Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-15

hD8Y Atlu n StlEnlc VI AItlCfl~
can history
The most extensive restoration project
ever attempted in the world already is
under way in the little college city be-
tween the James and York rivers,
drowsy In the heat of the early Sum-
nler amid its nodding hollyhocks and
tiger lilies.
With the financial backing of John
d. Rockefeller. it,, it Is 10 be rebuilt to
present almost exactly the same picture
il presented when the defiant oratory
Of Patrick Henry was shocking the
House of BurgeSses and when Jefferson
played the fiddle in Gov. Fauquier's
palace.
The cost Of the restoration has been
vartcusly estimated between four and
i've million dollars. No specific sum
has been named, however. according to
Or. william A. R. Goodwin, member of
the faculty of the College of william
and Mary, who Is in charge OF the
work. The understanding with Mr..
Rockefeller Is that the restoration Is TO
Be made as nearly perfect as possible,
regardless Of expense
Time has passed lightly over the old
city. Other places of equal note In the
pre- history of the Re-
public have been altered 50 greatly and
50 extensively by progress that the cost
Of restoration would be prohibitive.
Williamsburg, too, has changed tn q
century and q half, but to a far less
degree than Boston. Philadelphia. Tren-
ton, Alexandria or Fredericksburg. The
new buildings which have arisen on the
foundations Of the old are for the most
part frame structures. which can be
torn down without any very great loss.
Besides, there has been no extensive
business development bringing great In
creases in population and In the value
81 land.
Many OF the old brick and frame
houses familiar to Washington, Jefier-
son, Madison and john Marshall are
stfIl standing. They viii be repaired
and preserved. The newer houses viii
b. torn down. Literally 4 city is to be
wrecked and built again In the interests
of patriotism and historical research.
Old country houses scattered all over
Virginia are 10 be purchased and moved
70 Williamsburg TO replace some Of the
demolished structures. In other cases
new houses are TO be erected, copied
exactly from models Of the old buildings.
The area to be restored Is about q
mile long and half q mile wide--the
same extent which was occupied by the
city in colonial days. Outside this tract
dwelling houses in modern style may
be erected for those who prefer them.
The restored section viii be the prop
erty Of the corporation which has been
Organized 10 carry out the work, and
the buildings viii be rented The husi-
ness section along Duke Of Gloucester
street. the main tkorougffare OF the
town, now, as at the beginning. win be
retained, but gaudy store fronts, cleo
trio signs and other evidences Of mod.
ernism viii be prohibited.
WILLIAMSBURG is situated on the
Peninsula of Virginia about so
miles east Of Richmond and 20 miles
northwest Of Newport News It is easily
accessible by boat, train or automobile
from Washington. II now has a popu-
latton Of 2.462 persons. many Of them
iinesl descendants of those who lived
there in pre-Revoiutionary days, living
I'm the same old houses The town was
laid out In 1882 and named In honor OF
King William III, who had just sue
ceede6 10 the throne Of England after
the fight Of James H. In 1899 the
government Of the Colony Of Virginia.
which then extended west To the Mis-
kisSippi. was moved TO Williamsburg
from jamestown. The College OF Will
liam and Mary already was located
there. having been established by royal
charter In 1893.
The town is rich ia architectural and
historical memories. There was written
the Virginia bill OF r!ghN which after
ward was incorporated In the Constitu-
ton. There the Declaration Of indie
pendence received It's inception in a
resolution adopted by the House Of
Eurge&Seg. There Patrick Henry made
his celebrated speeches. There Wash
ington and Lafayette planned the battle
Of yorktown Williamsburg is the Old
est incorporated city In the United
States.
The dream Of making old Williams
burg g. memorial city Of the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries long had been
In the mind Of Or. Goodwin and his as
sociates. The Wythe house had been
restored, and also the Briton parish
church, said TO be the oldest house OF
worship In continuous use In the United
States. Then, quite Unexpectedly. the
attention of Mr.. Rockefeller was called
20 the project, and he provided the
financial backing TO make the dream
come through.
AIreadv tide has been obtained To
Nnoet OF Lfle property which will be In
volyed I'm the restoration project, but
several years viii pass before the project
h completed.
Interwoyen intricately with the story
Nf the colonial capital Of the Old Do
mifaion 3 tte story Of the College OF
William and Mary.
Americas oldest seat ~ learning
stands. with ia bTick-walled campus
and tEy-msntnd buildings. 81 the head
Of Duke Of Gloucester street. Here
ancient and modern are mixed tn PIC