Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia, A Look at Life in Colonial America

A trip to Williamsburg, Virginia offers a diverse mix of things to do. Among the popular attractions is an amusement park, Busch Gardens, but close by is another world entirely. One of the most popular attractions in the area is Colonial Williamsburg where visitors can feel as though they have stepped back in time.

Historic interpreters, costumed in period clothing, can answer visitors questions and show guests, first hand, what life was like in Colonial America. Visitors can chat with farmers, preachers, servants and businessmen - who never break character - while strolling the streets lined with period homes and the Bruton Parish Church, built in 1710, which is the oldest Episcopal church still in continuous use in America .

Interestingly, people live in some of the period homes, but to maintain absolute adherence to what a colonial street would have looked like, no modern amenities may be seen from any public area. That means no electric lights or televisions can be visible from any street-facing windows and no telephone lines, cable wires or satellite dishes can be visible.

It is this attention to even the smallest details that make a trip to Williamsburg memorable for many visitors. One visitor said, "We had a fabulous time. This is a place to ask questions of the costumed "citizens" on the street and on the tours. Most of them remain in character and make the whole thing come alive, adding details that you may not have read about or seen in movies'' .

While there are many attractions for which a ticket must be purchased, some visitors found that the essence of Colonial Williamsburg can be enjoyed without paying a dime. Writes one visitor, "We just went there and took the advice to just go walk through Colonial Williamsburg and not buy tickets. This was the best advice, you really can enjoy the place by eating in the tavern and looking around the shops without paying for an entrance fee'' .

Buying a ticket does, however, allow visitors to enter some of the period homes, a benefit not afforded to those who do not pay admission. Also, there are museums, including the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. Exhibits include object from everyday life in Colonial America such as weapons, furniture and toys.

The lives of African Americans in Colonial Williamsburg are also represented. Half of the population was black and most of that number were slaves. While there was a small percentage of African Americans in Colonial Williamsburg that were free, a life of slavery was the reality for most. Special reenactments, such as of a slave auction, are held occasionally so that people will not lose sight of the terror and anguish experienced by those who were slaves .

Colonial Williamsburg is rich with historical reenactments, artifacts, architecture and history and is a glimpse back to the origins of The United States.