Williamsburg, Virginia

July 7th, 2008 by leafworks

Williamsburg, Virginia
What a quaint little history rich town. It has been quite a long time since I visited this village. In fact, not since i was a child. My parents took me here a few times and its probably one of the key influences on formulating my strong interest in history. Well at least the Colonial living history part of Williamsburg. Colonial Williamsburg is of course the key attraction to the area next to the infamous college of William and Mary (1693 - the 2nd oldest university in the United States). Also home to the first known mental hospital in the United States (Eastern State Hospital 1770) This small 12,000 populated city (2000 census) is located on the Virginia Peninsula in the the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia and forms a pivotal entry point to Historic Triangle where it borders James City County (Jamestown) and York County (Yorktown) connected by the National Park Service’s 23 mile long bucolic Colonial Parkway. It was originally known as Middle Plantation that was founded in 1632 that became a fortified settlement on high grounds between the James and York Rivers where it was defensible. In 1698 it became the capital of the Virginia Colony and renamed “Williamsburg”. In 1722 it became a royal charter and was the founding block for the political events that led to the American Revolution.
Weather in the area is very temperate and seasonal with hot and humid summers and cool evenings. The mean annual temperature is 60 °F (15 °C), with an average annual snowfall of 6 inches and an average annual rainfall of 47 inches. The highest recorded temperature was 104.0°F (40.0°C) on June 26, 1952 and August 22, 1983. The lowest recorded temperature was -7.0°F (-21.6°C) on January 21, 1985. Elevation: 82 ft (15 m). Website: http://www.williamsburgva.gov/ and more information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williamsburg%2C_Virginia.

Historic Williamsburg, Virginia

random shopkeepers
Historic Williamsburg, Virginia

Taking a 5-mile journey down the 23 mile long scenic biway Colonial Parkway, I made my way to Jamestown National Park. The drive was beautiful and very scenic. Lots of roadside stops and attractions. I do plan to return to this area and spend more time enjoying the natural side of the region ….