The Wilkes Team

Prominently situated betwixt the might James and York Rivers in southern VA lays a living historical monument to the founding of our United States some 233+ years ago. During the early 1900s, a growing Virginia population was threatening to put this once bustling town into extinction. However, one local pastor took the initiative and helped birth a vision for what has become an interactive learning center of American History – Colonial Williamsburg.

Have you ever wanted to meet Patrick Henry, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or perhaps Peyton Randolph, a British Red Coat, or a 1700 era slave?

What would it be like in a mid 18th century blacksmith, silversmith, gunsmith, shoe peddler, apothecary, printing, or even a colonial coffee shop?

How did American families live in the mid to late 1700s? What would their children be involved with? How did their furniture, clothing, eating, and free time activities differ form or emulate those of today? How did they decorate for Christmas?

Colonial Williamsburg brings history to life through remarkable re-enactments of both historical and daily events which would have taken place around 1775.

On a recent visit to Williamsburg, we participated in such events, including a mock trial. We entered the town courthouse  wherein three cases involving a number of spoiled hog heads of tobacco, a complaint against spoiled meat in the market place, and the legalities of marriage were brought before the panel of justices (in Colonial America, a justice had to be a white, protestant,  land owning, male). It was noted by several of us, the clear Biblical principles used by the actor playing the chief justice as he explained both the responsibilities of men and women in marriage and the purpose of marriage being to raise children.

With so much to see during our day long visit, we only covered a small portion. Stops included the Governor’s Palace, Courthouse, Blacksmith, Printing Press, and town Gaol (jail).

The day was extra memorable as we were able to spend it with dear friends. Each one of us left Williamsburg encouraged as was later testified of during our return trip home.

We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: (Ps. 78:3-7)

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 31st, 2009 at 12:23 am and is filed under Family News, HIS-story. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.