Mr Williamsburg, Revolutionary ideas on real estate!Hampton Roads Virginia

Benjamin Franklin once said "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Returning guests to Chowning’s Tavern are going to be very happy indeed. Chowning’s opens for the season today, reimagined as an authentic 18th-century ale house with a new menu, hours and décor.

Alewerks Brewing Company has created three craft beers based upon authentic beer recipes from the 18th century. Old Stitch, Dear Old Mum and a brand new selection are served along with other beers, Virginia wines, cocktails, root beer, soft drinks and other beverages. In the arbor garden behind the tavern, a full-service bar and dining tables overlook Market Square.
The interior of the tavern has also had a makeover. “Thanks to paint research, we know more about the interior finishes of taverns and similar structures. What we’ve found is that interiors were much brighter than we previously thought,” said Matt Webster, director of the Grainger Department of Historic Architectural Preservation. “So, we have repainted the interiors to better represent these findings. Using paint from Benjamin Moore’s WILLIAMSBURG color palette, the ceilings are painted hardwood putty, mimicking whitewash, and the woodwork is now a rich cream called bracken biscuit. The dark finish has been removed from the floor, which has been treated to look as if the boards are unfinished as they would have been, even though they do have a protective coating.”
A display cabinet inside the entrance to the ale house holds archaeological fragments from the excavations of tavern sites throughout the Historic Area.
“Our Historic Trades tinsmiths at the Anderson Armoury site have created tin wall sconces which add to the authentic look of the interior,” said Webster.
Chowning’s now opens daily at 11:30 a.m. and remains open until 11 p.m., with no reservations required. Menu changes include shepherd’s pie and light fare served all day, including pork sliders, flatbreads, corn chowder, trenchers and salads. Favorites such as Welsh rarebit are still found on the menu, as are Chowning’s famous desserts.
“We’re located in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg’s Revolutionary City,” said Seth Farrell, director of Historic Area hospitality operations. “We invite guests to stop in any time all day long, whether for a full meal, a refreshing drink or a dessert. The atmosphere at Chowning’s is informal and welcoming, but the authenticity of the tavern that people have come to love remains intact.”
On April 18, Chowning’s launches a new beer tasting event, “Beers in the ’Burg,” from 4-7 p.m. in the arbor garden. The featured brewer for the event is Alewerks Brewing Company. Guests will taste 10 different beers, including Old Stitch, Dear Old Mum and a third beer Alewerks created exclusively for Colonial Williamsburg. Tickets for the event are $25. For those who want to enhance the experience, light fare to accompany the beer tasting will be available for purchase during the event.
Additional Beers in the ’Burg tastings are tentatively scheduled for May 23, June 20, Aug. 8 and Sept. 19. Tickets are available at all Colonial Williamsburg ticket locations or by calling 855-296-6627 or online at colonialwilliamsburg.com/plan/calendar/beers-burg/
Chowning’s Tavern is located at 109 E. Duke of Gloucester St. in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area. Free parking is available in the tavern parking lot located on Francis Street just west of Blair Street any time, or after 5 p.m. in the employee parking lot located on Franklin Street just east of Botetourt Street, accessible via Lafayette Street.

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Colonial Williamsburg has published its first fully revised official guidebook since 1985. 

At 256 pages, “Colonial Williamsburg: the Official Guide” is the first to focus on what happened in Williamsburg and why it mattered – then and now. For onsite help, prices, programming and directions, Colonial Williamsburg’s Explorer app, available by free download from the Apple App or Google Play stores, provides current information the way today’s travelers have come to expect. 

“We wanted our new guidebook to delve into the Revolutionary history behind the people, buildings and trades in the Historic Area,” said Bill White, the Royce R. and Kathryn M. Baker vice president of productions, publications and learning ventures for Colonial Williamsburg. “The Revolution sparked on the streets of Williamsburg changed the world. This is the book to consult before and after visiting to remember that this story – Colonial Williamsburg’s story – is the story of every modern citizen devoted to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence.” 

The book features a comprehensive history of Williamsburg during the Revolution, site-by-site and architectural histories, information on historic trades, profiles of Revolutionary figures, famous and not-so-famous, and a sampling of works from the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. Also included is everything guests need to plan their visit, including information on hotels, taverns and restaurants, recreation and shopping. The guidebook has stunning new photographs, illustrations and maps and places Williamsburg in the context of its location between Yorktown and Jamestown. Additional information about the guidebook is available on Colonial Williamsburg’s “Making History” blog at http://bit.ly/MHGuideReview.

The new guidebook was printed in the United States and is available for $19.95 at WILLIAMSBURG Booksellers at the Regional Visitor Center, Everything WILLIAMSBURG in Merchants Square, at Colonial Williamsburg’s official hotel gift shops, online at www.williamsburgmarketplace.com or by calling 800-446-9240.

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The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation welcomes production of AMC’s hit spy drama “TURN: Washington’s Spies” to the Revolutionary City this week.
Based on the book “Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring,” by historian Alexander Rose, “TURN: Washington’s Spies” attracted an average of 2 million viewers in its first season earlier this year. Production of the show’s second season starts this week, with shooting scheduled for Wednesday evening at Colonial Williamsburg’s Governor’s Palace.
“The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation strives to accommodate media productions that are consistent with the Foundation’s core educational mission. The HBO miniseries ‘John Adams’ stands as a leading example,” said Janet Eason, Colonial Williamsburg’s director of marketing communications. “We believe that our collaboration with “TURN: Washington’s Spies” will be highly advantageous for both the Foundation and the community as a whole, and we are working with the production team in hope of forging an ongoing partnership.”
The show’s success coincides with growing popularity of Colonial Williamsburg’s technology-assisted alternate reality games RevQuest: Save the Revolution!, which the foundation promoted on AMC during “TURN: Washington’s Spies” first season. In the games, would-be Colonial agents tap classic spycraft to aid the cause of independence, first at home on their computers, then using their mobile devices in the Revolutionary City itself. More than 43,00o people played last year alone.
“TURN: Washington’s Spies” stars Jamie Bell as Abraham Woodhull, a farmer living in British-occupied Long Island during the Revolutionary War, who bands together with a disparate group of childhood friends to form the Culper Ring. Together they risked their lives and honor, and turned against family and King, for a fight they believed in passionately, ultimately helping George Washington turn the tide of the War in favor of the rebels.
The series production in Williamsburg is also slated to include filming on the Historic Campus of the College of William & Mary, and was facilitated by the Commonwealth through the Virginia Film Office.
To accommodate filming, the Governor’s Palace will close to tours at 4 p.m. Oct. 1. Ticketed evening programs will proceed as scheduled in the mansion’s advance buildings. The public is welcome to visit the Revolutionary City that evening, although scheduled production activity will not be visible from accessible areas on Scotland Street and on the Palace Green.
In addition to Bell, the series also stars Seth Numrich as Ben Tallmadge, Daniel Henshall as Caleb Brewster, Heather Lind as Anna Strong, Kevin R. McNally as Judge Richard Woodhull, Meegan Warner as Mary Woodhull, Burn Gorman as Major Hewlett, Angus Macfadyen as Robert Rogers, JJ Feild as Major John André, Samuel Roukin as Captain John Simcoe and Ian Kahn as George Washington. Joining the cast for season two are Ksenia Solo as Peggy Shippen and Owain Yeoman as Benedict Arnold. Its first season was also filmed in Virginia at several locations including Richmond, Petersburg, and the Shirley and Scotchtown plantations.
Other AMC series include “Mad Men,” the winner of four consecutive Emmy awards for outstanding drama series, the current back-to-back drama series winner, “Breaking Bad,” and “The Walking Dead,” the most-watched drama in basic-cable history.

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The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is celebrating a $2 million endowment gift for the George Wythe House.

The foundation says the endowment from Janet and Alan Coleman of Greenbrae, Calif., will assure the preservation of the home in the historic area.

“We are deeply grateful to Janet and Alan Coleman for this important and symbolic gift to Colonial Williamsburg,” said Colin Campbell, president and CEO of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. “The Wythe House is an iconic home in the Historic Area. The foundation is fortunate to have such extraordinary benefactors, whose generosity assures its preservation for future generations.”

Janet and Alan Coleman, both California natives, are members of Colonial Williamsburg’s Goodwin Society and Life Members of the Raleigh Tavern Society.

“George Wythe was one of the most prominent leaders supporting independence for America,” said Alan Coleman. “He stood in the very highest regard among his peers. His scholarship and leadership were of the highest order, and the history associated with his home reflects his stature, as well as his political and scholarly accomplishments.”

Continue reading →

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Colonial Williamsburg trustee and major benefactor Forrest Mars Jr. of Big Horn, Wyo., has made a $1 million commitment for construction of a Market House in the center of the Revolutionary City. It is the third major historic reconstruction funded by Forrest Mars since 2007 with gift funds totaling $11 million.

“Forrest Mars’ most recent gift for the Market House affirms his belief in the importance of the Revolutionary City as a stage for teaching history and engaging guests,” said Colin Campbell, president and CEO of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. “We are extremely grateful for his vision and his generosity.”

Early in the 18th century, the colonial legislature set aside an open space midway between the Capitol and the College of William and Mary to be used for markets and fairs. By midcentury, Market Square was an important center of community life with daily markets and auctions.

Despite its well-known existence, physical evidence of Williamsburg’s 1757 market house is scarce. The building was used through the early 19th century until it was replaced by a new structure in 1835. During the earliest years of the restoration, Dr. W. A. R. Goodwin repeatedly urged reconstruction of the Market House, but the time was never right. Today, reconstruction of the 18th-century market house will restore one of the central features of Market Square, bringing greater vitality and authenticity to Colonial Williamsburg’s interpretation of economic and social life in colonial America.

“I am excited by the prospect of having a new market building as the centerpiece of commerce in today’s Revolutionary City, just as it was in the 18th century,” said foundation trustee Forrest Mars.

Colonial Williamsburg’s reconstructed market house will be a wooden structure on a brick base, measuring approximately 20 feet in width and 40 feet in length with a shingled hip roof. The sides of the building will be entirely or partially open.

Archaeology on the Market Square site will be conducted this summer. A possible timetable may have a reconstructed Market House in use by 2015. When the new market house is complete, it will serve as the location for outdoor sales, adding to the vibrancy of the Revolutionary City experience.

Previous gifts by Forrest Mars include $5 million for reconstruction and endowment of R. Charlton’s Coffeehouse and $5 million for reconstruction and endowment of the James Anderson Blacksmith Shop and Public Armoury, including the recently completed Tin Shop, which formally opens this fall.

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Merchants Square announces the launch of an inaugural eMagazine that provides readers with a window into the magic of the Square over the holidays. Filled with beautiful images of Merchants Square, gift ideas and fun suggestions for holiday entertainment, the interactive magazine can be viewed on a standard web browser or downloaded as an iPad application.The eMagazine allows viewers to see more facets of the picturesque shops and restaurants and link directly to their websites when something is of interest.

Read the latest issue here

Merchants Square, the shopping and dining district adjacent to Colonial Williamsburg’s renowned Historic Area, is home to more than 40 shops and restaurants. Built in 1935, Merchants Square is recognized as one of the first planned shopping malls in the United States. In 2005 Merchants Square was added to the National Register of Historic Places along with the Williamsburg Lodge and the Williamsburg Inn to make up the Merchants Square and Resort Historic District.  Merchants Square properties are owned by Colonial Williamsburg with the majority leased to private business owners. . For more information on Merchants Square, visit www.merchantssquare.org. 

Williamsburg is located in Virginia’s Tidewater region, 20 minutes from Newport News, within an hour’s drive of Richmond and Norfolk, and 150 miles south of Washington, D.C. For more information about Colonial Williamsburg, call 1-800-HISTORY or visit Colonial Williamsburg’s website at www.history.org.

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Special “Bring a Friend” Ticket Offers Admission to Special Summer Programs, Trade Shops,

Exhibition Buildings and Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg 

Colonial Williamsburg annual pass, collegiate pass and Good Neighbor pass members can “Bring a Friend” for 50 percent off the price of a single day ticket, providing access to all museums and exhibition sites for up to 20 friends at half price.

The “Bring a Friend” ticket offer is exclusive to Colonial Williamsburg pass members and is available until Aug. 31, 2012.

The regular full price of a single day ticket is $39.95 for adults and $20.95 for youth. “Bring a Friend” tickets are valid for one day and may be purchased at the Colonial Williamsburg Regional Visitor Center.

The summer season includes programs only offered during the summer months, including the alternate reality game, RevQuest: The Lion and the Unicorn, a spy game that engages families with text messaging, clues and the chance to save the Revolution. 

This offer is not available for online purchase. Pass members must present an active pass when making a purchase and are limited to the purchase of 20 per household.

For more information, call 1-800-HISTORY, visit the Colonial Williamsburg Regional Visitor Center, 101-A Visitor Center Dr., Williamsburg, or online at www.colonialwilliamsburg.com.

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Sad story in the The Washington Post  today on the “fate” of Carter’s Grove,

For 260 years, it steadfastly survived looting, flood, hurricane, earthquake, a Hollywood crew filming a now-forgotten Cary Grant movie, and a marauding Revolutionary War colonel who billeted his Redcoats there and, legend has it, rode a horse up the main staircase, hacking the grand railing with his sword along the way. A 1928 renovation diminished the Palladian perfection of its exterior, but still, it endured.

Carter’s Grove may have finally met its ruin, however, in the unlikely form of Halsey Minor, a brash 40-something technology investor living in San Francisco.

After considering Minor’s moral failings against the Mayses, the unpaid roofers, Colonial Williamsburg, his own lawyers, Carter’s Grove, and, implicitly, all of Virginia and humanity, [federal bankruptcy judge Stephen C.] St. John gave Minor 48 hours to pay the Mayses. If Minor didn’t produce the money, St. John vowed to “re-devote my life to attempting to figure out how to remind Mr. Minor that you don’t invoke this Court’s protection and authority with the cavalier attitude he is now displaying.”

Minor sent a check, and on March 15, St. John had everyone wait while the caretaker and Minor’s lawyers took the check to a bank near the Norfolk courthouse to make sure it cleared.

Read the rest here.

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Colonial Williamsburg continues its Friday Evening Lecture series at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 20 in the Visitor Center Theater, 101-A Visitor Center Dr., Williamsburg.

Warren Billings, a visiting professor at the College of William and Mary School of Law, delivers a lecture titled “Of Quill Pens and Foolscap: Writing Early Virginia History.”

Prior to this talk, Billings will be at the WILLIAMSBURG Booksellers located in Colonial Williamsburg’s Visitor Center from 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. to sign copies of his books. They include “The Little Parliament: The Virginia General Assembly in the Seventeenth Century” and “Sir William Berkeley and the Forging of Colonial Virginia.” Both are available for purchase, for $30 and $24.95 respectively.

Billings is a historian of colonial Virginia and Louisiana law. He chaired Preservation Virginia’s Jamestown Rediscovery Advisory Board from 1994 – 2008, was a member of Preservation Virginia’s Board of Trustees from 2002 – 2008 and was re-appointed in 2011. He served on the federal Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission from 2003 – 2008, the Board of Directors of the Louisiana State Museum from 1989 – 2004 and was historian of the Supreme Court of Louisiana from 1982 – 2005. In 2002, he was Visiting Williams Professor of Law at the University of Richmond.

A past fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a former Virginia Historical Society Mellon Research Fellow, Billings received the Virginia Historical Society’s Richard Slattern Award for Excellence in Virginia Biography in 2005. He also lectures frequently on subjects relating to colonial Virginia and early Louisiana.

The event is free and open to the public.

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One week after Blair Underwood traced his roots through areas of Virginia, country superstar Reba McEntire will appear and trace her Virginia connections.

James Horn, a noted Colonial Williamsburg historian will be featured on this weeks Friday episode of the NBC show “Who Do You Think You Are?” as he helps singer and actress Reba McEntire learn about her family roots.

James Horn is vice president of research for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. He is the author of numerous books and articles on colonial America, most recently A Kingdom Strange: The Brief and Tragic History of the Lost Colony of Roanoke,  and A Land As God Made It: Jamestown and the Birth of America,, and is currently editing the writings of Captain John Smith for the Library of America series.

The episode will air Friday at 8 p.m. on NBC. Learn more about the program on the show’s website.

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Locals can buy their annual Good Neighbor passes for $10 but admission to out of state residents for Colonial Williamsburg will normally cost $23 for a one day pass. Here is a special for the next two days where you can purchase CW admission for $11 Buy it here

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