The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-25
DID, Fashioned Colonial City
to Be Rebuilt as
National Shrine.
BIZ NEA Serrice

BIZ NEA Serrice
WILLIAMSBURG, Va, Jan. IS
This sleepy, old-fashioned, re-
specially shabby colonial town is
staging a boom, a ghost boom, if
you will, that is making the other
towns of the old dominion rub
Their eyes and wonder if they are
dreaming or really seeing things,
For Williamsburg, snubbed by
Rotary clubs, high hated by prog
ress, and allowed to run down at
the heel because no one considered
it important enough to rebuild
now finds that its dilapidated
buildings and the grandfather
clocks that won't run are worth
more than factories and skyscrap-
ers, and that there's something in
having had a part as we'll as hav-
ing a future.
Oh yes, there's money in tradl-
ton, but it takes money to exploit
t, and that is where Williamsburg
has the break.
For back of the restoration OF
Williamsburg are the millions OF
John D. Rockefeller Jr. flowing freely
at the direction of DR.. w. A. r.
Goodwin, who is pastor of the
Bruton Parish church, oldest church
in the country.
It's Famed in History
Ever since he came to the town
in 1902, DR.. Goodwin hes realized
the historical Importance and the
traditional wealth of the town and
has felt 1t should be perpetuated,
and 1t was he who interested Rookie
Teller in the plan.
When they started to restore the
town. it was thought that $4,000, 00O
ought to do the job, since fine old
places then were available at almost
any amount of cash in hand.
Many had deteriorated into quar-
tiers for Negro cooks and gardeners
And $5,000,O00 might have been
enough, had not the town, at this
point. awakened from its slumbers
and shown some up-to-date Amer
lean business spirit.
Prices Soar Skyward
Just as soon as the news was
spread that Rockefeller was reStor-
ing the town, the inevitable hap
pened-real estate prices doubled,
tripled and skyrocketed like
Florida values Immediately before
the slump.
Property that had not been ac-
quired quietly already by Rockefel-
ler's agents climbed to ridiculous
prices.
The town is rich in history, as
we'll as good fortune. During the
seventeenth and eighteenth cen
turies it was the capital of the
state.
Here Patrick Henry burned 'em
up with his oratory. Here is the
Burwell home where Thomas Jeffer-
son. then a prep school boy at Will
liam and Mary college, used to come
counting.
I1cIc AJCOl &c w dS1lAAlSVOiA AAoA AAAA
headquarters during the Revolution
Here is a collection of oldest ii
America" buildings that is priceless
and becoming more so.
Town to Be Rebuilt
The restoration of the town into
a national shrine involves prac-
tically its complete rebuilding, anc
entails work of great magnitude anc
expense.
1t now is two years since the frs
crew of architects and builder;
moved in to start the work, and a
present only twelve of the ole
houses are actually rejuvenated.
In addition to the first $1,000 900
it is estimated by some of the Opt.
miStic townSfolk that at least $25,.
100000 more must be put into the
project. which is assuming greater
| proportions daily.
And they say that at least eight
years more will be necessary to buy
and plan and rebuild.
If these figures we're not sufficient
to make Williamsburgers realize
their new Importance, the great in.
f1uX of tourists, architects, artist
and a small army Of workmen woulC
l. l.