Day 163: Fit for a Queen

We rubbed shoulders with royalty today (indirectly), riding in the same carriage in which Queen Elizabeth toured Colonial Williamsburg in 1957, driven by horses that pulled her carriage during her more recent visit in 2007. The horses, Captain and Ranger, were quite humble about their brush with fame. They pulled us around the restored town for 20 minutes, and needless to say, our horse-crazed girls were beyond thrilled. Thanks for the treat, Granny!

Our second day in Colonial Williamsburg was wonderful...tours of some of the significant homes, prowling in the quaint shops, eating Welsh Rarebit and Brunswick Stew in historic Chownings Tavern. As has happened so often on this trip, we encountered quite a few connections and overlaps with other places and faces. Peyton Randolph, considered one of the founding fathers (who more than likely would have been our first President had he not died of a stroke just prior to the Revolutionary War), was married to the sister of Benjamin Harrison, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. This Harrison was father to William Henry Harrison, our 9th President, and great-grandfather to Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President, whose home we visited in Indianapolis. Another C.W. resident was Wythe (pronounced "with"), whom Jefferson considered to be his second father. Jefferson was his pupil, and Wythe's patronage of the classics (especially Greek and Roman philosophers and scientists) had a huge influence on Jefferson's own worldview. Wythe's influence is evident in the Declaration and other documents written by Jefferson.

The girls spent some time in the stocks (pic 1)...a very effective form of a "time out." And our day ended with a rousing, patriot parade of fife and drums (pic 9). They marched from the old Capitol (in which the House of Burgesses met) to the long parkland in front of the Governor's Palace. The lessons of Colonial Williamsburg are delivered in such engaging and creative ways; we'll not soon forget the bravery of so many in this place in the 1770s.

Photos:
(2) Townsfolk discussing the latest taxes
(3) The Governor's Palace, so named because of its opulence. The home of the King-appointed governor was over-the-top in its luxuries...all requested by the governor and paid for by the House of Burgesses (thanks to tax revenues).
(4-5) Captain and Ranger pulling our special carriage. We hope Queen Elizabeth enjoyed it as much as we did!
(6) The girls writing on slates in the slave quarters of the Randolph home.
(7) Colonial Williamsburg is receiving its Christmas decorations...all real greens, fruits and nuts. Quite beautiful, and each one unique.
(8) Looking across part of the Palace Green toward the Wythe home.