SWAC Niece with Colonial Williamsburg music interpreter.I spent Saturday in Williamsburg with my family and, on an incredibly gorgeous late-fall day, we strolled Duke of Gloucester Street and bought gingerbread from the bakery and did all the things that make a trip to Williamsburg fun.
Growing up an hour's drive away, I have known the place all my life. I can remember when free shuttle buses drove up and down the streets. As middle schoolers, we were allowed to roam on our own away from the parents, hopping on and off the shuttle bus at will around the Colonial area. When we were older, my sister's boyfriend attended William and Mary so we spent our post-high school weekends hanging out on campus and Duke of Gloucester Street.
It's where my family was vacationing on 9/11/01 ... we heard about the planes crashing into the Twin Towers from an historical interpreter ... and I frantically made phone calls to my parents in Richmond and sister in D.C. to be sure everyone was safe.
While some things have changed -- a ticket is required to enter almost any historical building now -- some things will always remain the same. The gingerbread is still good. Christiana Campbell's Tavern is still pricey for my wallet. The ambiance is still wonderful. And the little kids always want their pictures taken in the stockades. I obliged for my 11-year-old nieces.
I get lost in the history of Virginia ... of America ... as I take in the Capitol and imagine spirited debates amongst our forefathers as they fought for freedom from Great Britain and set up the foundation of government for the Commonwealth.
I admit I'm a history nerd ... always have been, always will be. I love being a Virginian.
First published November 29, 2006
Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
Growing up an hour's drive away, I have known the place all my life. I can remember when free shuttle buses drove up and down the streets. As middle schoolers, we were allowed to roam on our own away from the parents, hopping on and off the shuttle bus at will around the Colonial area. When we were older, my sister's boyfriend attended William and Mary so we spent our post-high school weekends hanging out on campus and Duke of Gloucester Street.
It's where my family was vacationing on 9/11/01 ... we heard about the planes crashing into the Twin Towers from an historical interpreter ... and I frantically made phone calls to my parents in Richmond and sister in D.C. to be sure everyone was safe.
While some things have changed -- a ticket is required to enter almost any historical building now -- some things will always remain the same. The gingerbread is still good. Christiana Campbell's Tavern is still pricey for my wallet. The ambiance is still wonderful. And the little kids always want their pictures taken in the stockades. I obliged for my 11-year-old nieces.
I get lost in the history of Virginia ... of America ... as I take in the Capitol and imagine spirited debates amongst our forefathers as they fought for freedom from Great Britain and set up the foundation of government for the Commonwealth.
I admit I'm a history nerd ... always have been, always will be. I love being a Virginian.
First published November 29, 2006
Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
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