Milford chronicle., 1930-05-23
RESTORATION OF
WILLIAMSBURG
Building Operations Are
Now In Progress
By ]. E, Jones


ere. You don't need to scold you
eighbor and frown upon him wheI
e fails to hop to his feet at the
rst notes Of the band when it plays
he "Star Spangled Banner" to fee
be pride of country here. You dom
eed to believe in war as a means
II preserving peace in this wonder
ul section of old Virginia, where
lmerica began to solve its problems
1hen the first English settlement
anne to jamestown, six miles away
veF 300 years ago.
If 1 could rub a lucky old Ian
erp that would make a wish come
rue l could ask for nothing better
han to have some of my intolerant
uper-patriot friends here with me
h Williamsburg this beautiful early
GUNNER day, to see what have
cen and feel the pride and joy OF
ur country, in witnessing the pro-
esses of the Restoration" of this
mall city. More than 40 public
buildings and private Colonial resi-
Fences which stood before the Rev
luton will become a part of the re-
tofed Williamsburg-for Williams
urg is being rebuilt and recon-
tWcted in order to make it as near
as possible "just like it was in
olonial times"
Let me tell you Il know that
trange thrills chase up and down
our spine, in this quiet, peaceful
ectiOn of Virginia where liberty
as born. There is no artificial slim
lus needed here. You simply look
b and down old Duke of Glouces-
sr Street, and murmur silently
Thank God, that l, and my people
ho preceded me, belonged to all
hat this represents" "And to
link," you add, that all this sac
ed historical ground, and its build
lgs, are, to be turned back so that
will be like it was more than two
nd a half centuries ago"
First there was Jamestown, with
|olden memories, which you can
be today, was a poor location for
be first settlers from England to at
bmpt to occupy with their homes.
b time Jamestown moved "bag and
luggage" to "The Middle Plantation"
way from unhealthy swamps and
bwlands, to the summit of the ridge
here the waters divide, and flow in
|ppOsite directions off to the James
nd York Rivers. Thus Williams
Ilrg became the successor, and re-
laced jamestown.
1t became the Colonial Capital,
iled over by English Governors, in
luding Nicholson, Spottswood, Din
piddie and Lord DunsmOre, who
.ere sustained by the House of Bur
esses and the Council History and
Iction revel in the grandeur of the
rand men and the elegance of the
legant ladies of ancient Williams
|urg. The ghosts of those gorgeous |
Rys, as Mary Johnston describes
hem in her delightful novels, dance |
billy before your vision as you halt |
bur motor and try to recall what |
bu know about Williamsburg-the |
ID and the magnificent.
There are building operations in |
rogress, all about you. 1t does not
Ike you long to understand what is
Sing on. Simply stated: Reverend
octor w. A. R. Goodwin is the Rec
|r of Bruton Parish Church, the
ans of which were furnished by
overnor Alexander Spottswood 22O
ears ago. Doctor Goodwin was big
lough and broad enough to under
Ike to turn Williamsburg aside
om the jazzy, hectic, speedy, mad
ming pace of the present day and
,e, and by reverse evolution re-
ore the scenes, at least, that exist
when William and Mary College
rs built, and granted a Royal
iartery and furnished a Royal Coat
Arms. Doctor Goodwin told John
Rockefeller, Jr., his dream"
r. Rockefeller is not troubled with
e sort of emotions that prompt the
w-rich to do eccentric things, be-
use his father arranged that he
ould be born rich. Just how the
st happened 1 do not claim to
,ow, but apparently John D. Rock
sller, ,Jr., distribute his surplus
llions very wisely, and well. Any
w, here 1 am in williamsburg
lrilled pink" as a couple of Young
lies like, might say. And as my
cestors were participants in the
rly American adventures I'm de-
,hted that Goodwin & Rockefel-
y got together in the marvellous
dertaking for the Restoration" of
loniaI Williamsburg. The new
aleigh Tavern" is almost COM
tied. BrutOn Parish Church al
VS. has been kept up, and it typi-
: and s;lorifies the past and the
,sent as an American Church that
entitled to the same affection and ,
ference that the people of the Old
Drld have for their Cathedrals.
King James I left his mark on {
lliamsburg, as in the year 1917 he '
,horized the bishops and clergy of {
gland to make collections for the
citing Of some churches and (
ools for the education of the '
ldren of those barbariOns in Vir- i
ia" A hundred years later one
he principal buildings of William {
Mary College became an Indian t
lool. James sent silkworms to /
sinia and offered a bounty for t
cloth manufactured here. The e
nters found the cultivation of to- t
co more profitable, but many of O
mulberry trees, hoary with age, Il
still standing-silent sentinels Il
an age when America did not
Mt for much in the affairs of the t
Id. The countryside from Will a
nsburg to Yorktown is gay, these a
" Summer days, with the beauti- p
yellow flowers of Scotch broom. Il
Ie good old Englishman or II