The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-18


 pt people have visited Historic Williamsburg, Virginia since the res- toration work started, there ar 4 till many who wonder why VII : iamsburg has created so much ir l. crest and why, as suggested in t ae beading of this article, they sho, Id motor there. The answer Is of rourse quite. simple. Every, in tei- igent person will concede that the various rnuseunns nainte ined throughout the country ephanc Athe ulture and education of our Apeo. ble, and that in, consequence they re indispensable. William khurg, Virginia. Is to, all intents an q pur- poses Q museum, one that Is IEnique md decidedly different from the ac- Eepted idea of such an ins ttution, but a museum nevertheless,
 Here a living city, whicl a ranked with such cities as New Y eryx, Phil- ldelphia and Boston befor 4 and dur. ng the American Revolu Ion. is be- ng restored to all It's ca; ay Colonial plendor and glory, be cause such outstanding Americans as the late pr. w. 4. R. Goodw' n and John p. Rockefeller Jr, aI k1reciated the alue of awakening R,e conscious hess of our tradition s in Americans through the medium Of this restored |ity, where they ar d their children Ind other generati, .a,s of Americans night see and fe a and touch the ery things that ae founders of our This restoratic a work has been In progress for mN yRe than i2 years. dore than SIS pieces of property have been acq skred. Tn addition to he three Colc Aital buildings at Will am and Maj z College, 77 buildings laVe been r hstcred; 2 total of l88 olonial bull iivlgs have been recon- tructed; a ntal of 10 modern build- ngs have bs!en removed from the testoratior Y area and set up outside ne colon Rl city, two entire blocks
 new D 6siness buildings of a col- nial ty' Q of architecture contain ng $ Aops have been erected; and " moo ern buildings have been torn
 Amf ngst the various buildings of utst nding interest which have een restored are--the Wren Build ng, the oldest academic building in Am Eiea, and one of the three his- for C buildings of the College of " llyam and Mary that have been stJred and are now being used by As. College. The Capitol, which ]y.ucture was closely identified with Ehe political life of Colonial Virgil |nia, has been rebuilt on original foundations as the earlier of the two buildings that stood here during the eighteenth century. Its furnishings |and unusual interior painting con- form to descriptions in contempo- rary records. The Old Court House, (which has been restored, Is ceptrally located 50 that 1t makes Q desirable starting point for a tour of the city.
 Here will be found the Informa- ton Bureau of the Restoration and the display collection of colonial china, glass, hardware, utensils and buihding materials recovered in ex- cayating more than one hundred fopndations. The Governors Palace land It's dependencies, preeminent af11Ong notable estates in Colonial America, have been rebuilt on orig inal foundations. Now completely Furnished, It's magnificent rooms are of special interest, because of the rare old chinese wallpaper, antique furniture and other furnishings that have been chosen to conform with inventories of royal governors. The gardens are considered more typical of formal eighteenth century Eng fish gardens than any other in An- erica.
 These are just Q few of the many interesting sights awaiting the vis- itor of williamsburg. Several days might profitably be spent here vis- iting and enjoying the many places inviting inspection by the stranger.
 A brief outline of Williamsburg's history would no doubt be of interest. : It was originally founded in 1883, by colonists brought over by Captain John Smith to Jamestown, some twenty-five years previously. These people had tired of conditions ex- isting at Jamestown and decided to relocate the colony at Q site "where the air was pure and serene and clear and crystal springs burst from champagne soils"
 Tn 1899, they removed the seat of the government from Jamestown to Middle Plantation, as Williamsburg was then known, and changed the name in honor of the reign!ng king. # Beautiful streets and fine buildings soon sprung up in the new capital.
 First as students to the College of William and Mary, then as states men, came Thomas Jefferson, James MonrOe, John Tyler, and as Chan cellor to the College, came George Washington, four men later to be- come Presidents of the United States.
 During the Revolutionary war, the government. being endangered, was moved to Richmond. But Williams burg carried on. General Washing ton and General Lafayette paused here three weeks to plan the siege of Yorktown; and on October i9, l7sl, ct Yorktown just twelve miles east of Williamsburg, the Nation, born at Jamestown, nourished in the cradle of Williamsburg blossomed into full maturity.
 immediately following the battle of Yorktown the decline of Will liamsburg began. Fires helped to hasten the destruction of many historic buildings and the Civil War saw more of It's past de- stroyed. Progress seemed to threat
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