Tuesday, October 5

map of the time

Tuesday broke bright and sunny and we happily returned for more exploration of Williamsburg. The 301 acre historical town area has dozens of reconstructed and restored 18th-century buildings with streets to wander up and down.

The costumed actors, artisans, and guides everywhere in town are well versed in the era they are representing sharing insights into home life, politics, slavery, and culture in general.
--just the two of us (addressed as fellow slaves) had an extended conversation with “a free black woman and the enslaved Baptist minister” while sitting in the slave quarters of the original home of the Randolph family (who included several generations of Virginia attorney generals)
--toured through the Courthouse listening to a barrister tell us about the laws of the day (most infractions resulted in hanging)
--had fun exploring the apothecary shop

--watched a cooper making barrels
--toured the Capitol building where in 1776 the delegates voted for independence thereby risking charges of treason; (interesting tidbit--guide pointed out that Virginia was the most loyal colony to Britain since it had been originally settled by the aristocratic “second” sons sent to America to make money in contrast to the perhaps least loyal colony of Massachusetts which had been settled by families often seeking religious or other freedoms)

--walked through the nearly 300 year old Bruton Parish Episcopal Church which was once attended by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, among others and which is still an active congregation today

--watched a printer setting type
--climbed up in the Magazine/arsenal

a prisoner attempting escape?

We had a good taste of Williamsburg but were scheduled for dinner at the home of long time friends Tom and Betsy Bloom in Charlottesville--a two hour drive away. They treated us to a sumptuous dinner despite the fact that the wedding of daughter Molly was fast approaching on October 16. We were pleased to meet Molly and fiancé Joel as well as Jacob, the youngest Bloom. They obligingly strung a cord out from the house so we could happily camp in their driveway (and I could relish my electric blanket). We all chatted in the morning again until work beckoned the Blooms and a tour of Monticello called to us.