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Featured Articles from The Colonial Williamsburg Journal
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Autumn 2015
History on the Half Shell
Three years, 14,000 oysters and the story of America's beginnings
by Gill Klein
Thunderbirds
A question becomes a quest for knowledge about a jewelry-making method and those who practice it
by Sally and Roddy MooreSummer 2015
Living History
Colonial Williamsburg marks the 30th anniversary of its Rare Breeds program, which seeks to preserve the lineage of animals facing the prospect of extinction.
by Ben SwensonSpring 2015
Pamunkey Recognition
by Ben SwensonSidebar: Modern and Indian | Pamunkey Colonial Commerce
Pamunkeys Today
Winter 2015
Hemp and Flax in Colonial America
by Ben SwensonSidebar: Hemp in Colonial Williamsburg | Sidebar: Hemp Tents
Hemp & Flax Slideshow
Autumn 2014
Summer 2014
African Americans and the Restoration of Williamsburg
by Mary Miley TheobaldColonial Williamsburg Restoration Slideshow | Zoom in on Blueprints of the Wren Building
Architecture, Archaeology, and the Revolution in Williamsburg
by Edward A. ChappellColonial Williamsburg Architectural Drawings Slideshow
Spring 2014
Winter 2014
Ingenious and Inimitable, Artist William Hogarth Chided Authority, Ridiculed Pomposity, Mocked Religion, Pointed Out Misbehavior, and Invented the Satirical Comic Strip
by James BreigZoom in on Political Cartoons by William Hogarth
Autumn 2013
Commonsense Arguments for American Independence
Thomas Paine Promoted Revolution, Rights, and Reason
by Susan BergExtra Images
Quilts
Photo Essay
by Linda Baumgarten and Kimberly Ivey. Photos by Craig McDougalLuxury Quilts Slideshow
Civil War Jamestown
Defending the Confederacy at Fort Pochahontas
by W. Barksdale MaynardCivil War Jamestown Slideshow
Summer 2013
Spring 2013
Uncommon And Expensive
by Mary Miley Theobald | Photos by Barbara LombardiThe British Herbal Slideshow
We Are Not Going To Go Away
Virginia's Pamunkey Indians Greeted the Jamestown Settlers, but They Are Still Waiting for National Recognition
by Andrew G. Gardner
Winter 2013
Physical, Intellectual, Biographical:
Our Ideas of Privacy and Their Evolution
by Cathy HellierZoom in on Benjamin Waller's Letter | Extra Images
Murder by Namesake:
The Poisoning of the Eminent George Wythe
by Mary Miley TheobaldZoom in on Wythe Court Records | Extra Images
Autumn 2012
A Great Deal of Noise, Whipping and Spurring
America's First Disputed Presidential Election
by Jack LynchZoom in on The Twelfth Amendment
Eighteenth-Century Millennialism
To “start the world over again,” politics and religion intertwined
by James BreigEnd of the World Slideshow
Beginnings and Endings
Of the Maya and the Milky Way, Powhatans and the Giant Hare, Prophecies and Time
by Anthony F. AveniZoom in on Mayan Calendars
Summer 2012
George Washington and the Evolution of the American Commander in Chief
by Christopher GeistZoom in on Prints from the Library of Congress
Complex Reconstruction: Armoury
by Edward A. ChappellAnderson Armoury Reconstruction Blog | Anderson Armoury Webcam
Winter 2012
A Cup of Hot Chocolate, S'good for What Ails Ya
by Mary Miley TheobaldSidebar: Top Chocolate Destination | Extra Images
Coffee and Chocolate Pots Slideshow
Designers of Beauty
Academic Training and Williamsburg's Architectural Restoration
by George Humphrey YetterArchitectural Drawings from the Restoration
The Duke of Gloucester Street Special
by Will MolineuxIllustrations for Yorktown's centennial celebration | Extra Images
Department of Deportment
Stances and dances made the eighteenth-century man—and woman
by James BreigExtra Images
Autumn 2011
A "Remarkable Meteor" Dims
How Williamsburg Fared as the Eighteenth Century Faded
by James BreigA Letter from Thomas Jefferson
Staying Connected before the Age of the Silicon Chip
The Printing Office
by Susan BergZoom in on printed documents
Summer 2011
James Fort, Lost and Found
by William KelsoZoom in on Preservation Virginia's slate image | Extra Images
Upon Paine of Death
The Lawes Divine, Morall and Martiall
by Ivor Noël HumeSidebar: Lawes Divine, Morall and Martiall | Extra Images
The War
The Battle of Williamsburg in 1862
by Alexander ChesterfieldSidebar: The Betrayal of Captain Bolling | Zoom in on the Battle of Williamsburg
Extra Images
Winter 2011
Dear Eighteenth Century
Letter from the past, delivered in the present
by James BreigSidebar: In Love With Letters | Zoom in on a Letter from Thomas Jefferson
Every Man Able to Read
Literacy in Early America
by Jack LynchSidebar: Most Virginians Were Literate | Colonial Literacy
What's Wrong With This Picture?
"Congress at the Independence Hall, Philadelphia, July 4 1776."
by Gil KleinExplore the Painting | Zoom in on the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Autumn 2010
Lies My Docent Told Me
Myths persist in history's retelling
by Mary Miley TheobaldMerchant Match-Up Game
"Sold on Reasonable Terms"
Early American Newspaper Advertisements
by Jack LynchNewspaper Advertisements Slideshow
Mumbo Jumbo Meets its Match
Superstition and spritualism examined
by Andrew G. GardnerZodiac Slideshow
Spring 2010
Why Do We Cast Cannons, Make Wooden Wheels, and Build Coffeehouses?
by Jay GaynorHistoric Trades Slideshow
"His Integrity Inflexible, and His Justice Exact"
George Wythe Teaches America the Law
by Jack LynchExtra Images | Zoomable Will
Some Cold, Hard Historical Facts about Good Old Ice Cream
by Mary Miley TheobaldIce Cream Slideshow | Ice Cream Podcast
Ice Cream Video
Winter 2010
Monticello Was among the Prizes in a Lottery for a Ruined Jefferson's Relief
by Gaye WilsonExtra Images
In Praise or Damning Caricature
An Early Seventeenth-Century Identification Badge
by Bly StraubeExtra Images
Williamsburg Again Has an R. Charlton's Coffeehouse
A place to consider the roles of refreshment, debate, and ideas on the cusp of revolution
by Michael OlmertSidebar: Exploring the Coffeehouse | Coffeehouse Screensaver
The Many Faces of Willie Balderson
A Photo Essay
Willie Balderson Slideshow | Willie Balderson Animation
Autumn 2009
"The Greatest Practical Approach to Exactness."
The Problem of Apportionment and Washington's First Veto
by Jack LynchExtra Images
Some Pumpkins!
Halloween and Pumpkins in Colonial America
by Mary Miley TheobaldPumpkin Carving Patterns | Pumpkin Gnocci Recipe Card
Captain Smith Departs
The Question Still Remains: Hero or Betrayer?
by Andrew G. Gardner | Photos by Dave DoodyTrace Captain Smith's route | Extra Images
Spring 2009
Offices
A late eighteenth-century development, the office outbuilding drew a line between family and commerce
by Michael OlmertOffices Slideshow
Winter 2009
Debating the Bill of Rights
"What No Government Should Refuse, or Rest on Inference"
by Jack LynchView Magnified Image
To Boldly Go
Captain James Cook and the Search for the Northwest Passage
by Andrew G. GardnerSidebar: Finding One's Way
Here are Chick, There a Chick, Everywhere a Chick, Chick
Colonial Williamsburg's Chickens
by Ed CrewsChickens in Williamsburg Slideshow
Autumn 2008
Celebrating the Colonial Williamsburg journal's 30th Anniversary
Autumn 1978 - Autumn 2008
by Mark JacobsCompany for Christmas
by Christopher Geist | Photos by Craig McDougal & Tom GreenView Magnified Images
Summer 2008
When Whiskey Was the King of Drink
by Mark Miley Theobald | Photos by Dave Doody & Tom GreenExtra images
Powering the Eighteenth Century
by Abigail Schumann | Photos by Dave DoodyPowering the Eighteenth Century Slideshow
Spring 2008
Play Ball!
Colonial Games and America's National Pastime
by Ed Crews | Photos by Dave DoodyPlay Ball! Slideshow | British Bashers Slideshow
Smart as an Ox
Beasts of Burden: Bright, Gentle, and Strong
by Ed Crews | Photos by Dave DoodySlideshow | Audio Slideshow
The Emergence of Popular Culture in Colonial America
by Christopher Geist | Photos by Dave DoodySlideshow
All That is Substantial and Beneficial in a Trial By Jury
by James Breig | Photos by Dave DoodySlideshow
Winter 2008
Little Iron Horses
Hard Working Canadians Have Rich Heritage
by Ed Crews | Photos by Dave DoodySlideshow
Tools of the Trades
A Photo Essay
by J. Hunter Barbour | Photos by Dave DoodySlideshow | Historic Trades Screensaver
Stuff and Nonsense
Myths That Should by Now Be History
by Mary Miley Theobald | Photos by Dave DoodyCrossword Puzzle
Holiday 2007
Rattle-Skull, Stonewall, Bogus, Blackstrap, Bombo, Mimbo, Whistle Belly, Syllabub, Sling, Toddy, and Flip
Drinking in Colonial America
by Ed Crews | Photos by Dave DoodySlideshow
Milking Devons
Picture Perfect Cattle for Colonial Williamsburg
by Ed Crews | Photos by Dave DoodySlideshow
In "the country wherein it hath pleased the divine providence to appoint our lot,"
Early American Jews Found Freedom to Celebrate Autumn's High Holy Days
by Robert DoaresExtra images
Autumn 2007
Fighting... Maybe for Freedom, but probably not
Slaves and free blacks in the Revolutionary War
by Lloyd DobynsVideo clips | Extra images
Native Numerals
Among American Indians, Numbers Counted for More than Math
by Anthony F. AveniExtra images
The Bugs that Bugged the Colonists
The weevil wrought evil, but the bee brought sweetness and light
by David Robinson | Photos by Dave DoodyCrossword Puzzle | Extra images
The Works at Falling Creek
"No fitter places of Mines, Wood and Water for Iron"
by Christopher Geist | Photos by Dave DoodyExtra images
Summer 2007
The Golden Age of Counterfeiting
Cashing in on Colonial Currency
by Jack LynchSidebar: A Counterfeiting Silversmith | Counterfeiting slideshow
Wills Simple and Elaborate
Bequests, Gifts, and Legacies
by James Breig | Photos by Dave DoodyView the wills close-up
Rare Sheep
From Hog Island and Leicester
by Ed Crews | Photos by Dave DoodyColonial Williamsburg's Rare Sheep
Spring 2007
"One of the most intriguing might-have-beens in American History"
Jefferson's Tardy Constitution
by Jack LynchZoom in on Jefferson's written Constitution
Anniversaries and the Origin of History
A Jamestown 400th Anniversary Story
by Michael OlmertThe Queen's 1957 visit to Jamestown slideshow | The Queen's 1957 visit to Jamestown slideshow with zoom feature
The Queen's 1957 visit to Jamestown movie
Equine Equanimity
It Takes a Special Sort of Horse
by Ed Crews | Photos by Dave DoodyColonial Williamsburg's American Cream Draft Horses
Presidential Portraits
"Stuart is all the rage, he is almost worked to death...."
by Ellen G. MilesZoom in on the presidential portraits
Winter 2007
Historical Rivalry
Virginia's Jamestown was the continent's first permanent English settlement. So how is that Massachusetts's Plymouth has precedence in the minds of so many Americans?
by James AxtellExtra images
"Things which seame incredible"
Cannibalism in Early Jamestown
by Mark NichollsSidebar: "Such a dish as powdered wife I never heard of" | Download Percy's A Trewe Relacyon
Extra images
Acrostical Valentines
A Young Man's Fancy Turns to Fad: The Lovers' Literary Campaign of 1768
by Jon KuklaPrinter's Trade | Flash interactive: Make your own acrostic
Gossip, Flattery, and Flirtation
The Art of Eighteenth-Century Letter Writing
by Andrew GardnerThe Quill Pen | Flash interactive: Write with a quill pen
Extra images
Holiday 2006
Asynchronous (Adjective: Not coinciding in time)
Eighteenth-Century Clothes for a Twenty-First-Century Pose
Asynchronous Fashion Photography Zoomable Slideshow
Once Around the Colonial Seasons
by Anthoni Aveni"To the handsomest young Country Maid" | Extra images
Tools for the Times
Modern Shop Reproduces Antique Implements
by Ed Crews | Photos by Tom GreenToolmaker Slideshow
"A Much More Respectable Bird... a Bird of Courage"
A Short History of the Turkey
by Andrew G. GardnerTurkey Slideshow | Turkey Recipes
Autumn 2006
Revolutionary City
A Colonial Adventure
by Lloyd Dobyns | Photos by Dave DoodyRevolutionary City Slideshow
Town Coach
Elegant, Eye-Catching Eighteenth-Century Vehicle Travels Colonial Williamsburg Streets
by Ed CrewsTown Coach Slideshow
The Technology of History
Modern science is helping to solve the puzzles of the past
by Michael J. Lombardi | Photos by Dave DoodyExtra images
Summer 2006
Colonial Williamsburg
An Artifact of Popular Culture
by Christopher GeistNotable Williamsburg Visitors Slideshow
"Throw down your arms, ye villains, ye Rebels, Disperse!"
by Dennis MontgomeryFields of Fire - Four Views of the Fatal Day
Captain Jack Jouett's Ride to the Rescue
Did Virginia's Paul Revere Spare Thomas Jefferson the Acquaintance of a British Hangman?
by Ed CrewsExtra images
Spring 2006
"Every part works in harmony"
The Venerable Craft of Basketmaking
by Ed CrewsThe Basketmaking Craft Slideshow
The Alternative of Williams-Burg
"Monster madness... the Patriots are in high Spirits just now."
by Robert DoaresExtra images
Winter 2005-2006
Rare Breeds and Other Creatures
by Barbara Brown | Photos by photography by Dave DoodyAnimals of the Historic Area Slideshow
Cool, Calm, Clean
Dairies were the most elaborate of outbuildings, and the cleanest
by Michael OlmertThe Dairy Slideshow
Finding Slaves in Unexpected Places
Keeping Blacks in Bondage Was Not a Southern Monopoly
by James BreigExtra images
Astronomers and Stargazers
Eyeing a Heliocentric Heaven for Planets, Portents, and Horoscopes
by Anthony F. AveniSidebar: Of Lenses and Tinderboxes | Extra images
Holiday 2005
Dessert Pyramids
A Feast for the Eyes and the Palate
by Mary Miley Theobald | Photos by Dave DoodyA Feast for the Eyes
Christmas Earnest & Christmas Game
At heart, Christmas was an oxymoron: serious and silly. Holy day as well as holiday. And sometimes violently.
by Michael OlmertColonial Games
Wreaths, Garlands, Ropes, and Fruit
| Photos by Barbara LombardiWreaths, Garlands, Ropes & Fruit Slideshow
A Christmas Essay
Christmas is a'coming, The goose is getting fat, Please put a penny in the old man's hat
by Ivor Noël HumeExtra images
Autumn 2005
The Tyme Appointed
by Mary Miley TheobaldLearn about Captain John Smith's capture and rescue through his 1624 illustration.
Summer 2005
Spring 2005
Work, Work, and More Work
Middling Planters Took Hard Road to Wealth, Respectability in Colonial Virginia
by Ed Crews | Photos by Lael WhiteAgriculture Slideshow
Of Sharpers, Mumpers, and Fourberies
Some Early American Impostors and Rogues
by Jack LynchPickpockets Slideshow
Alas, Poor ...Who?
Or, Melancholy Moments in Colonial and Later Virginia
by Ivor Noël HumeThe funeral of Governor Botetourt Slideshow
Timberheads and Talking Stools
Puppets Pulled the Strings of Eighteenth-Century Audiences
by James BreigPuppetry Slideshow
Lusty Beggars, Dissolute Women, Sorners, Gypsies, and Vagabonds for Virginia
by Bruce P. LenmanScottish Slaves Slideshow
Winter 2004-2005
Smokehouses
Foursquare and Stolid, These Buildings Were a Hardworking Adornment to the Colonial Backyard
by Michael OlmertThe Smokehouse
The History of Historic Trades
by James M. GaynorAn overview of current trades items | Historic Trades Slideshow
Wheels and Riding Carts
The Wheelwright Trade
by Ed Crews | Photos by Dave DoodyThe Wheelwright Trade Slideshow | Extra images
Holiday 2004
Captain John Smith's Christmas
by Dennis MontgomeryTrace Smith's likely 1607 and 1608 Christmastime routes.
Christmas Music in Colonial Days
by John Turner | Photos by Dave DoodySample some holiday music | Extra images
Babies, Balls, and Bull Roarers
Christmastime or Anytime, Kids Still Enjoy the Toys and Games Their Forebears Loved
by David RobinsonThe Joys of Toys Slideshow
The Community Christmas Tree in America's Hometown
by Mary Miley Theobald | Photos by Dave DoodyExtra images
Williamsburg's Long Christmas
Historically, two threads run through Christmas celebrations: piety and pleasure
by Michael Olmert | Photos by Dave DoodyRecipe for a Twelfth Night Cake | Extra images
Autumn 2004
"An honest, upright, and industrious man, a kind and obliging neighbor, and a good citizen"
by J. Hunter BarbourExtra images
Summer 2004
Remastering a Masterwork
Restoration of The Patriot
by Richard L. McCluneySuccinct Script Yields Memorable Quotes | Flash interactive: See how the color layers of the film interact with each other
Time for the Royals
Tompion's Clock
by Graham Hood | Photos by Hans LorenzZoom in for a closer look at Tompion's Clock
Spies and Scouts, Secret Writing, and Sympathetic Citizens
by Ed CrewsLearn to decipher the CUPID code. | View video excerpts from our Electronic Field Trip: In the General's Secret Service
Spring 2004
"With All the Grace of the Sex"
Women in Trades
by Donna Dene Woodward | Photos by Dave DoodyWomen in Trades slideshow | Sound clip
The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly
| Photos by courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art MuseumWinter 2003-2004
Cast in the Colonial Mold
The Geddy Foundry
by Ed Crews | Photos by Dave DoodyThe Foundry Trade Slideshow
Autumn 2003
Rediscovering an American Icon
Houdon's Washington
by Tracy L. Kamerer and Scott W. NolleyView details and images of Houdon's statue.
Making Circles
The Cooper's Trade at Colonial Williamsburg
by Ed Crews | Photos by Dave DoodyThe Cooper Trade Slideshow | Video clips from "The Cooper's Craft: The Art of Colonial Barrel Making."
Merchants Square Meets Quinlan Terry
by Edward ChappellView details and images of the transformations of Merchant Square.
A Field Spacious and Untrodden
The Virginian Society for the Promotion of Usefull Knowledge
by Robert DoaresAdditional photos of items used in the study of scientific knowledge.
Summer 2003
Points in Time
Photographs from a Williamsburg Collection
"Snapshots from a Williamsburg Collection" Slideshow
"In Mind and Heart" with the Enslaved of Yesteryear
by Will MolineuxAfrican-American interpretation at Colonial Williamsburg Slideshow
Plain and Neat
Cabinetmakers Preserve the Arts of Eighteenth-century Furniture
by Ed CrewsView videos of a cabinetmaker at work
Promises to Pay, Promises Unkept
How We Won a War and Lost Our Shirts
by Richard G. Doty | Photos by Tom GreenExtra images
Spring 2003
State, Dignity, Authority
Four Williamsburg Chairs Are Distinctive Expressions of Colonial Sophistication and Culture
by Graham HoodBilboes, Brands, and Branks
Colonial crime and punishment
by James A. CoxColonial Punishments Slideshow
Colonial Williamsburg Carpenters Construct Buildings of the Past
Reproduction Structures Offer Guests Look at Trade, Hands-on Experience
by Ed CrewsCarpentry tools
Winter 2002-2003
Out, "Damn'd Proverbs"
by James BreigInteractive Game: How well do you know your 18th-century proverbs?
Enduring Images of War
by J. Hunter Barbour | Photos by Tom GreenMedals from the Lasser Collection Slideshow
Autumn 2002
Summer 2002
Spring 2002
Peering into Rings of Grain
Dendrochronology comes of age, shedding new light on the shape of old America
by Mike OlmertWinter 2001-2002
Autumn 2001
Williamsburg and the Demimonde
Disorderly Houses, the Blue Bell, and Certain Hints of Harlotry
by Harold B. Gill Jr.Summer 2001
"Treason is but trusted like the fox" - Shakespeare
Whatever Happened to Benedict Arnold?
by Mary TheobaldSpring 2001
Winter 2000-2001
"The Best Is Not Too Good For You"
Colonial Williamsburg Celebrates Seventy-Five Years of Collecting at New York's Forty-Seventh Winter Antiques Show
by Sophia HartAutumn 2000
Summer 2000
Autumn 1999
Winter 1997-1998
Winter 1996-1997
Summer 1996
Autumn 1994
Spring 1994
Autumn 1993
Summer 1993
Spring 1993
Winter 1992-1993
Autumn 1992
