Colonial Williamsburg

[Mark Drayton]

Message possibly mostly directed towards George Wilson, but all suggestions welcome.

I live in the UK but am attending a conference in Washington DC in early December and plan some R&R at the end of the conference. I am proposing to drive down to Colonial Williamsburg on the evening and spend just one full day in the area.

So what are the must see, must do's for an enthusiastic amateur woodworker who occasionally also turns his hand to a little metalworking - and has a fascination for the history of craftmanship? I have studied the CW website carefully, but it's an issue of how best to divide my time,

Mark

[george wilson]

The Anthony Hay Cabinet Shop is the best place for a woodworker to hang out. The Master is Mack Headley. They also have 1 remaining journeyman of mine,Ed Wright,who makes spinet harpsichords.

There are several very nice pieces of handmade furniture in their "ware room,"which they made. They hand plane all lumber from the rough planks. Mack specializes in carving.

The Carpenter's Yard is another woodworking site where they make buildings,and various construction type work. They pit saw logs,and hew logs into timbers. I can't say where they might be working as building is done on sites around town,but their shop is near the Capitol Building.

The Wheelwright Shop is another place you might see. They are inside the brick wall that surrounds the Governor's Palace. They make wheels there,but also sometimes are making wagons or coaches.

The Gunsmith Shop has been combined with the Geddy Foundry. They do nice stock carving there.

The Cooper's Shop is across the street from the cabinet shop. We made most of the cooper's tools,most of the cabinetmaker's saws and planes,same for the other woodworking shops. The tools used in outdoor situations will be looking old by now. The Cabinet Shop's tools will be in the best condition.

[Mark Drayton]

Thanks George, that's very helpful and has given me other useful internet links to Mack's work (and yours!). I am looking forward to seeing some of your toolmaker days creations - and perhaps musical instruments? although instrument making is well beyond my scope.

Mark

[george wilson]

They don't keep my old instruments in the cabinet shop,as far as I know. They only have (slim) historic documentation for harpsichord work in the cabinet shop. I was hired because of my skill,and the boss got away with having an independent instrument shop from 1970-86. Then the big wigs decided there wasn't documentation for it. I became Master Toolmaker,and my last 2 journeymen stayed at the cabinet shop to make spinets. My large harpsichord is kept behind the scenes at the Wallace gallery auditorium unless it is being used. I have a spinet with my name in one of the historic houses,but I can't recall which one it is in now. It was in the Geddy house for many years,then they moved it.

[Carl Maeda-San Diego]

Don't forget the food. I spent a week in Williamsburg and the food was awesome. I visited Williamsburg for the woodworking (and I learned a lot) but I was most impressed with the food. I'm not insulting the woodworkers there. They are awesome but the food was the best I have ever tasted. I remember the game pie... mmm... game pie...

[John McClanahan]

Hope your good at driving on the "other" side of the road! Lots of traffic and lots of short tempers. :cool:

John

[george wilson]

At either end of the town are traffic intersections called "confusion corners".

[Jacob Reverb]

If you can swing an extra day, the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Virginia is well-worthwhile.

http://www.mariner.org/

[george wilson]

Yes,Jacob. They have a marvelous pattern maker's chest full of tools. Many seem to have been made by the user,including the hammers.

[Wayne Cannon]

In addition to the recommendations to visit the various shops, keep in mind that visiting any of the buildings will reward you with period construction details and furniture -- original, restored, or accurate reproductions; usually by the on-site craftsmen and shops using authentic materials and methods. Similarly, shoes worn by the "actors" are made in the on-site cobbler shop, etc.

If you have time in the evenings, I would also highly recommend their evening programs, which include fourth-wall re-enactment plays of life in Colonial Williamsburg, and music and culinary programs. These are small groups led by lantern-toting docents. After living in the area and visiting many times, I finally attended a couple of these evening programs and was impressed by what I had been missing.

[jerry nazard]

If you can swing an extra day, the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Virginia is well-worthwhile.

http://www.mariner.org/

Yep, a great suggestion! And, if you are going to do the Mariners, check out the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk.

http://www.chrysler.org/

-Jerry

[Rob Damon]

Don't worry about traffic in the colonial area, since it is off season this time of the year. The only real traffic congestions occur on I-64 in the early morning or afternoon, and is only really bad if there is a major accident. You can easily divert to Route 60 or Route 143, which parallels I-64 up and down the peninsula.

I drive through the area a couple times a week to visit the College of W&M and it is pretty empty this time of the year.

"Confusion corner" as George is referring to, is so named because it is a major intersection at the College and at class changes tends to back up since it has no stop lights.

Rob

[george wilson]

Highway 64 was pretty busy Sunday,but everyone was going 80 MPH! They actually were. I guess they must have not been worried about tickets or something! Usually they go only 75 MPH. The speed limit is 65.
the gen is you can go over it by 8 MPH,and not get stopped. that makes only 72 MPH. Either direction you come,get off at the Camp Perry exit,just to keep things simple. There are plenty of signs to Col.Williamsburg and William and Mary college. The two are side by side. Follow the signs to the Information Center where you can get tickets. Leave your car in one of the parking lots,and take the Col.Wmsbg. bus to the Historic Area. The shops open at 9:00,and close at 5:00. All of them are not open every day,especially due to the recent big layoffs. You could call 1-757-229-1000 and ask for the Anthony Hay Cabinet Shop,and ask what days they are open. The number I gave is the main # for the museum.

[Chuck Hamman]

Don't forget the food. I spent a week in Williamsburg and the food was awesome

He can live without books; what is knowledge but grieving?
He can live without hope; what is hope but deceiving?
He can live without love; what is passion but pining?
But show me the man who can live without dining.

Regards,
-Chuck

[Mark Drayton]

Thanks to all for the great information. I will print off this thread for guidance. I don't expect to hit CW until mid evening so hopefully traffic will have settled by then. Frankly I'm more concerned about getting out of DC on the I 95 in the afternoon rush. I have had some tedious journeys in the DC area in previous years both self driving and in shuttles and taxis. Hopefully I'll drop in to Woodcraft in Springfield VA on the way out. Definitely looking forward to the Game Pie! Fortunately the Cabinetmaker shop - and other shops of major interest - do appear to be scheduled to be open on the day I'm there.

Mark

[derek sikes]

I've lived in the area for 3 years and still haven't seen everything listed in this thread, I couldn't imagine trying to do it in one day. There's a neat antique shop in Williamsburg on Richmond Road that has some old beat up hand tools if you wanted a souvenir from the colonies.

[Rory Talkington]

If you get hung up on I-95, you can make a few quick side trips to some neat historical sites on the way south from DC. A history buff would be interested in the Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Quantico Landing, Spotsylvania, Richmond, and Yorktown battlefields...to name a few. They would be almost deserted this time of year and are not far from easy access. Good luck.