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Looters Ransack The Petersburg National Battlefield

Just in time for Memorial Day, the National Park Service has discovered extensive looting of the Petersburg National Battlefield in Virginia. Rangers found a large number of pits dug by treasure hunters looking to steal Civil War artifacts. They likely used metal detectors to discover small, easily removed and carried objects like uniform buttons,... Finish Reading

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1627 Knights Tomb In Jamestown

Since late last year, Jamestown Rediscovery archaeologists have been excavating the Memorial Church, built in 1907 over the foundations of three 17th century churches, the earliest being the 1617 timber-frame church in which the Jamestown colonists held the first representative assembly in English North America in 1619. (The second was built... Finish Reading

Harriet Tubman

We’ve Found The Earliest Pictures Of Harriet Tubman

The Library of Congress, ever on the ball, has completed the digitization of abolitionist Emily Howland’s carte-de-visite album. The 48 pictures date to the 1860s and include the earliest extant portrait of Harriet Tubman. The Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture pooled their resources and bought... Finish Reading

In an undated image provided by law enforcement, a letter written by Alexander Hamilton to the Marquis de Lafayette in 1780, which had been missing for seven decades. The letter, stolen from the Massachusetts Archives, came to light in November 2018 when a Virginia auction house notified the FBI after a family tried to consign it for auction. (U.S. Attorney's Office, Massachusetts via The New York Times) -- FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY --

Letter From Alexander Hamilton Found Nearly 80 Years After It Went Missing

A letter by Alexander Hamilton to the Marquis de LaFayette that was stolen eight decades ago has been found. It was stolen from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Archives by clerk Harold E. Perry between 1937 and 1945. After he was caught, he claimed to have stolen the documents as a “collector,”... Finish Reading

witch-bottle

Possible Witch Bottle From Civil War Found In Virginia

A glass bottle found at a Civil War-era site in York County, Virginia, may be a rare American example of a witch bottle. A team from the William & Mary Center for Archaeological Research (WMCAR) found the bottle in a 2016 excavation of the site of Redoubt 9, now a median... Finish Reading

black-history

Uncovering One Of America’s Oldest Black Churches In Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg, the country’s most famous living-history museum, is dedicated to preserving the Virginia town in its 18th-century form and “feeding the human spirit by sharing America’s enduring story.” At the start of the Revolutionary War, Black residents made up more than half the colonial capital’s population, but for decades... Finish Reading

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Why It Is Important To Learn About History – Even If It Hurts

When most of us think back to our childhood school days, we can also remember at least a handful of kids who thought history class was a drag. To them, history just seemed like a jumble of names and dates attached to events long over with and people long dead.... Finish Reading

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Our Favorite Williamsburg Historic Attractions

Visit Colonial Williamsburg and step back more than 220 years to the eve of the American Revolution. From 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg was the political and cultural center of Britain’s largest colony in the New World. In the shops, taverns, government buildings, homes and streets, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick... Finish Reading

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A Short History of Williamsburg VA

Today, Williamsburg, Virginia, is recognized as the “world’s largest living history museum,” but during the 18th century, the meticulously restored colonial capital was Britain’s largest settlement in the New World. The city was founded as the capital of the Virginia Colony in 1699, and it was here that the basic concepts... Finish Reading

The Historic Warburton House of Williamsburg

This Historic house is for sale in Williamsburg Local Williamsburg history doesn’t just stop with the historic district and Jamestown. Williamsburg is rich with the stories of the families, people, and lives that have inhabited it for the past 400 years. In this article our own Trish Thomas is cited... Finish Reading

Our Tours Are A Perfect Thing To Do Right Now!

Our daily tours are a perfect thing for your family to do during this time of closures and safety precautions. Our tours are outdoors, where you will be able to walk along the streets and historic sites of Williamsburg to learn about the history of our nation and it’s residents.... Finish Reading

Engraving From 1867 Featuring The American Inventor Of The Cotton Gin, Eli Whitney. Whitney Lived From 1765 Until 1825.

Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin… or did he?

The cotton plant is a perennial that naturally grows around the world between 47 degrees north and 37 degrees south latitude. Neolithic farmers domesticated cotton about 10,000 years ago and through archeological evidence we know the people of India began weaving cotton around 2,000 B.C. Soon cotton cultivation and processing... Finish Reading

Penniman

Penniman, The Canary Girls and The Spanish Flu

On land that is now occupied by Cheatham Annex, about six miles from Colonial Williamsburg, there was once a thriving little village known as Penniman. This village was originally founded in 1916 by the Dupont Company to make dynamite, but World War I changed their plan and the sole industry... Finish Reading

A Walking History: Trish Thomas

From her earliest memories of grade school, Trish Thomas has always loved history. “I was the strange child who read every biography,” she says. She grew up in Virginia Beach and embraced the history of the area. She followed her passion by majoring in history and cultural anthropology at Old... Finish Reading

African American History Revolutionary

From Slave To Revolutionary War Officer

So much of African American history is unknown or forgotten. One place where this is prevalent is in American Revolutionary War history. The contributions of African American soldiers date back to the earliest days of this nation. One such historical figure emerges out of Lord Dunsmore’s Ethiopian regiment. That figure... Finish Reading

Williamburg Virginia Christmas Tour in Colonial Williamsburg

Williamsburg Walking Tours Christmas Tours

The holiday season is a magical time of year, especially in Williamsburg. The entire season sparkles with glistening lights and ornate wreaths beginning in late November. When you visit Williamsburg, be sure to head to Colonial Williamsburg to take a tour of the historic homes decorated in the traditional colonial... Finish Reading