A Week in Williamsburg - Part 1

From the St Louis Edition
(or should I say, The Williamsburg Post)

We stayed at Historic Powhatan Resort.

We had the bottom floor which consisted of 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, a kitchen and living room.

We spent the first day resting, getting our bearings, and making a plan for the week.  

This post will be about the Governor's Palace.  Warning: it will be slightly heavy with history, but hey, that's Williamsburg.

One of the re-enactments was "storming" Governor Lord Dunmore's palace.

As relations became strained between the king of England and the colonies, the king sent orders to the royal governor of Virginia to "secure" the gun powder.  Lord Dunmore took that to mean that he should move and hide it.  Now the powder happened to have been bought with Virginia tax payers money so when the townspeople found out that it was gone, they were not happy.  So the captain of the militia's answer was to lead an attack.  However, the president of the House of Burgess, (the people's representatives) Peyton Randolph came out and convinced the people that it was much better to send a peaceful petition.  The Governor rejected it.

Impersonation of Lord Dunmore in yellow.

The real Lord Dunmore.

Lord Dunmore later moved his family out to a ship in the harbor as he no longer felt safe in Williamsburg. He told the people to come out to him to talk and they in turn told him to come to them.  As neither side would budge, Virginians elected a new governor, Patrick Henry, who then moved into the Governor's Palace.

A couple facts about Lord Dunmore:

Lord Dunmore had at least 7 children the youngest of which was born here.  Her name was Lady Virginia.  

His family was quite popular. He...not so much.

It took almost 100 slaves and servants to run his establishment.

Here is a short tour of the Governor's Palace.  Thomas Jefferson also lived here when he was Virginia's Governor.

We stepped back into the 1700's on this tour.

Our tour guide.

Step into the entry and be greeted with his display of weapons.  This was not only to impress you but to display his power and put you in awe. 

The Ballroom.  All the colors and wallpaper are authentic to the era.

Harpsichord

Two daughters shared this room.  Back in England, their house had been big enough for them to have their own room.

The kitchen was in a separate building.

They left the head on the chicken because they didn't want to deprive you if you happened to want that delicacy.

One of the many rooms in the cellar.

The gardens

Vineyard

Yes, pomegranates.

Coming from the gardens to the back of the house, you are greeted with a sight of Lord Dunmore's coat of arms.

And that is The Governor's Palace.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. Psalms 20:7

Brought to you by: Rebekah Benner