Williamsburg

We spent the weekend visiting the place I've dreamed of visiting since I was ten years old and first read an American Girl book: Colonial Williamsburg. Friday night, we walked around the campus of William & Mary and the main street of Colonial Williamsburg while the sun set. Even though it was excruciatingly hot on Saturday, we made it all day walking around and seeing almost all of the historical village. The buildings were beautiful, the interpreters were knowledgeable, and the food was excellent.

Wren Hall at the College of William & Mary

 The Governor's Palace at night

 

 

 

I was a little worried as we drove down to Virginia that I had built up this experience in my mind over the last 20 years, and that it wouldn't be that interesting after all. I was also worried, looking at the weather, that if I didn't wear my 18th century garments on the day we planned to tour things, it wouldn't be the same if I got photos another day. Both worries were truly silly (which I knew deep down, but hey, that's anxiety for ya--we gotta worry about something!). I wore the very practical option of a paper-thin 1930s dress and a straw hat on Saturday, which meant that even though I wasn't able to show up in style, I was able to stay cool enough to enjoy the experience and explore 90% of the grounds, all without getting heatstroke.

Before we headed out for the rest of our adventures on Sunday morning, we took advantage of the overnight rain that had cooled things down. Arriving before the museum officially opened, we had a fairly quiet Colonial Williamsburg to take photos in.

 

Reading the Virginia Gazette outside Chowning's Tavern

Watching the traffic

Everything but my footwear and my fichu was made by me for this summer working class impression. The fichu is new, a lightweight white linen from Penny River Costumes, which I purchased alongside some wonderful and massive dress pins! I'll show a close-up of the latter in an upcoming post on my completed housewife kit.