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.

Welcome to Ft. Nonsense!…read more I know, with a name like that it made me second guess myself also. But I recently and randomly happened upon this park on a trip to Tangier Island out of Reedville, VA. The park is as it states is a civil war era earthwork to prevent the Union invasion from the East. The fort has since been literally untouched for over 150 years and has not been restored but preserved as a monument to the determination of the citizens of Mathews to protect The Confederacy from attack. Though there was no battles fought during its time and the fort never used. A funny fact is all of the attacks in the area just so happened to be from the west of Gloucester and the fort was literally built and facing the wrong direction during the times of war in the area. The legend is that this caused a local citizen from the late 1860s to scratch his head and remark, "My what a piece of nonsense". And it's been called Fort Nonsense since. **Overall This is a really cool and small park to check out. They do also have a covered pavilion if you wish to have picnics there. I would defiantly bring some bug spray though if you do, as the skeeter's can be bad. Cheers!

Just a load of, well, nonsense? According to the men who built it back in the 1790s it was, but…read moretoday, it's a nice walk in the park when the sun is shining - a far cry from what it was actually built for, right? This fortified hilltop was built in 1777 by George Washington's Army, mainly to function as an observation and alarm post watching over Morristown and surrounding areas, it also doubled as a place of retreat for guards stationed in the town. The British never made an attack on Morristown... but it's 2018 and here I am - oh my gosh, i'm just kidding!!! The park is well kept, there's a great place to sit and have a bite to eat (just bring some food with you) and I should probably mention to watch out for the mozzies (mosquitos...) - oh they'll getcha good out here!

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.

A pleasant pullout along the south side of Colonial Parkway overlooking the River…read moreThe James River Access is located along the Colonial National Historic Parkway near Williamsburg, Virginia. It is one of the many pull-offs on the parkway. This one is similar to most of the pullouts in that it is located along the south side of the road just south of the College Creek. It is a small parking lot with spaces for about 15 cars. It is very nice pullout as it has a clear view of the river and a very short walk down to a small beach that heads off in both directions. There are signs along both sides of the parking lot and a low one directly in front of the lot.. The one on the west side (to the right as you face the James River) is a map that is very faded and worn and difficult to read. The one in the center tells about Saint Simon of Jamestown, Va. This was Claude-Anne de Rouvroy, Marquis de Saint-Simon-Montbléru. He was a French nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. In 1781, he led 3,000 French troops to Jamestown, Virginia, where they joined forces with American troops under General Lafayette. Saint Simon's forces were instrumental in the siege of Yorktown, helping to trap British General Cornwallis and ultimately leading to the British surrender. When I visited, there were warning signs by the part in front of the parking lot but the rest of the beach looked open. Overall, it is a nice place to stop for a view of the river.

Was headed to improva nails next door with the intention of finding the closest post office right…read moreafter to mail out a package. When I parked I realized there was a small post office right in the same strip mall! such a convenience! I walked over after I got my nails done and waited in a line that moved pretty quickly. It's a small post office but had all the basic packing necessities. Note, ensure your packages are prepped before hand. If you have prepaid packaging you may be charged for using the tape but signs are posted for that. For the convenience, I will definitely be back!

I drive out of my way from Hampton to visit this post office. Every visit has been stress free and…read moreI always get the help I need.

Very quick visit to this historic site. Amazing that a family lived in this tiny home. So glad to…read moresee it's been preserved. Some literature and tours of the interior would have been nice but it's the time of COVID!

Great Chamber. They support small and home based businesses. As a member, you can attend FREE…read moreBusiness After Hours (free drinks, food), Business Before Hours. They also have other free services, including mentoring, community service.

We have always had a great experience at this DMV Select in Poquoson. Service has always been…read morequick, and informative. If they do not know the answer, or they can not help because they only offer certain services, they will point me and/or other customers in the right direction. Recently we were there and we were in and out in minutes. All we had to do is switch plates around after buying a new car. The service was great. The clerk was so nice, helpful and knowledgeable on the service we needed. The parking lot is large, and shared with many other businesses. Once inside the DMV select office is to the right down a hall on the first floor.

Rude customer service…read more Four (4) employees to three (3) taxpayers. Got there early with another customer, and we were both told they were on lunch break and to sign in with our cell phone no. We waited in our cars and then realized it was 1pm; and went in. We were very polite and after I waited 6-10 min once inside the trailer; I was beckoned and loudly asked: "what's your name!" I told her and in the small office everyone obviously heard. Then I got the 'third degree': You're not on this list, you don't have an appointment, etc ...,,,,,,,,,Then she loudly ordered me (and I served in the US Navy) to just take a picture on the door of our website! After that ordeal; I explained how I just made an appointment to correct the error DMV had made for GARAGE JURISDICTION; how I was told by the Commissioner of Revenue of Rappahannock Area via emails (professional and polite)to make appointment and visit KG DMV which I did; how I was a teacher and had today off only, my return move back to VA from another state, etc., etc, THEN!: SHE FORCEFULLY handed a paper to me. I asked where does it show jurisdiction and she just blatantly looked at me with a grim face and pointed to the bottom of my corrected registration. I looked and found it, then quickly ran from those evil people! *Not one employee got up to check over our names on the list where we wrote our names while we waited in our cars as told! I wanted to tell the DMV ladies in that trailer office: "I really am a human being and an adult. I don't mean to bother you and get my paperwork in order so that I am not taxed by the wrong jurisdiction and that KG DMV gets their personal property taxes and that I'm not fined hundreds upon hundreds of dollars$$$ for an error DMV made- PLEASE HELP ME the taxpayer???!!!!" Sending prayers.......