VIRGINIA: Williamsburg

Today is going to be one of my favorite days because I have been looking forward to going to Colonial Williamsburg for years.

We got up early, enticing the kids again to get ready quick so they could go jump on the pillow, and once again it worked!!  Too bad we had to leave our beautiful KOA  . . . we could have just spent a day playing around there because there were so many fun things to do – they even had go-karts to use, and a big swimming pool.  Oh well, next time!! 

We arrived at the entrance to Williamsburg and boy was it crowded.  I think this week, and unfortunately next, is many schools spring break weeks.  Bummer . . . but the great news is that we got the homeschool discount price entrance fee today.  Instead of $39 for adults, which is everyone above the age of 12, and $29 for kids 12 and under, we got in for $15 adults and $8 for students.  Right on . . . that’s the way it should be, don’t you think?   Everywhere we have gone Brooke is sometimes considered an adult because she is 12.  And the teenagers are always considered adults.  Ridiculous!!    I think all the educational sites should always give a student price . . .  I’m just sayin’!!! 

  

Before we left the visitors center to take the bus out to the village, we collected a scavenger hunt for the kids which was supposedly based on a true story about the secrecy of the Patriots during the American Revolution.  They were to start by texting in a number and then we got our secret instructions.  We were told to go to the Prentis Store and tell the clerk you are 368.   We got off the bus and walked right through the town to the store.

We told the kids to quietly go talk to the clerk which they did but not quietly!  He immediately shushed  the kids to be quiet and their eyes & faces were intrigued.  He told them that they are on a secret mission for the Patriots and the only people that they could trust & talk to were people with blue bands on their wrists or tied somewhere on their coat.   He explained that they have to figure out the clues given to them and the first clue will be outside the store in 10 minutes.   He asked the kids for some money and they looked at him like he was crazy.  He smiled and told them 15 pences would do, which was the paper money in their envelope.  They smiled and quietly and secretly gave them the money.  What a great way to make living in this time period real for them!

We waited outside the store for 10 minutes, the kids looking intently for the person with a blue band somewhere on him.  All of a sudden, everyone that was waiting started walking around the corner of the Prentis Store.   We were following a lady dressed in Colonial times who had kept telling everyone to walk quietly and quickly.  She said, “For goodness sake, do you want to someone to notice you?  Hold your tongues!!”    She was serious and playing her part well!!  She walked us to the back shed of the Prentis Shop and quietly informed the kids that they are to find 3 parts to the puzzle – the Who, the What, and the Where.  And when they find each clue they are to text it in to get instructions for the next clue.  It was awesome and incredibly challenging. 

As we worked on the scavenger hunt, we walked around the town visiting each building. We first went to the Printer’s Shop where he showed us how to lay out a newspaper page for that time period with the old set & the old printing press.  What a job that was . . . made me realize how amazing technology is now. 

Next we went to the Magazine & the Guardhouse, which is where they stored all the guns and ammunition, and of course was the watch house for enemies.   They had A LOT of guns in there. 

We walked over to the Palace Green which was a beautiful grass area leading to the Governor’s Palace.  We walked around the beautifully landscaped garden area in the back.    They had a gorgeous assortment of tulips.  We walked around the side of the Palace and they had a full garden area beautifully manicured. 

Then we went through the outside kitchen where servants would prepare all the food before bringing it into the palace.  The Colonial gal dressed as a servant pointed out each type of food that they would prepare . . . onion pie, stew, rolls with currants, pickled onions, stuffed pastries, roast goose or bird of some kind, stuffed squash, bread pudding and many other sweets, and many delicate desserts, many of them made with chocolate which was only for the rich at that time.    

Next we waited in line to tour the Governor’s Mansion.  We had a wonderful docent who really played the part of a Colonial servant.  She walked us through each room and told us all about the special antique furniture, the fabrics, the decorations, the dining room, and the ball room.  The front room had an incredible display of guns which was to show off to those coming to visit. 

After finishing the tour we stopped to see the front of “Felicity’s” home which was used in that movie.  It was actually called the Everand House named after the family that originally lived there

As we walked back down the main street we worked on our clues to the scavenger hunt and went to get some refreshing , old fashioned root beer at the Greenhow store.  We sat drinking our yummy root beer and we asked a lady with a blue band some questions about the clues we were confused with.  She was awesome because she gave us all kinds of information. 

Across the street was the courthouse and the stockades .   We quickly locked up the kids and almost left them there.  J

We walked down the main street called the Duke of Gloucester Street and went through the Wigmaker Shop, the Milliner & Tailor Shop, the Silversmith Shop, the Joiner Shop, the Capitol, and the two Taverns.   It was so interesting to watch how each individual craftsman worked on their specialty.

In front of King Arm's Tavern

The Wigmakers Shop

 At 3:30 on Duke of Gloucester Street every afternoon they do an American Revolution reenactment – a drama of that time period.  We were given a printout of some Revolutionary information and timeline while we waited.  They did a little bit of drama in each area of the street and then at 5:00, at the end of the reenactment, they marched the soldiers down the main street to the market square and did rifle & canon demonstrations.  It was incredible.

  

The rifle shooting!

The Cannon firing!

Also during the reenactment we finished the scavenger hunt and had to meet behind the King’s Arm Tavern at 4:30 to get our reward.   The soldier there told the whole story of our secret mission . . . .  during the American Revolution someone tried to poison George Washington’s peas at dinner, we were the ones to intercept that and tell someone to though the peas out the window, and they way that they found out the peas were poisoned was because the chickens ate them and died.  Ha . . . whether that is really a true story or not, we don’t know for sure.    The kids were each given a large golden coin for all their hard work being spies.

As we were leaving the main street we ran into Benjamin Franklin and just had to get a picture with him. 

 What a fabulous day but I wished we had another day because there was so much more to see.  I can’t wait to come back someday. 

Now we get to drive to Maidens, Virginia so stay with our wonderful friends we met on the beach at Tahoe last summer.  We instantly bonded with them and they invited us to come stay with them on our way through Virginia.  They are a beautiful family inside and out who love the Lord and are amazingly musical.   They write and sing wonderful worship songs, traveling all over the world sharing the love of Christ.  We feel so privileged to have met them and so blessed to be able to stay with them.   The first 7 girls range in age from 48 to 36 and the adorable little one, Clare, who they adopted, is 5 years old.  The 5 older middle girls all live at home with their parents and work on music constantly.   We were so excited to see them tonight and when we arrived they all were there to greet us and opened up their home graciously so that we all had a bedroom to stay in.  What a treat!!