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<br /> <br />I [0' <br />[ J' <br /> <br />l ~ <br /> <br />l; <br /> <br />l~ <br /> <br />[~ <br /> <br />u <br /> <br />l: <br /> <br />L <br /> <br />L <br /> <br />,,.,. <br /> <br />\VILLIAMSB U HG <br />'Beginning in the 19305, Colonial <br />Williamsburg's 301-acre historic area was <br />transformed into a mock colonial town, <br />thanks to a gift from John D. Rockcli:11er. <br />Eighty-eight ofrhe buildings are set on <br />the original foundations, and morc than <br />, 500 were'merieulously reconstructed. <br />The Governor's Palace, for example, was <br />recreated in part using the obsessive <br />notes ,that lllomas Jefferson left behind <br />(including such details as the exact distance <br />between windows). On a guided tour, you'll <br />see rooms full of elaborate period furniture; <br />inside the kitchen house, cooks might <br />be preparing mutton or pies. Down the <br />, road, you'll find the wigmaker, apothecary <br />and basket weaver. At the 24Q-year-old <br />courthouse,visitors can volunteer to be <br />a defendant or a juror in a mock trial.. <br />Back in the day, Mr. Jefferson hung out <br />at the 1765 R. Charlton Coffeehouse, <br />where he joined George Washington and <br />other politically ambitious men to talk <br />over, coffee or hot chocolate. You may ron <br />, into Mr. Charlton ht:rel who will tell you <br />that his dehcious hot cocoa is made with <br />cloves, anise and cinnamon, <br /> <br />[n fact, Colonial Williamsburg would <br />be pretty confusing without itS BOO-odd <br />interpreters. These employees who pose <br />as 18th-century folk rardy come out of <br />character, evCn when they're off the clock:. <br />And dont call their authentic wardrobe' <br />"costumes." All the pettico~ts, bonnets and <br />three-point hats are "interpretive clothing," <br />sewn by hand on site using fabrics that <br />would have been llvailable back then. <br />The interpreters are all eager to teach. <br />Take theeourthouse lawyer, dressed in <br />ruffled sleeves, knickers and big buclded <br />shoes, w~o describes what politicians <br />argued about (liberty vs. slave ownership) <br />during the drafting of the Bill of Rights; <br />"None ofit's folklore," says Virginia Lee, <br />who has been guiding visitors here for <br />more than a 4ecade. "It's all based. on fa~." <br />At the sites of two projects currently <br />underway, visitors can witness how <br />historians tUrn archaeological research into <br />a reconstruction. Bricks, nails, floorboards <br />and other ,materials manufactured on <br />!rite are being used to build Anderson's <br />Blacksmith Shop ,and the Public Armoury; <br />where war supplies were ,built and repaired. <br />Things do get ~ little intentionally silly <br />.~.,.,. . <br />. ' <br /> <br />0: ... <br />0~~ <br />