Going to Colonial Williamsburg

[Joe McMahon]

On Sunday, June 13, me, the Warden & our 10 year old son are spending the day at Colonial Williamsburg. This will be our first trip there.

What should we not miss? What is sort of just OK? What will the Boy like?


Sorry for all the questions but I want to do this right. I was told at another forum that this is the place to inquire about Colonial Williamsburg,

TIA, Joe

[John Keeton]

Joe, I have visited there several times, but it has been many years since our last trip. Depending on the interests of a 10 year old, a day may be plenty. Me, I could spend a week there! My wife is good for a day or so.

My guess is George Wilson will chime in here with some great suggestions. Having spent decades there, he knows Colonial Williamsburg inside out!

[Mark Berenbrok]

A day is about right for a 10 year old. We did CW twice with our sons. The blacksmith shop will keep him entertained for awhile and I think the gunsmith has been incorporated into the blacksmith's shop. They also liked the wheelwrights shop by the Governors Palace. If they're making bricks they let the kids help mix the mud. My youngest really liked that.

If time allows, a day at Busch Gardens is worth it. Have fun.

[george wilson]

Hi,Joe. I was the toolmaker there,and before that the musical instrument maker. Stayed for 39 years. I have replied to this same question for some other Creekers. You will most likely want to visit the Anthony Hay Cabinet Shop. Mack Headley is the master there. Only one of my old journeymen,Ed Wright is still there ,making spinet harpsichords. Karre Loftheim is the journeyman cabinet maker. Others were laid off a few years ago.

The Geddy Foundry is an active place,housing both the foundry,where they usually are making smaller,decorative castings in bronze or silver. They have also been in the process of casting a military mortar as a prelude to casting a bronze cannon,though not at that site as it is large. They made a special furnace to melt the bronze at the Agricultural site. The Gunsmith's Shop is also at the Geddy. They make guns from absolutely scratch,hand forging,boring and rifling the barrels. Right now they are still in a transitional stage as they were moved there after the layoff,and are getting a room prepared for them. They are working,though. I made their treadle lathe,NOT the treadle lathe in the foundry. Ask about which one it is if you wish. I haven't been there since they moved. I made most of the accessories for the other lathe,like chucks and faceplate,which used to be in the foundry part. I don't know how they have re arranged things since the gunsmith moved in.

P.S. I forgot about the Wheelwright. I THINK you have to purchase an extra ticket to the Governor's Palace to see it since it is inside the surrounding brick walls. I may be wrong. We used to go in through the back gate in the brick wall,which is sometimes left ajar. It is located in the parking lot next to Lafayette St. behind the Palace. I'm sure you would never consider doing that .(this p.s. was supposed to be added at the bottom of this page.)




The wagons largely roll about town on axles I made. There is a burgundy coach that has brass wheel hub bands that I made. It carries passengers. The yellow stage wagon also has my axles.

There are outdoor carpenters,though they might be working at some site in town. Their shop is close to the old Capitol building.

The Cooper's Shop is across the street from the cabinet maker. We made a lot of their long cooper's planes,tool boxes,braces and bits,and other things years ago. Ask about them if you wish.

The Bookbinder's Shop is run by Bruce Plumley,a friend of mine,and long time binder. There is a big press in his shop that we made the 6" dia. screw for. The press itself is older,but the old screw fell apart. It presses books flat while they dry. Bruce is English. He has Jim,and Dale as journeymen.

The printer is a few feet from the binder, The cabinet and blacksmith shop made a new press for them. I think they still have their old one. We don't use up antiques in the trade shops because they are to be preserved.

We also nearly made the Shoemaker's shop. Their shoe benches are made of old,reclaimed yellow pine,and are exact copies of antiques in our collection. They are crude like the original. I literally chopped out their beveled edges with a hatchet,like the old one. Shoemakers were poor in the 18th.C.. Their counter up front was one we made. We also made the sales counter of unfinished yellow pine in the Geddy House's sales area.

Nearly all of the saws in the Historic area were ones we made,except for frame and pit saws. We also made the common bench planes you will see. Clark and Williams made the molding planes.

We made most of the wig heads in the Wig Shop. Some have faces,most don't. In the 18th.C.,very wealthy customers would have copies of their heads made in wood,face and all. Possibly not in a colonial situation,though.

If you see the fire engine in its shed,connected to the Guard House next to the Powder Magazine,I helped make most of it for 1 solid year. It has 30 castings in it that I made the patterns for,and finished them at night at home. The Geddy Foundry poured them. Too bad,you may not be able to see them,as they are enclosed,masking the amount of work that went into that small engine.

In the Apothecary,we made many of their surgical knives,saws,etc..

Be sure to visit the Anderson Blacksmith Shop. One of the most interesting sites. They made a lot of tools there,and just about all of the plane blades for our planes. They make a large variety of all kinds of things there. I made the patterns for their big anvils. They are of an authentic,18th.C. style. I wish I'd had one made for myself while at it,but I had nowhere to keep a 300# anvil at the time.

[Joe McMahon]

George, thank you for the reply. I will be sure to see as many of the things that you made as I can and I will try to say "Hi" to as many of the people that you named that I can find.

I will report my luck to you when I see you at WIA in October.

Thanks again, Joe

[jerry nazard]

Joe,

Here is a link to the most recent thread on CW:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...l+williamsburg

-Jerry

[David Cockey]

We were in Williamsburg in January for the woodworking conference. A number of shops have moved recently and some of the information above is out of date.

The Hays cabinet shop is well worth a visit though I understand it can be crowded. In addition to Mack Headly and Karre Loftheim there is also two apprentices, Bill Pavlak and Brian Weldy. While there title may be apprentice they are skilled woodworkers.

Almost next to the Hays shop is the brickyard. Visitors get put to work stomping the clay with their feet.

Across and slightly to the west of the Hays shop is the coopers shop. The Village Carpenter blog had a great video shot in the shop.

On the other side of the Palace Green on George Street (no longer on the Palace grounds) is the wheelwright's shop.

The best shop for a woodworker to visit is the joiner's shop. Instead of having to stay on other side fo the barrier from the working area you can walk through the shop. They do a variety of work including furniture. It's south of the Capitol.

Another interesting shop is the silversmith who makes silver items by beating silver into shape.

And then there are the blacksmith, printer, bookbinder and all the other historic trades.

[george wilson]

I must be getting forgetful. The Silversmith!!

[Rob Damon]

Also:

-In addition to Busch Gardens, Water country USA (water park) is just down the road, great for the kids.

-The College of William and Mary sits adjacent to the Colonial area. In the oldest section is The Wren building, built in 1695 and is the oldest (and still active) College building in the United States.

-Jamestown and Yorktown are also close by.

Right now it is not crowd, because the students are out on break and the tourist season hasn't ramped up, but by the time you come, it should be pleasantly crowded. ; )

Rob