with our Historic Foodways staff in February.

• Welcome, Lambs!

  As we welcome the most recent additions to the flock, we’re also reflecting on the breed as a whole since this year marks a major milestone for Colonial Williamsburg’s Rare Breeds Program.While the historic sites are temporarily closed to the public due to the coronavirus health crisis, our Coach and …

• “5 Things You Might Not Know About Thomas Jefferson”

  With our nation experiencing a health crisis and a renewed understanding of the word “quarantine,” you might think that Thomas Jefferson would have nothing to say. Think again. Inoculation is just one of the five topics we’ll dive into in in this post.

• Connecting to Past Makers

  When I started my apprenticeship at the Anthony Hay Cabinet Shop in Colonial Williamsburg, I had already made dozens of pieces of furniture as a hobbyist hand-tool woodworker and small business owner. I was fairly well-versed in the tools and techniques that I use every day to construct furniture, but …

• Imagining COVID-19 in the 18th-century

  COVID-19 infection with its attendant morbidity and mortality dominates our current national discourse. Experts work around-the-clock to learn about this novel threat: its source, modes of transmission, contagiousness, clinical manifestations, pathology, mortality, and potential treatments. If we transport ourselves back to the 18th century, how would Williamsburg doctors like William …

• Questions I Get About Gowan Pamphlet

  I portray Gowan Pamphlet, the first known ordained black Baptist preacher in America, along with James Ingram. As Nation Builders, we research the real historic figures we portray and learn everything about them we can. I’ve been interpreting this influential man for about two years now and there are a …

• FAQs with our American Indian Interpreters

  Our American Indian Interpreter unit spearheads programming focused on telling the story of the many different American Indian tribes who lived in Tidewater, Va. during European arrival, or the sovereign tribes who sent political delegations to Williamsburg during the colonial period. Some of this programming includes speaking on the Governor’s …

• “Is that fire real?” And Other Questions It’s Ok to Ask at Colonial Williamsburg

  It’s part of our job as interpreters here at Colonial Williamsburg to answer questions from visitors. In fact, that’s probably the biggest part of our job (it’s quite literally why we are here). With over 300 acres, 40 historic sites and trades, and two art museums, there’s a lot to …

• Getting to know Clementina Rind

  I’m Emma Cross, and I interpret a Nation Builder named Clementina Rind, who lived in Williamsburg from 1765-1774. Her husband ran one of the newspapers, and at his death she took over the business. Rind was the first female printer in Virginia and, as far as we know, the first …

• Dance, Dance (during the) Revolution!

  It’s a known fact that our interpreters have many different skills. We, at any one time, may need to not only be an historian but also a writer, director, researcher, host (or hostess), costumer, psychologist, psychoanalyst… and that’s just on a Tuesday. Another area that our interpreters also dive into …

• Nation Builder Book Recommendations

  Our Nation Builders have a few book recommendations to help combat quarantine boredom. Read up along with our pros, and if you're ordering on Amazon, be sure to use AmazonSmile and support The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. More information on how below.

• Buckle Up!

  “This day I began to put on buckles to my shoes.” —Samuel Pepys, 22 January 1660One of the questions most frequently asked of us in the shoemaker’s shop is how our shoes are held closed. They have no laces and, of course, Velcro is out of the question. All that …

• Dance Lesson 1: Honoring Your Partner

  We’ve all heard the saying, “You have to walk before you run,” often followed by, “And you have to crawl before you walk.” A simple way of saying that before you can achieve the height of anything you might endeavour, you have to start at the basics. In our world …

• Research Spotlight: Delftware Teabowls

  My name is Victoria Gum. As a field technician at Colonial Williamsburg, I spend most of my time excavating at Custis Square. I am very interested in colonial ceramics, especially ceramics from the early 18th century, and what they can tell us about the people who owned and used them …

• From Daub to Dough

  If you’ve visited our Brickyard, you know that you can expect a variety of things to be happening. From treading clay, to molding bricks, to firing, something exciting is always happening and depending on what time of year it is, that something changes. This year something new worked its way …

• New Lambs, New Wool

  The spinners, weavers, and dyers are rejoicing the start of lambing season! The new lambs are spending their time napping, exploring their new surroundings, getting the zoomies and clicking their hooves, and taking lots of “snack” breaks. (Anyone else feel like they’re channeling their inner lamb while #wfh!?). I know …

• Play in the 18th Century

  Children in the 18th century used what they had to make toys. What do you have around the house that can be recycled or reused to make a modern version of some of their toys? Think about ways you can improve your creations and challenge family and friends to make …

• What’s Your Favorite Tool?

  Visitors to the Hay Cabinet Shop often ask us to name our favorite tool. On the face of it, this seems like an easy question; we do not need years of research to find an answer. However, it's a tough thing to choose a favorite among so many tools each …

• The Patron Saint of self-isolation

  Thomas Paine coined these words just five months into America’s independence, and since then, she’s been fighting on. Through her enduring story, she’s battled against prejudice, inequality, and foreign entanglement.Yet the great equalizer, for both time and nations, is sickness. The Founders experienced it through smallpox and yellow fever, and …

• How to Make a Glue Brush

  Greetings from the Hay Shop – Home Edition! Like all of you, I'm working from my home shop at the moment, and finding time for some of the “I'll get to it later” projects that always seem to take the back burner to more pressing things. One of those for …

• Making 18th-Century Dolls

  In the interpretation of slave narratives, we often use a variety of props or objects to enhance the story. Sometimes that is a doll or two which can be seen throughout our programs. One of the women I portray is an enslaved woman named “Betty” who was the cook at …

• Luxury Vegetables of the 18th Century

  How do you turn a tough bitter cooking green like endive, into a delicate and tender salad? Blanching! Covering an endive plant completely from sunlight stops the process of photosynthesis, and it will no longer produce dark green and bitter tasting chlorophyll in its leaves. The result is a sweet …

• A Feast for the Senses

  As we celebrate the beauty of gardening in during our Virtual Historic Garden Week, all manner of plant life is before us to enjoy. Not only is there a feast for our eyes, our sense of smell is also delighted by the likes of the Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa). Found in …

• Dance Lesson 2: The Structure of Two-Couple Dances

  Greetings, Dance Students! We know you have been working hard on your honors from the last installment; be sure to continue practicing those as we move through the series. Today we will focus on the structure of one of the main styles of 18th-century English Country Dancing: Two-Couple Dances. We …

• ON THIS DAY IN WILLIAMSBURG: Trauma in the William Moody Household

  235 years ago on April 24, 1785, Dr. Galt made an entry in his daybook listing care for members of the William Moody household for what must have been a terrible accident. The incident occurred in the middle of the night. William Moody had a fractured hand and a dislocated …

• The Art of Beauty

  On the title page of The Toilet of Flora (1772), we discover the purpose of cosmetics is to “smooth and brighten the Skin, give Force to Beauty, and take off the Appearance of Old Age and Decay.” In the 18th-century cosmetic receipts (recipes) found in beauty and toiletry books, housewifery …

• More than the Voice of the Revolution

  Patrick Henry is best remembered for his famed “Liberty or Death” speech in 1775, but his contributions to the birth of our nation are immeasurable. He served for more than 20 years as a Burgess, member of Congress, Commander-in-Chief of the Virginia Army, and first governor of Virginia for five …

• Bring a little art and history to your virtual world!

  Are you playing Animal Crossing: New Horizon while staying home? So is the staff at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, and we couldn’t help bringing our work into our virtual homes and sharing with you.

• The Spirit of 18th-Century Theater

  The year: 1665. The place: Accomack County, Virginia. Three guys drinking at a tavern struck up a play entitled, The Bear and the Cub. A patron at the bar saw the production and was highly offended. This patron was so offended at the performance that they sued the three actors …

• 3 things you might not know about America’s Favorite Fighting Frenchman

  The Marquis de Lafayette was a French aristocrat who volunteered his services to General Washington and the American cause, to help win Independence for the United States of America. The name Lafayette is widely recognized — perhaps where you are from you have a town, street, county, or park named …

• America’s First Epidemic

  In the Summer of 1793, the United States would suffer its first epidemic as a fledgling nation. Certainly, in years previous, there had been occasions of Small Pox and other illnesses including a 1762 outbreak of Yellow Fever, but this would be the first test of the newly formed government’s …

• Animal Updates

  Although the Foundation has been closed to visitors, there has been no shortage of work and projects for the Coach and Livestock Department. Staff members have been hard at work caring for our animals and preparing for the busy season ahead — whenever that comes!

• Getting to know James

  James Armistead Lafayette was an enslaved spy during the American Revolution. That’s what we had. It wasn’t all we had at the time, but it was close. We knew nothing about his life in slavery, we knew a bit more about his life as a free man when it was …

• Nerves of Steel

  Each tradesperson is familiar with a core set of ten or so questions that visitors to their shop ask all the time. However, on occasion there will be a handful of fresh inquiries that arrive at the shop’s entrance, and often, you can pinpoint the exact source of them. The …

• Dance Lesson 3: Figures

  So, dear readers, we have now given you an introduction to 18th century dance styles, taken you through your honors, and discussed the basic structure of country dancing. Today, we are going to start learning the foundational steps that make up the vast majority of our dances: Figures. Figures are …

• Four Facts about George Mason

  George Mason is admittedly a lesser-known name in the founding father pantheon. Despite inspiring Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and giving America its first Bill of Rights, his name is too often left on the cutting room floor of history. Why is this?As someone who has had the privilege to bring …

• Timber!

  Carpentry was one of the many highlighted historic trades in Washington College’s recent Revolutionary Chesapeake program, offering participants the opportunity to engage with Colonial Williamsburg’s historic carpenters in discussions surrounding the theory and practice of their trade. Participants also received hands-on instruction in some of the many skills required of …

• 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Character Interpretation

  When you visit Colonial Williamsburg, the past literally comes to life before your eyes. You can hear blacksmiths working, smell wood fires in the winter, and taste 18th-century chocolate at the coffeehouse. You may even encounter someone from the 18th century who has stepped right out of the past to …

• Being Uncomfortable in Character

  When I tell people that my full-time job is being a character interpreter for The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, I get lots of different responses. Sometimes people say, “How cute! I would love to play dress-up for work!” Other times, the response is a little more caustic: “Why would you want …

• Counting Spoons

  I am pretty sure you, like me, have been washing a lot of spoons recently! Staying at home and cooking more for yourself and your family will do that. And, if you’re like me, you hate doing dishes. All this is to say, we have some common ground when it …

• Getting to Know Mairin

  Let’s get to know one of the interpreters behind the smiles you see when you visit Colonial Williamsburg. We’ll let her introduce herself …Hi, I’m Mairin, an Orientation Interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg. I’ve been working for CW for three years continuously, but I also worked a summer in 2016 when …

• The Wheelwright Shop’s Most Frequently Asked Questions

  With thousands of visitors over the years, there are many questions we hear at the Wheelwright Shop. Allow us to answer four of the most frequently asked questions.

• How to Use the CW Planner

  You can plan your trip to Colonial Williamsburg online. Use our new CW Planner to find out what events and sites are available during your visit — and included in admission! — to make the most of your time in the colonial capital. Here’s how!Navigate to the CW Planner a.k.a. …

• A Parent’s Guide to Weekly Visits

  Looking for family activity ideas in Williamsburg? If you have the colonial capital in your backyard, why not visit each week? Use your Good Neighbor or Annual Pass to get your family thinking and exploring this summer with themes!We’re sharing a little pre- and post-visit reading, watching and interaction to …

• Inside Capitol Training

  While Colonial Williamsburg is temporarily closed and tentatively scheduled to reopen March 30, we’ve curated a landing page of behind-the-scenes posts, biographical facts you didn’t know before, projects we’re working on, and educational resources. Here’s an account from a recent training at the Capitol.

• Researching 40 Years of African American Interpretation

  It was a sticky July day when I was called to my boss’ office, and a wave of fear and self-doubt washed over me. I had been working as a historian for 3 weeks. What could I possibly have done wrong in such a short time? My mind raced as …

• Behind Our New Virtual Tours

  Each year, one talented applicant is selected to be a Colonial Williamsburg 3D Visualization fellow (made possible in part by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities). This year’s honor went to Rob Cloutier, a professional 3D animator and consultant from Maryland. For the last few weeks, …

• Educational Conferences Go Virtual

  For the last several decades, we have welcomed hundreds of people throughout the year to join us here in Colonial Williamsburg for educational conferences focusing on 18th century woodworking, antiques, gardening, and a host of other subjects. Each conference is as unique in its topic as its attendees, and many …

• Behind the New Behind-the-Scenes Architectural Preservation Virtual Tour

  Since our last look at the Colonial Williamsburg’s virtual building tours, we have been lucky enough to have professional 3D animator and consultant Rob Cloutier return to Williamsburg to continue his work. Over the last eight months, Rob has been developing more 360-degree virtual tours, each one expanding on the …

• DIY Spring Wreath

  Here’s a little quarantine craft inspiration from the archives! Watch Amanda make a spring wreath on a grapevine base, using maidenhair fern, lotus pods, cotton, and assorted straw flowers. Then scavenge your craft supplies or backyard for similar supplies and show us what you make!

• All Thing Being Equal

  The excitement is palpable, isn’t it? You can feel it in your bones! After months of waiting, the best, nay, the most important day of the year is finally upon us: The Vernal Equinox!

• Tales from the Public Gaol

  It is the summer of 1752 and John Sparks, a convicted murderer, sits sweating in his cell at the Public Gaol in Williamsburg awaiting his destiny at the gallows. Perhaps his mind races with images of himself in his final moments at the end of the rope as a crowd …

• One Last Thing …

  Let’s imagine a text conversation between the Washingtons.

• 5 Truths About Tulips

  Tulip season is a beautiful time in Colonial Williamsburg. But do you know the botany and history behind these spectacular blooms? Here are five things you may not know about tulips from the historic trades colonial gardeners.

• Butterflies in the Colonial Garden

  Flitting elegantly from flower to flower, butterflies of all sorts grace the Colonial Garden in spring. They provide a beautiful show of color for those visiting the gardens and are quite the inspiration for artists of all ages. Their flights from plant to plant provide a quiet but joyful pastime …

• Poisons, Potions and Panaceas

  As a volunteer costumed interpreter in the Pasteur-Galt Apothecary, I speak with many guests who want to discuss the plant-based remedies in the popular STARZ series “Outlander.” Claire Randall, a physician schooled in 1960s America, who time-travels to 18th-century Scotland and then to 18th-century North Carolina, utilizes multiple products that …

• Military Buttons At Custis Square and Beyond

  My name is Adam Macbeth and I work as an archaeological field technician at Colonial Williamsburg, currently a member of the crew excavating at Custis Square. This spring, we each embarked on individual research projects aimed at taking a closer look into topics and artifacts that relate to recent excavations. …

• Flying thro’ the Air

  Many a visitor to Williamsburg, while driving on Richmond Road past the College of William and Mary have no doubt seen the Virginia Historical Marker W-40, which reads,“On May 7, 1801, J.S. Watson, a student at William and Mary, wrote a letter detailing attempts of flying hot air balloons on …

• Out of Adversity: The Smallpox Census

  As a historian, my favorite period is the 18th century. People sometimes ask if I wished I lived back then. The answer is, um, no. I love my air conditioning (especially in these Tidewater summers), my freezer, and my microwave — not to mention indoor plumbing. But I do love …

• Call it Macaroni

  Today the only macaroni we are likely to think about is that cheesy delight: macaroni and cheese. But the name of this delicious comfort food has a surprising association with fashion and cultural history of the 18th century. Recall that famous tune Yankee Doodle Dandy. Ever wonder why he stuck …

• Spanish Influenza in 1918

  These words were penned by one of the first women who graduated from the College of William & Mary, 102 years ago. Martha Barksdale and her fellow female students arrived on campus at a moment of profound historical importance. The First World War was drawing to a close and an …

• The Life of an 18th-century Hairdresser

  You may have heard the phrase "behind every great man is a great woman." Well, as an apprentice wigmaker and student of 18th-century fashion, I have a slightly different version: behind every fashionable Queen is her hairdresser. For those of us who study the history of hair, one name is …

• Dad Bods and Teacups

  Writing that historical fiction novel you’ve always dreamed about? The historians of Colonial Williamsburg’s Historical Research department often get questions from fiction writers looking to make their work more authentic. To help you, the historians of Colonial Williamsburg have developed some tips and suggestions for authors seeking adventure in 18th-century …

• Who is James McClurg?

  My name is Tamara Eichelberger, and I am one of the field technicians excavating at Custis Square. Although there are many people who live on the site after John Custis IV, I chose to focus my research specifically on Dr. James McClurg because the standing kitchen on the property has …

• Explore Virtually

  Travel back in time