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.

Such a cool place. I mean, who's ever heard of a Sunken Garden before!? Great place to meet…read morefriends for a game of soccer or frisbee. My kids LOVED coming here on a visit so they could work their way into a game with students. It's also just beautiful, surrounded by boxwood and stately brick buildings.

At the heart of the College of William and Mary's old campus lies this gorgeous lawn. A remaining…read moreproject from the work relief programs from the Great Depression it lies several feet lower than the campus around it. Free for anyone to visit it is intended for students and community members to come and relax. It exists to beautify the campus and remind those who visit of the strength our country had coming out of the Great Depression, it serves both of these purposes well. Having visited earlier this week I could not imagine giving the Gardens any lower of a rating. It ties the campus together and is an integral part of the William and Mary that exists today.

One of three markers in this spot, I think that the most important is the one noting the Battle of…read moreSpencer's Ordinary. The "Ordinary" is a tavern not far away. The marker reads: On this road, four miles south, the action of Spencer's Ordinary was fought, June 24, 1781, between detachments from Lafayette and Cornwallis's armies. The Wikipedia entry has more information: The Battle of Spencer's Ordinary was an inconclusive skirmish that took place on 26 June 1781, late in the American Revolutionary War. British forces under Lieutenant Colonel John Graves Simcoe and American forces under Colonel Richard Butler, light detachments from the armies of General Lord Cornwallis and the Marquis de Lafayette respectively, clashed near a tavern (the "ordinary") at a road intersection not far from Williamsburg, Virginia. Lafayette had been shadowing Cornwallis as he moved his army toward Williamsburg from central Virginia. Aware that Simcoe had become separated from Cornwallis, he sent Butler out in an attempt to cut Simcoe off. Both sides, concerned that the other might be reinforced by its main army, eventually broke off the battle. There are two other markers. The Six-Mile Ordinary, which denotes a resolution not to import British goods in 1774 and to declare their support for independence two years later. The Green Spring notes the home of Governor Berkeley and that it was a base for British General Cornwallis, attacked by French forces under General Lafayette that were loyal to the Colonists. Never forget!

We stopped in to see Memory and met Wilton, who told us all about the statue, memorial, and…read moreneighboring areas of Richmond, and how they've changed over the years. We greatly appreciated his knowledge and expertise! It's wonderful that this memorial is free of charge and open to the public. Thank you!

Definitely brings back memories. This place makes me appreciate all the brave soldiers who gave…read moretheir precious life's to ensure the freedoms we all enjoy today. The museum provides detailed historical events from World War 1 to the Vietnam War and even some of our more current wars in the Middle East. If you like to learn more about our War history, This is a great place to come learn all about it.

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.

Even though Peyton Randolph is a historical unknown to the average person, it doesn't mean that he…read morewas a lightweight by any means. Speaker of the House of Burgesses, Attorney General of Virginia and 1st President of the Continental Congress. That last one to me is the biggie. Would things have turned out differently for the colonies if Peyton doesn't die in Philadelphia while having dinner with Jefferson in 1775 versus John Hancock taking over after his death? By that's for another time. If you visit CW one of the must see stops is his house which is located at the corner of East Nicholson and North England Street (the Yelp map marker is wrong - the house is on the other side of East Nicholson). While the main house is one of the original 88, the breezeway-kitchen-assorted outbuildings are all reproductions. One of the larger historically inaccurate things that CW sort of fixed was when they moved the windmill that spent 50-ish years on the property over to Great Hopes Plantation. No evidence has ever been found that a windmill was on the property and the thing had been inoperable well over a decade by the time it got moved. Of course CW bungled that one as well by also closing Great Hopes to any kind of active interpretation not long after the move. So while the windmill in essence got a nice paint job, it still doesn't work and is marooned in CW Siberia with potential plans to convert that area to parking or some kind of future entertainment space. But that's also for another time. Over the years CW has changed how touring is done at the house. In the past, a few years ago, the house was only open on certain days or only for a 1/2 day with the staff then moving over to the Wythe House for the other 1/2. Thankfully that changed and of late the Randolph House has been open more or less daily. With that said, they still do timed tours which start (??) twice an hour. Sometimes you begin at the side entrance on the street corner but when the crowd is larger you are sometimes herded into the breezeway that separates the house from the kitchen until it's go time. Aside from the house tour that you would expect at CW, recently they have further emphasized the slavery angle at the house. Randolph was a very wealthy individual and he and his wife owned in excess of 100 slaves during his lifetime. That story gets told more as you get to the outbuildings at the end of the tour. The other thing that the house is known anecdotally is that supposedly it's very haunted. That's not covered on the official house tour unless someone asks but every ghost tour company in Williamsburg, including when CW offers them, makes a stop here. I think that has something to do with people dying here during the Civil War when the house gets used as a hospital for a brief time. Like the Everard House or the Wythe House, any time you can tour one of the 300+ year old CW originals it's a must do.

The Peyton Randolph Home is one of the 88 original structures on CW property and was home to the…read moreprominent Williamsburg resident Peyton Randolph. He served as president of the first Continental Congress. He resided in the home 1721-1775. The large two story house is unique for its seven paneled rooms which was a sign of wealth. It's size is deceiving from the front. Each room has been decorated in period time, however there are few items that are authentic to the Randolph's. The rear of the property has outbuildings. The home is open for guided tours on selected days. This is my favorite guided tour in Colonial Williamsburg.

Around the corner from the Federal Reserve is this marker. Many have forgotten but many have not,…read morethat Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy and a lot happened here during the Civil War *cough* War of Northern Aggression *cough*. This marker reminds of that. The marker reads: "In 1861, during the Civil War, Confederates established an ordnance laboratory and complex on nearby Brown's Island. Workers there, many of them women and children who were forced to find employment because of the economic disruption occasioned by the war, assembled cartridges and other ammunition. Despite Col. Josiah Gorgas's stringent safety guidelines, on 13 Mar. 1863, worker Mary Ryan accidentally ignited a friction primer, resulting in a massive explosion that destroyed the building. Richmond residents, responding to the "terrific report," found a scene of horror, with many victims "burnt from head to toe." Ryan, and at least 40 others, died from the explosion." How they know it was Mary Ryan, I have no idea. But she gets the blame.

This is a simple venue that was spacious enough to accommodate a small wedding. The women's…read morerestroom could use a few repairs (toilet paper dispenser) and needed restocking of soap, but sufficient enough. As a guest, it was s a comfortable place.

As a venue for an event, this place is a very solid four stars. It's not the largest, and there's…read morenot a lot of parking if you have to compete with a full lot at the nearby library, but those are the only two downsides. I think the space is a little larger than it appears from the outside, especially looking from the library. There are plenty of bathrooms and they're just a little bit out of the way, which is great for events. Acoustics for live music were nice and there were enough power outlets. They allow a lot of personal decorations, so you can really make the space your own. The space itself is very neutral with light walls - a good canvas. From my experience at a wedding reception, this place can look absolutely beautiful. Any sort of party with 30-60ish guests would fit nicely here.