Day Trip to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia and Yorktown
Colonial Williamsburg
The day we visited Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia was exceptionally warm and sunny for October. We met some friends (who happen to live in the area) and walked the streets with them and with our son and his girlfriend.
My husband, Bill, and I are on the right and Wallace and Susan Williamson are on the left. We have been friends with them for a very long time but they moved from our community many years ago. Getting to spend the day with them was a real treat.
If you have never visited Colonial Williamsburg it’s a fun way to teach your children or grandchildren about history. You can stroll the streets and step back in time to when life was much slower paced. “From hands-on activities to guided tours of original 18th-century buildings to our unmatched folk-art collection, there’s something for everyone at Colonial Williamsburg.” From the Colonial Williamsburg Website
Bruton Parish Church
One of the first places we went was Bruton Parish Church.
This shot was made of the side of the building because I wanted you to see the bell tower. The church was established in 1674. The sign outside the building reads, “The present church building has been in continuous service of God and man since 1715.” Some of the more famous people who attended there were Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Patrick Henry.
The bell in the tower of the church is the Virginia Liberty Bell and I wanted to go upstairs and see it but it was off limits to the general public. It was made in England and donated by James Tarpley. It was the communities way of communicating, not just for church. It announced all the big happenings listed below.
This is a picture of the bell that hangs in the front of the church. This bell was made from the same cast as the Liberty Bell.
From the church we continued on down the street and walked past houses and businesses. Some buildings were originals, but many were replicas. Visitors have the option of touring by coach or by horse and buggy. It was such a beautiful day we opted to walk.
I enjoyed watching people working on crafts and there were lots of souvenir options.
There were ladies fans on display, too. They were beautiful and I enjoyed seeing them but what I found fascinating was “fan signals.”
I never knew that there was a sign language for fans! Makes me wonder if any lady ever accidentally sent the wrong signal to a gentleman across the room!
We finished the day with a drive over to Yorktown. We parked and walked down to the monument. The day was getting late and the river behind the monument was helping to cool things down.
On October 29, 1781 this monument was authorized by Contintental Congress just after the news of surrender reached Philadelphia. Construction didn’t begin for 100 years. It was completed in 1884. Liberty Sita atop the Victory shaft and it was severely damaged by lightening. A new work replaced it in 1956.
It was a wonderful day trip and if you are anywhere near Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia I highly encourage you to go visit.
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