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Please contact Penna Rogers at (757) 220-7121 or progers@cwf.org for high resolution or alternate image formats.
Colonial Williamsburg’s Grand Illumination, which began in 1934 as a White Lighting, celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2009. Hundreds of guests will flock to Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area to experience Grand Illumination on Sunday, Dec. 6.
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During Grand Illumination, candles are lit in
public buildings, shops and homes, and fireworks are launched at
three Historic Area locations: the Governor’s Palace, Magazine and Capitol. Illuminations were commonly used during the 18th century to celebrate major events such as great military victories, the birthday of the monarch, the arrival of a new colonial governor and the like by firing guns into the air and lighting fireworks.
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Performances of Colonial Williamsburg Fifes
and Drums are highlighted during Grand Illumination and the holiday
season. The group participates in a number of illuminations throughout
the Historic Area.
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One of Williamsburg’s original 18th-century buildings, the Courthouse of 1770 was the seat of local government and housed municipal and county courts until 1932. In December, it comes alive with holiday programming, including concerts.
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Guests to Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area enjoy the light and warmth of cressets during the holiday season. Cressets are iron baskets that are placed on iron poles. Pitch pine, or fat wood, is placed in them and burned to provide illumination during evening programs. This particular wood contains a high amount of resin that provides an especially hot, bright flame.
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The Colonial Garden and Nursery maintains
a garden and sells 18th-century inspired gardening products year-round.
During the holiday season, guests can purchase ready-made Colonial
Williamsburg-style holiday decorations.
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Journeyman silversmith Preston Jones brings
in wood for the fire at Colonial Williamsburg’s Silversmith Shop. The Foundation Historic Trades program has evolved to become the largest and most diverse museum-operated trades program in the world and also one of the most historically accurate, with a strong emphasis on both hands-on and documentary research. Each of the program’s more than 70 artisans is a full-time professional in his or her trade, in addition to being an able interpreter.
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Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Trades shops welcome guests to learn about 18th-century technology during the holiday season. The Shoemaker Shop specializes in making footwear in the 18th-century manner.
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Colonial Williamsburg guests can experience one of
18th-century Virginia’s favorite pastimes during the evening program, “Dance, Our Dearest Diversion.”
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The evening program, “Christmastide at Home,” explores holiday traditions through the centuries.
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A blanket of newly fallen snow on the George
Wythe House in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area gives it a special holiday touch. One of the most influential Americans of his era, George Wythe served as a burgess, attorney general, Speaker of the House of Delegates, signer of the Declaration of Independence and was the first professor of law at the College of William and Mary. This original attractive, Georgian-style home on Palace Green was built in 1755.
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This traditional Colonial Williamsburg wreath features
apples, berries, pineapples and pinecones on a background of greenery.
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Colonial Williamsburg is known for its
natural holiday decorations. This historic home features garland
and three wreaths festooned with flowers and fruit.
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Brass horns are the center of this door decoration
that features apples, berries and greenery.
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Tavern mugs are the toast of this door decoration
at the Hartwell Perry Tavern. Pomegranates, artichokes and dried
oranges also adorn this wreath.
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Colonial Williamsburg’s decorations are only limited by the imagination of their creator. This wreath at the Greenhow Tenement uses the nursery rhyme, “Six a Song of Sixpence,” as its theme. Eggs, cinnamon sticks and apples circle a gingerbread pie with blackbirds.
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Apples traditionally are used in cone centerpieces.
Here lemons with boxwood sitting on magnolia and acuba make a sunny
and elegant table decoration.
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A bust of Sir Walter Raleigh overlooks door
decorations at the Raleigh Tavern. The wreaths are highlighted
with clay pipes.
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Nothing says Virginia like the combination
of pineapples, the 18th-century symbol of hospitality, and oyster
shells, which are common in Tidewater Virginia.
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The WILLIAMSBURG Craft House tradition continues
with a full line of WILLIAMSBURG-brand dinnerware, flatware, glassware,
beautiful pewter, silver, delft, fine ceramic giftware, folk art
and jewelry.
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Bassett Hall, the Williamsburg home of benefactors
John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his wife Abby Aldrich Rockefeller,
features special programs during the holiday season. “That the Future May Learn from the Past” is a first-person program featuring character interpreter Ed Way, portraying Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, who helped launch Colonial Williamsburg’s Restoration. Other programs include tours of the folk art Mrs. Rockefeller loved and an opportunity to create a piece to take home.
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The Folk Art Christmas Tree in the
lobby of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg is a holiday
tradition. The tree features ornaments handmade by guests, employees
and volunteers throughout the year.
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Dressed for the holidays, the historic
Williamsburg Inn is the crown jewel in Colonial Williamsburg’s resort collection of historic and contemporary properties. Considered a “home-away-from-home” for many families for generations, the Inn welcomes many repeat guests for the holiday season.
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The Regency tree in the lobby of the Williamsburg
Inn was designed to reflect the furnishings and architectural details
of the Inn. Highlighted by the striking Prince of Wales crown of
needlework and ostrich plumes at the top of the tree, it celebrates
one of the great art patrons of this period, George IV of England.
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An archway leading to the lobby of the elegant
Williamsburg Inn is adorned with a garland of green poet’s laurel, red cockscomb and gold silk cording and tassels – using the three main colors of the Inn’s Christmas decorations.
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Thomas Jefferson rented rooms in this
tavern while he studied law under lawyer George Wythe. Patrick
Henry opened an account here the day after he was inaugurated as
first governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Market Square
Tavern has 11 rooms, one of which is wheelchair accessible. A Great
Room with a fireplace original to the building is located on the
first floor, which has six lodging rooms: three with a queen canopy
bed, two with a double canopy bed and one room with twin beds.
The second floor has five rooms: three rooms with double beds,
one with twin beds and one with a queen bed. Each room has a private
full bath.
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The Brick House Tavern is rebuilt on its
original foundations, constructed in the 1720s. William Withers,
private secretary to Royal Governor Dinwiddie, was among its early
owners. In 1761, Dr. William Carter, a surgeon and prominent businessman,
bought the property. Carter sold several rooms to a merchant and
rented others to shopkeepers. Brick House Tavern was still providing
rooms near the end of the War of 1812 when an American cavalry
troop quartered there.
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The Colonial Houses – Historic Lodging offer 75 guest accommodations in colonial style in 26 “houses,” including the George Jackson House. Benjamin Waller owned the lot where Lewis Hanford built a house for his widowed mother. George Jackson bought the house in 1773 or 1774 and operated a shop from the attached wing. Jackson’s daughter Sarah acquired the property after her father’s death in 1794. George Jackson risked his life and fortune during the American Revolution by chartering a ship and running gunpowder from Bermuda for the American forces.
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A Christmas tree and classic American
furnishings provide the comfortable feel of a gracious Southern
home in the lobby of the newly renovated and expanded Williamsburg
Lodge.
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A sense of Virginia history permeates the
restored elements throughout the Lodge, from the original wood
paneling and light fixtures, to the blue stone floor and folk-art
inspired furnishings. Opened in 1939 to provide comfortable accommodations
for travelers to the historic town, the Williamsburg Lodge is one
of the first Colonial Williamsburg hotels constructed under the
guidance of John D. Rockefeller Jr., the founder and first benefactor
of the town’s restoration.
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Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area taverns offer dining choices throughout the day for hungry travelers and local residents alike. Inspired by “receipts” (recipes) from our colonial past and prepared to suit today’s discerning palates, tavern selections are sure to please. Shields Tavern serves tavern favorites such as barbecued ribs, pork, chicken seafood gumbo and fried oysters and desserts that include crumble berry pie, ice cream and pudding.
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Christiana Campbell’s Tavern tempts guests with traditional seafood from the rest of the British colonies of North America. Christiana Campbell’s Tavern provides guests with ample opportunity to savor Mrs. Campbell’s favorite dishes of sherried shrimp, scallops and lobster, as well as the Waterman’s Supper and lump crab cakes, the tavern’s signature dish. The entrées are complemented by longtime tavern favorites of Campbell’s
cabbage slaw, spoon bread and sweet potato muffins.
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* Please contact Penna Rogers
for high resolution images.
(757) 220-7121
progers@cwf.org
Photo credit: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, Va.
These images may be used for editorial and educational purposes
only.
All commercial and advertising uses are strictly forbidden
without the written consent of
the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
© 2009 by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
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