The George Wythe House as
seen today.
By Stephen May
WILLIAMSBURG, VA. - Over the years, , which recently celebrated
its 75th anniversary, built a reputation in some quarters of
being too pristine, too touristy and too commercial. To
naysayers, it was a nice place to visit, but something of a
tourist trap, obscuring the history lessons it set out to impart.
Whether such criticism was justified or not, there is no question
that today, as this unique site enters the Twenty-First Century,
it has become a place where visitors of all levels of
sophistication and interests can spend rewarding times.
After 75 years of experience and evolution, is, in a word, a
place where dedicated dealers and serious collectors, along with
less informed and focused visitors, can pick and choose among a
remarkable variety of opportunities to see and learn. Some will
be attracted to demonstrations by costumed trades people and
militia drills, while others will take advantage of the chance to
study Eighteenth Century architecture and city planning or
immerse themselves in large displays of folk and decorative arts
in museums and venerable structures.
Located about 150 miles south of Washington, D.C., the expansive
historic site boasts 88 original Eighteenth Century structures
and numerous additional houses, shops and public buildings that
have been reconstructed on their original foundations. Five
museums and five hotels augment the attraction of the Historic
Area and its many gardens. Beautifully maintained, thoughtfully
staffed by costumed interpreters and animated by frequent period
activities, Virginia's Eighteenth Century capital offers as
pleasant history lessons as one could imagine.
The Historic Area recreates Williamsburg as it appeared on the
eve of the American Revolution. An intriguing mix of sights,
sounds and demonstrations immerse visitors in an evocative
atmosphere. Historic homes, imposing public buildings and
colonial trade shops, most fully furnished and staffed by "people
of the past," provide unparalleled insights into what it was like
to live in the heyday of this important community. The past
really does come alive in entertaining and informative ways.
A delightful collection of carved wooden eagles, owls,
roosters, lions and tigers are featured in "Schimmel and
Mountz: Two Pennsylvania Carvers," including this spread winged
eagle by German-born William Schimmel.
Operated by a non-for-profit educational foundation, with an
annual budget of more than $200 million, employs a staff of about
3,500. It is headed by chairman, president and CEO Colin G.
Campbell, a longtime foundation board member and former president
of the Rockefeller Brothers Trust and Wesleyan University.
Campbell's wife, Nancy, is a veteran leader of historic
preservation efforts nationally and in Connecticut.
" is America's premier living history museum and one of the most
significant historical restorations in the world," says Campbell.
"[It conveys] the ideals and values on which this nation is
based."
From 1699 to 1780 Williamsburg served as capital of Britain's
largest, most powerful and most influential American colony.
During those years, the carefully planned community boasted an
extensive variety of shops, taverns, government buildings and
residential structures, and played host to a "who's who" of
American colonial leaders. Here, George Washington, Thomas
Jefferson, Patrick Henry and George Mason, among others, promoted
the ideals of liberty, independence and freedom on which the
nation was founded and which have guided future generations of
Americans and others around the world.
After Jefferson moved Virginia's capital to Richmond in 1781,
Williamsburg became a sleepy town with little activity and
deteriorating buildings. It was saved for posterity starting in
the mid-1920s when the Reverend W.A.R. Goodwin, rector of
Williamsburg's historic Bruton Parish Church, enlisted the help
of Standard Oil heir John D. Rockefeller, Jr, to restore the town
to its Eighteenth Century appearance. To keep his involvement in
the project secret, at the outset the famous philanthropist used
cryptic messages to guide Goodwin in carrying out their plans. In
a December 1926 telegram authorizing purchase of the first
property, Rockefeller urged the prelate to "purchase the antique"
and signed it "David's Father."
With growing enthusiasm, Rockefeller worked with Goodwin "to
assemble the homes and shops, the gardens and greens of the only
American capital capable of re-creation in its Eighteenth Century
form," in Campbell's words. By the time he died in 1960,
Rockefeller had contributed $68 million to . In his efforts he
was ably abetted by his formidable wife, Abby Aldrich
Rockefeller, a devoted historic preservationist and early
champion of American folk art. They spent part of each year at
Bassett Hall, which has recently reopened for public visitation.
For just over three-quarters of a century has provided leadership
and set standards of excellence for the American preservation
movement. In the process of becoming what is called "the largest
living history museum in the United States," it developed methods
of research, education, interpretation and restoration that have
inspired and guided historic preservationists all over the
nation. It is, as historian Philip Kopper puts it, "the jewel in
the crown of American historic preservation."
Chartered in 1669, Williamsburg is one of the country's oldest
planned cities, centering on Duke of Gloucester Street, 90 feet
wide and extending exactly one mile from the Wren Building of the
College of William and Mary to the Capitol.
There are so many interesting structures to visit in this area
that it is difficult to single out those of the greatest
significance. Any list of must-see government or public places,
however, would certainly include: the impressively reconstructed
Governor's Palace, residence of Virginia's royal governor; the
Capitol, also reconstructed and containing rooms where colonial
Virginia's upper and lower houses of government met, where an
audacious resolution was adopted in May 1776 declaring
independence from England; the T-shaped Courthouse, extant since
1770, home of municipal and county courts until 1932, and the
Magazine, dating to 1776, a brick storehouse for arms and
ammunition.
Other outstanding structures include Bruton Parish Church, an
Episcopal church in continuous use since 1715 and a reminder of
the significant role religion played in Eighteenth Century
Virginia when church and state were united. Raleigh Tavern,
originally built in 1717 and reconstructed in 1932, was the first
building opened to the public. It was the scene of such momentous
events as the decision by members of the General Assembly, which
had been dissolved by the royal governor in 1769, to boycott
British goods, and the founding of Phi Beta Kappa in 1776.
The massive Wren Building (1700), at the entrance to the College
of William and Mary at the western end of Duke of Gloucester
Street, is the oldest academic building in use in America.
Visits to individual houses are inevitably educational
experiences. In the handsome, symmetrical brick mansion of George
Wythe, for example, you learn about Virginia's ranking legal
scholar, a mentor to Jefferson, signer of the Declaration of
Independence and one of the most influential figures of his era.
For a variety of reasons he is little known today.
Peyton Randolph was president of the First and Second
Constitutional Congresses, one of the most powerful political
figures of his day and Williamsburg's leading citizen on the eve
of the Revolution. He seemed destined to play a major role in the
contest with Britain and its aftermath -- and might possibly have
become the first American president -- but he died in 1775,
before he could participate in events that would have ensured his
immortality. Randolph's elegant, painstakingly restored home,
part of which dates to 1715, reopened not long ago, offering
significant insights into his distinguished career and posh
lifestyle.
In addition to the wonderfully evocative Historic Area
structures, ambience and costumed interpreters, boasts
world-class museums devoted to American folk art and the
decorative arts. For sophisticated collectors and dealers, these
are likely to be highlights of a visit
The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum is named in honor of
that pioneering collector of a then-neglected facet of our
cultural heritage. It opened in 1957, the first museum ever
dedicated solely to American folk art. The building's galleries
overflow with delightful and often fascinating paintings,
furniture, carved objects, embroideries, toys, weathervanes,
whirligigs and decorative household items. They were created by
untutored artists from the early Eighteenth Century to the
present.
It is easy to understand why "Baby in a Red Chair," circa 1825, a
painting by an unidentified artist (possibly from Pennsylvania)
of a chubby, seated cherub, is an all-time favorite of visitors
to the museum. There are a number of captivating works by Edward
Hicks, the Quaker painter, ranging from versions of his
"Peaceable Kingdom" to "Declaration of Independence." Another
appealing highlight is Charles C. Hofmann's colorful,
activity-filled "View of the Montgomery County [PA] Almshouse
Building," 1878.
The Folk Art Museum is hosting a series of outstanding loaned
exhibitions this year, starting with "The Throne of the Third
Heaven of the Nations Millennium General Assembly," an astounding
assemblage of 180 objects made of wood, aluminum and gold foil.
It was created with religious fervor by a government janitor in
Washington, D.C., between 1950 and 1964. This testimony to faith,
perseverance and imagination, loaned by the Smithsonian American
Art Museum, will be displayed through September 6, 2004.
A delightful collection of carved wooden eagles, owls, roosters,
lions and tigers are featured in "Schimmel and Mountz: Two
Pennsylvania Carvers," on view through December 2003. German-born
William Schimmel emigrated to the Cumberland Valley, near
Carlisle, and in his spare time whittled boldly conceived,
exuberant birds and animals covered with gesso, plaster or
varnish. Aaron Mountz, a Cumberland Valley farmer, carved more
carefully detailed, unadorned pine birds that compete with
Schimmel's menagerie for whimsy and appeal.
"Lions & Eagles & Bulls: Early American Tavern and Inn
Signs," organized by the Connecticut Historical Society and on
view November 3 - September 6, 2004, will showcase a variety of
the colorful and imaginative wooden signboards that once
identified places along American roads. Should be great fun.
Fans of Nineteenth Century fancy and figured coverlets and of
antique toys and dollhouses will find special treats in separate
loaned shows devoted to those genres this year.
Entered through the reconstructed Public Hospital of 1773, the
DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum opened in 1985. Its 11
galleries contain a remarkable and carefully organized trove of
American and English furniture, paintings, prints, maps, silver,
glass, ceramics and costumes.
Appealing to diverse interests are study galleries where
ceramics, furniture, maps and prints, metals and textiles are
permanently displayed. Also on view are notable portraits of King
George III from the studio of Allan Ramsey and of George
Washington by Charles Willson Peale, and a gilt version of
Augustus Saint-Gaudens's celebrated "Diana." The latter stands at
the head of a long reflecting pool in the lovely Lila Acheson
Wallace Garden.
Another memorable sight is an elegant, green, Neo-classic Grecian
Sofa, 1815-25, attributed to William King of Georgetown, now part
of Washington, D.C. King helped refurnish the White House after
it was burned by the British in 1814.
A photographic exhibition, "Building a Museum: The Wallace
Legacy," up for viewing through December, traces the manner in
which Lila and DeWitt Wallace, co-founders of Reader's
Digest, funded the museum that bears the Wallace name.
The museum is also hosting this year "Jewelry: The Collection"
(through December), featuring rarely seen English and American
rings, brooches, necklaces and earrings. Of particular interest
is a gold "Mourning Ring," circa 1800, thought to hold the hair
of George Washington under its glass face.
From April 19 through September 6, 2004 "Different by Design:
Furniture Styles in Early America" will display pairs of chests,
chairs, tables, clocks, desks and bookcases that reflect
distinctive regional influences. The eight pairs of furniture
will also document the diversity of urban versus rural styles in
this country in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries.
"The Language of Clothing," billed as a "blockbuster" exhibition
and on view through February 16, showcases the finest Eighteenth
Century men's and women's fashions. Authentic costumes ranging
from maternity ensembles to black gowns and from formal dresses
to men's suits, as well as children's clothes and fashion
accessories, provide insights into changing ideas of the
aesthetics of clothing and into those who wore it.
Other exhibitions this year run the gamut from mezzotints to
silver nutmeg grinders and from early portraits of southerners to
pewter in 's collections.
One new attraction for many visitors is Bassett Hall, the
surprisingly modest Eighteenth Century white frame house on 585
acres that Mr and Mrs John D. Rockefeller, Jr, occupied while
they oversaw restoration of in the 1930s and 40s. Acquired in
1933 by the Rockefellers, the structure was restored and expanded
over the years and is today furnished much as it was when the
family lived there.
Throughout the house weathervanes, chalkware, American pottery
and artwork by self-taught artists mix with more formal objects
and furnishings from diverse historic periods. The simple but
elegant dining room, for example, features a rooster weathervane
on the mantel shelf, a long dining table, various folk-art
portraits, and two 1936 paintings of Williamsburg by modernist
master Charles Sheeler.
Recently reopened after a two-year renovation, the house also
features an exhibition documenting the role the Rockefellers
played in resurrecting . In addition to touring Bassett Hall,
visitors can see the adjacent teahouse, smokehouse and dairy.
This is an important destination for all interested in the
central role the Rockefellers played in making possible.
offers four colonial dining taverns, replete with Eighteenth
Century fare and a costumed wait staff, and five hotel properties
-- highlighted by the famed, recently renovated Williamsburg Inn
-- in the Historic Area. It is a special treat to stay at one of
the 27 Colonial houses within the site that are set aside for
guests.
Located some seven miles east of and maintained by is Carter's
Grove, an impressive Eighteenth Century mansion and plantation.
The handsome, expansive brick house was restored in the Colonial
Revival style in the 1930s. The grounds include the site of a
Seventeenth Century settlement, reconstructed slave quarters, the
Winthrop Rockefeller Archaeological Museum and a reception
center.
Visionary Dr W.A.R. Goodwin and supporter John D. Rockefeller,
Jr, in front of the George Wythe House, circa 1920s.
Tastefully restored, intelligently interpreted and maintained
with scrupulous historical accuracy, comes across today in a
manner that is likely to win over even the most dedicated
naysayers. Its evolving historical presentations suggest ways in
which we can better understand social and political issues of our
own times. Most of all it is a richly rewarding place in which
the knowledgeable as well as the uninformed can learn a lot --
and have fun doing it.
As philanthropist and benefactors DeWitt Wallace once wrote,
"Everyone agrees that is the most significant and fascinating
historical restoration in the country. Any person is a better
citizen for having spent three or four days in this unique spot."
There are a number of good books about . For those seriously
interested in learning more, the best may well be Philip Kopper's
. First published in 1986 and revised, updated and expanded in
2001, this beautiful volume traces the community's history, its
decline and resurrection, and the present and future of the
place. Bolstered by some 200 superb color photographs and scores
of vintage photos, this is the invaluable resource for history
buffs, preservationists and fans. The large, 319-page book is
produced by Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
Another valuable and informative source is George Humphrey
Vetter's Williamsburg Before and After: The Rebirth of
Virginia's Capital, a lavishly illustrated, 198-page book
that chronicles Williamsburg's history and offers thumbnail
descriptions of major structures. Emphasis is on "before" and
"after" stories and images. First published by the Foundation in
1988, its eighth printing was in 1999.
"The purpose of is to recreate, accurately, the environment of
the men and women of Eighteenth Century Williamsburg, and to
bring about such an understanding of their lives and times that
present and future generations may more vividly appreciate the
contributions of these early Americans to the ideals and culture
of our country."
--John D. Rockefeller, Jr
"Preserved in masonry and weatherboard, and in time, ideas and
experience, gives special definition and meaning to the history
that made us a country, the understanding of which should inform
our lives, the lives of our children, and the lives of future
generations."
--Colin G. Campbell
For information about call 800-HISTORY or visit www..org.
