Of all the historical sites I’ve visited, at home and abroad, Colonial Williamsburg is one of the best. This past weekend, my mom and I set out for a girls’ weekend and some adventure. We wanted something within reasonable driving distance from D.C. that had multiple attractions for us. Williamsburg was our choice with a great spa, some shopping, Busch Gardens, and of course Colonial Williamsburg itself.
We had an amazing time this weekend, particularly in Colonial Williamsburg. With just one day allotted for the historic district, we had a lot to cover (and we walked over 10 miles that day!). There were plenty of other people trotting around as well, despite rain looming in the forecast. Certainly Colonial Williamsburg still has it’s fans, new and old, and of all ages.
But we heard one terrible comment from one of the many knowledgable guides at Colonial Williamsburg: visitation is down at historical sites. Sadness! She didn’t cite her source or say that it applies to every U.S. historical site, but even so, it struck a horrible, off key chord in my heart. It wouldn’t surprise me of this were absolutely true. Other distractions and attractions abound! But how sad it was to hear this.
Having grown up in Virginia, I’ve been to Colonial Williamsburg and the historic triangle (including Jamestown and Yorktown) a number of times in the past. Many, or dare I say even all our vacations growing up included some element of learning; even at the beach there is something to learn! And at Disney World, and in NYC… but I digress. My parents took us to many historical relevant cities on vacation, often in conjunction with what we were studying in school. We went to Philadelphia to learn about the emergence of the United States, to Gettysburg to learn about the Civil War, to Ellis Island to learn about the freedoms America offered and the people willing to do so much to achieve them, and to so many other places. I credit my parents for instilling in me my passion to travel, to learn, to explore new places.
But how could you only want to study a textbook when you can, sometimes literally, walk in the footsteps of historical influencers?! There’s something very inspiring about immersing yourself and your imagination in the setting. History comes alive in a way it cannot possibly do so in a classroom, even with the best of teachers.
Colonial Williamsburg is no exception. They do a fantastic job bringing the 18th century to life. All your senses are engaged; the buildings you see, the sounds you hear, the things you smell, the textures you feel, and the tastes of the food – all orchestrated to be oh-so-similar to how they would be during the height of Colonial Williamsburg in the 1700s. But best of all are the people. What an excellent job they do portraying their characters. If you leave without engaging with at least a dozen folks, that’s your loss. Please chat with them, learn, ask questions about life in Colonial Williamsburg. They’ll have an answer for you.
And I implore you, please visit historical sites. Make an effort on your vacation. Take your children locally to whatever’s nearby your home. Make it fun and exciting, something they’ll look forward to. Sign them up for a special class on axe throwing or ballroom dancing or whatever else might pique their interest. Support the efforts of the historical sites, financially via your ticket purchase and also via word of mouth. Let’s make sure these sites are preserved and well appreciated now and for future generations.
History is exciting to visit if you only let it be so.
