You could argue that out of all of the buildings at Colonial Williamsburg both original and…read morereproduction, Bassett Hall is the most significant. Why? For starters it is an original building that dates back to the 1750's but most importantly is that it was the home of Rockefellers during the initial planning and building stages of the CW that we have today. It was during their visits to meet with Dr. Goodwin and to stay here that Colonial Williamsburg took its shape. While Dr. Goodwin had the vision and was very persuasive, but he needed someone with deep pockets in a way that only a select few men of the day could fit the bill (in 2019 dollars, Rockefeller's net worth would make Jeff Bezos look poor). Rockefeller while initially reluctant, was bitten by the history bug and the idea that he could shape this place the way how he wanted. It's a simple math equation: No Rockefellers = No $$$ and No $$$ = No CW restoration I'm not going to get into the history of the house. If you care, the below links will tell it to you far better than I ever could. The below is a good timeline for the property www.history.org/almanack/places/hb/hbbassett_chron.cfm More house history and a floor plan with pictures www.history.org/almanack/places/hb/hbbass.cfm research.history.org/DigitalLibrary/view/index.cfm?doc=ResearchReports%5CRR1714.xml&highlight= Moving forward to today, if you want to tour Bassett Hall you need to remember two things. 1. The house is off the beaten path a little bit. Head towards the Gunsmith then turn left and continue walking along Francis Street. You will see a small crosswalk. Go down the two steps and cross Francis Street then walk down Bassett Hall's main driveway. If you're driving go a little further down Francis and there is a small driveway that leads to the parking lot. 2. Bassett Hall is only open three days a week year round so plan accordingly. 9-5 on Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday. In the building to the left of the house is where you start the tour. You watch a short movie that offers a very interesting look into the Rockefellers and what made them tick. If it's possible to humanize a couple that today would be worth around $400 Billion dollars, the movie does it. After that it's off to the house. For our tour it was just us. Saturday morning in March at 11am and this place is a ghost town. Our guide, who was blind, was probably the best guide I have ever experienced in my life. Engaging and knowledgeable not just about the home but about the Rockefellers and CW and about many other notable historical places. He was a great guy and clearly loves what he is doing. The tour was a little over an hour and it takes you through the 1st floor morning room-parlor-dining room-flower cutting room-pantry-kitchen. Then up to the 2nd floor for the master bedroom and a guest bedroom. The house reminds you of the Eisenhower Home in Gettysburg where it's fully furnished still with their actual things in period and it looks like they could be coming home any minute. I've been coming to CW for years and either forgot about Bassett or it was a day when the house was closed but it is definitely worth a visit.

Bassett Hall is not a ticket sales location so you will have to purchase your tickets elsewhere…read morelike the Williamsburg Visitors Center. Admission to Bassett Hall is included with your purchase of a Colonial Williamsburg Pass. It is located near the south end of Francis Street not far from the Capitol. It is not open everyday. Now through December 31, 2016 it is open Wed, Thursday's and Saturday from 9-5. You start your tour in the adjacent Reception Building where you will meet your tour guide. Our tour guide was exceptional. I only wish I could remember her name. At the Reception Building you will find a small museum and a brief video in the theater which will explain the history of Bassett Hall and particularly John D. Rockefeller and Abby Aldrich Rockefellers contributions to Bassett Hall and Colonial Williamsburg which were enormous. Did you know that George Armstrong Custer stayed at Bassett Hall for 10 day during the Civil Was Battle at Williamsburg. From the Reception Building you will be escorted by your guide to Bassett Hall. The two story house is an 18th century frame building. There are 585 acres of gardens and rolling woodlands which extensive trails. In large part the home reflects Abby Aldrich Rockefeller's tastes in furnishings and art. She loved "Folk Art" and the house reflects a great deal of her collection. Chinese porcelain in the dining room. Oriental rugs throughout the house, as well as, needle work rugs she hand stitched are on display. It was Abby who collected most of what can be seen in the house today. Renovations took place periodically. A wing was added to the back which included bathrooms, kitchen, guests bedrooms and servants rooms. A major renovation was done between 2000 and 2002 which caused the home to be closed. The Rockefellers stayed in the home in the Spring and Fall for about six weeks. By all accounts they looked forward to their visits very much. The Rockefeller money created Colonial Williamsburg and Bassett Hall and thus it is such an enormous part of the story that it should not be missed. Bassett Hall is the best place to learn about that story.

Two brief noteworthy updates about what CW is doing with the Wythe property. As of now they have…read morechanged the format of how you tour the grounds. In the past you were grouped up with maybe twenty others at the entrance then eventually led through the house by a CW employee. Whether this will still be around for next summer remains to be seen but a few of the people at the house said that CW ditched that format for allowing you to roam the grounds/house on your own. Now when you get to the entrance an employee gives you a few pointers then you're off. Inside there is one person on each floor to answer any questions. One of the reasons why I would assume this change occurred would be on account of CW closing the long time home of The Cooper Shop and relocating it to a building in the back of the Wythe House. The change coincided with CW closing several other long time buildings while consolidating some of those operations at the Wythe, Getty and Randolph houses. I like the new self-touring format here as it is less formal and restrictive which is always good. Although hopefully in the future the Coopers are given their own shop again as it seems odd and historically inaccurate to have them at the back of this house. Beautiful house and beautiful grounds. Well worth a visit. (Note that CW ditched the off hours of years prior where the house was only open on certain days or for only 1/2 day. Currently it's open daily from 9-5.)

The George Wythe residence was completed in 1754. The stately two story brick home sets off the…read morePalace Green. Self guided tours are on selected days when the house is open for ticketed visitors. Wythe was the signer of the Declarations of Independence & first law professor at College of William & Mary. He was also mentor to Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall and Henry Clay. The residence in the past has had a violinist play at selected times. The rear and gardens are picturesque and perfect for a photo op. An outbuilding houses a basket weaving demonstration. There are other demonstrations in the rear of the property depending on the season. Today Wythe is considered the Father of American jurisprudence. The home was HQ to George Washington September 1781 just prior to seize on Yorktown, Va. A room is transformed to show visitors what this time may have looked like. The George Wythe home is one of the original 88 in Colonial Williamsburg and a favorite of mine for its authenticity.

I'm gonna be honest with you here, this bridge was a bit of a blur when driving through. To me, it…read moreis very nondescript. Another crossing that you know nothing about when crossing. I had no idea that this bridge had a name, but it does. James River Bridge, which should give you a hint of what is under you as you cross. Like many other bridges, this is not the first version that was here. This version is a four-lane drawbridge. Prior to that you had only a two-lane crossing. Good thing they did expand this bridge as it carries roughly 30K of vehicles a day. Can you imagine that if it was only two lanes? Connecting Newport News to points south, this bridge carries US Route 17. VDOT maintains the bridge, great way to avoid the interstates.

As the passenger in the car, I asked my boyfriend to please stay in the inner lane. It's a long…read moredrawbridge, and it's close to the water, so I did not love it. There was nothing else inherently wrong with it, as skies were clear, it was daylight, and other drivers were fine, but I wish they had higher guardrails!

This place is pretty amazing even if you're not a history buff. Kids enjoyed the place. There's…read moreunmark parking available. Picnic tables available for a luncheon. They have a visitor center for all your questions. They offer ghost tours as well! If you're in the area definitely stop by and check it out!

Built in the 1600's. At one time the largest private dwelling in colonial America. One of 3 large…read moreplantations. 17 fireplaces, 33 bedrooms! Burned down in 1916. This house has been through a lot over the past centuries. A nice stop to see an interesting architectural feat. Stop by the visitor's center for admission and information about this mansions previous grandeur and storied history.

This marker is the easternmost on Chesapeake Avenue and has benches and some shade. There is a…read moregreat view of Hampton Roads here and if you're lucky, you might be able to spot some big Navy ships across the way. As such, it is appropriate that the first battle of armored ships took place here. This was history's first duel between ironclad warships and the dawn of a new age of naval warfare. The marker reads, "In Hampton Roads, southward and a mile or two offshore, the Virginia (Merrimac) and the Monitor fought their engagement, March 9, 1862. The day before the Virginia destroyed the Cumberland and Congress, wooden ships of the Union navy." The Merrimack was built in the North. It was a conventional steam frigate that had been captured by the Confederates from the Norfolk navy yard and rechristened the Virginia. Commanded by Commodore Franklin Buchanan and supported by several other Confederate vessels, the Virginia achieved a decisive victory against a Union fleet of wooden warships off on March 8, destroying the sloop Cumberland and the 50-gun frigate Congress while the frigate Minnesota ran aground. The Union ironclad Monitor, under the command of Lieutenant John Worden, arrived the same night. Soon after 8:00am, the Virginia opened fire on the Minnesota, and the Monitor appeared. They passed back and forth on opposite courses. Both crews lacked training; firing was ineffective. The Monitor could fire only once in seven or eight minutes but was faster and more maneuverable than her larger opponent. The Virginia's spectacular success on March 8 had not only marked an end to the day of wooden navies but had also thrilled the South and raised the false hope that the Union blockade might be broken. On May 9, 1862, following the Confederate evacuation of Norfolk, the Virginia was destroyed by its crew. The Monitor was lost during a gale off Cape Hatteras on December 31, 1862. The area hasn't forgotten the battle. The nearby Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel https://www.yelp.com/biz/monitor-merrimac-memorial-bridge-tunnel-newport-news?hrid=gSbDZSSqV3q73SNoT6ma4g was built in 1992 and carries Interstate 664 between Suffolk and Newport News. [Review 18112 overall - 1384 in Virginia - 1634 of 2022.]

Having seen the memorial to Confederate soldiers at the former Princess Anne County Courthouse,…read moreseeing this memorial puts things in a bit more perspective. Hampton Roads was an important military site during the Civil War (or the "War of Northern Aggression" if you prefer) and its capture was critical to the success of the North. The marker reads: Near here Major-General John E. Wool, on May 10, 1862, Landed with 6000 Union troops. President Lincoln, Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury, and Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, watched the movement from a ship in Hampton Roads. As the Confederate troops had withdrawn, Wool marched to Norfolk, which was surrendered to him by Mayor W.W. Lamb that afternoon. Much more detail on the operation, including the unprecedented inclusion of Lincoln in the attack, is detailed here: http://articles.dailypress.com/2012-05-05/features/dp-nws-surrender-of-norfolk-20120505_1_gosport-navy-yard-lincoln-fort-monroe

A great place to visit and learn about Colonial America government history…read more Colonial Williamsburg is a wonderful place to visit that really brings American history to life. It offers visitors a unique glimpse into 18th-century America with real shops, people dressed in period costumes and buildings maintained as they would be in Colonial times. Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, this living history museum spans over 300 acres and includes restored buildings, interactive exhibits, and costumed interpreters. The site is an immersive experience where you can walk along cobblestone streets, interact with blacksmiths, shopkeepers, and even participate in colonial-era activities. I would recommend starting your experience at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center but you can go directly to the city where there is plenty of parking in parking garages along the outer streets. You can see lots of different working places in the city like bookbinders, silversmiths, gunsmiths and the capitol building. This is at the East end of the Duke of Gloucester street. It is surrounded by a courtyard. We caught it just right and grouped up into a tour with about 20 people. The guide did a wonderful job of taking us through the building and discussing the various rooms and their histories. In each of the rooms there was seating and the guide encouraged us to sit while she told the story of the place using key people and events. It is an excellent tour. The guide was extremely knowledgeable and the tour was fascinating. I highly recommend this tour if you have an opportunity to take this tour.

The Colonial Capitol in Williamsburg has proved the test of time. It's reconstruction in the 1930's…read morehas now out lasted it's two period originals. The Colonial Capitol was moved from Jamestown in 1705 and remained the seat of colonial government until 1779. Thereafter the capitol was moved to its present day Richmond. There is one original item in the building that was home to the House of Burgess. A large wooden chair where a judge would have presided. Visitors can take pictures. Colonial Williamsburg interpreters are what really bring the building alive. All guest are provided a guided tour. I always enjoy the talk on how massive Virginia was in the mid 1700's. A period map is on display and the audience is asked to participate. It is a must tour when visiting Colonial Williamsburg.

Came up here for Yorktown Day on Oct 19th and didn't go inside the church but attended the ceremony…read morein honor of Thomas Nelson, Jr, a signer of the Declaration of Independence who is buried there. The church was built on this site in 1697 and has quite of bit of history, much of it accessible on its website. Check it out!

I had really been missing a traditional style of church, and since I discovered Grace Episcopal, I…read morehave not looked back! Grace participates in a more formal / traditional style of worship by today's standards, but it is not formal in a stuffy and pompous way. Grace also seems to be positioned towards liberal bent and there is freedom for thought and spiritual exploration. I have been active in this church now for about 6 months and there is a deep sense of community and involvement within the church body. The calendar is full of activities and events. Moreover, there is a wide diversity of age and people of all backgrounds are embraced. The Rector, Carelton, and the associate Rector, Connie, are completely lovely people and they have exhibited genuine care for my family and I have seen their care for others on a consistent basis. I simply cannot say enough good about this church - I love it!