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April 17, 2014

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The Indian Princess and

the English Gentleman

THE IN-DEPTH GENEALOGIST 30 Going In-Depth April 2014

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The air was warm and a slight breeze stirred off the banks of the river. Clear blue

skies stretched above the gathered crowd who waited with anxious anticipation for

the bride to make her debut. As the wedding party walked through the fort to the

small chapel a murmur went through the crowd. Surrounded by friends, family, and

compatriots the couple said their vows in the chancel of the tiny church. The bride

was dressed in a velvet skirt and an embroidered jacket carrying sprigs of

rosemary. The groom in a red and black doublet and breeches; every bit an English

Gentleman.

By Shannon Bennett

The Indian Princess and the

English Gentleman:

Celebrating the 400th Anniversary of the

Marriage of John Rolfe and Pocahontas

Photo Credit: Chuck Durfor

Guest Column

THE IN-DEPTH GENEALOGIST 31 Going In-Depth April 2014

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On the 5th of April 1614, two worlds were united, but what you read above didn’t

happen then. That was the scene for the 400th anniversary of the wedding of John

Rolfe and Pocahontas which occurred at Historic Jamestowne earlier this month. This

time actors stood in the footprints of the original church at Historic Jamestown and

with a crowd of hundreds watching.

Whether the Englishman meant to fall in love with the beautiful Native American

captive or that he married her for political gain is still under debate, but the story of

the marriage of John Rolfe and Pocahontas has captured the interest of generations of

both Americans and Englishmen.

A brief history The name “Pocahontas” is known to every

school aged child in the United

States. Hopefully they know her more from

history lessons and less from the animated

cartoon bearing her name, but they know her

none the less. Born in 1596, her father was

Chief Powhattan, Wahunsenaca, the leader of a

large confederation Algonquian of tribes. Her

given name was Amonute, but she was also

known as Matoaka. Her nickname,

Pocahontas, means playful one and was given

to her due to her adventurous and carefree

nature.

Pocahontas was only 11 years old when the

first English settlers arrived at

Jamestown. Historians still debate the validity

of John Smiths accounts of her saving his life,

but it is known that she accompanied gifts of food and supplies from her people to the

settlers as a sign of peace after his capture and release. This peace waivered and failed

until in 1613 when she was taken hostage by Captain Samuel Argall.

During her time in captivity Pocahontas was lodged with Rev. Alexander Whitaker

who educated her in the English language and customs as well as Christianity. It was

during this time when Pocahontas and John Rolfe met. Rolfe, who was known for

bringing tobacco to Virginia, was a widower and according to contemporary accounts,

fell in love with the 17 year old Pocahontas.

Photo compliments of the author

THE IN-DEPTH GENEALOGIST 32 Going In-Depth April 2014

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In early 1614,

Pocahontas converted

to the Anglican faith

and upon her baptism

took the name

Rebecca. Her marriage

to Rolfe that April led

to several years of

peaceful relations

between the tribes and

the settlement. John

and Pocahontas had a

son within the year

named Thomas. He

was their only child.

Quickly she became the darling of the English Empire. What a wonderful love story,

and a great way to drum up interest in the Virginia Company. In 1616, with their 2

year old son in tow, the family traveled back to England. Now known as Lady

Rebecca Rolfe, Pocahontas was invited to the court of James I. She and John Smith

even reunited briefly during her visit to England, which was a shock to her as

Pocahontas and her people were told he died on his return trip to England.

After nearly a year in England arrangements were made for the family to return home

to Virginia. Unfortunately, within a few days of their scheduled departure,

Pocahontas died of an undetermined illness. She was buried in Gravesend on 21

March 1617. Thomas, who was also ill, was left in the care of John’s family in England.

Rolfe made the trip home to Virginia alone, never to see his son again. Rolfe died 5

years later in 1622 of unknown causes. Some speculate it was either during the raid

which destroyed his Varina Farms Plantation or from illness afterwards.

Their son Thomas made his way home to Virginia in 1635 to take up his father’s

lands. Upon his return Thomas learned that he was given thousands of acres of land

by his grandfather Powhattan when he died. They laid across the River from

Jamestown Island.

Renewing of vows, 400 years in the making In 2010 archeologists at Historic Jamestowne discovered the footprint for the original

1608 Church which stood inside of the fort. This was the second church built inside

the fort, the first burned to the ground that same year. Archeologists were looking for

Photo compliments of the author

Guest Column

THE IN-DEPTH GENEALOGIST 33 Going In-Depth April 2014

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evidence of the men’s barracks when their dig turned to this far more important find.

The church was the center of the settlement and a statement to the importance of their

religion. In addition to being the heart of the colony, it was also the first significant

church English settlers built in North America. As a building of significant importance

it was where officials would address the colonists, where they would come together in

prayer, and where marriages and funerals were performed. It was in this church that

the former hostage and the Englishman were united in marriage.

For the anniversary of this occasion the participants were married within the

footprints of the original church in nearly the exact spots their counterparts were

standing 400 years before within the chancel of the church. Wendy Taylor, the woman

portraying Pocahontas, is a member

of the Pamunkey tribe and the first

Native American to play the part of

Pocahontas in a reenactment since

1907. Making it a family affair, her

brother Warren played Pocahontas’

brother in the performance.

Dressing the bride No one knows exactly what the bride

wore on the day of her wedding, but

we can assume that she dressed in

clothing similar to other English

women. All participants were

dressed in outfits befitting their

station and nationality for the

ceremony as well. Abigail

Schumann, of the Colonial

Williamsburg Foundation, said in her

opening remarks the ceremony was

“a picture of what might have

been.”

Brenda Rosseau, manager of the

Colonial Williamsburg Costume

Design Center, couldn’t recall how the idea for a black work jacket came together, but

it was something she always wanted to do. She and I had several hours to talk about

the project while we stitched. You see, I was one of the lucky volunteers who donated

time to this amazing project.

Photo Credit: Andrew Durfor

THE IN-DEPTH GENEALOGIST 34 Going In-Depth April 2014

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Basing the design from an extant period jacket, the Falkland jacket owned by the

Victoria and Albert in London, the design team created a unique and one of a kind

artifact. Made out of material women in the settlement could have had access to it was

stitched in 10 weeks, by about 70 embroiderers, and with approximately 1,500 hours of

hand stitching.

Made from heavy white linen and black threads, various flora and fauna were stitched

onto the garment pieces. However, unlike contemporary English jackets which

showed flowers, birds, and insects native to that country, this jacket told the story of a

native Virginian. The peacock was replaced with a turkey. Tobacco and wild grapes

are shown as well as a variety of other native Virginian species you could find along

the banks of the James River.

Genealogy As the only child Thomas’ line continues to be of great interest to people on both sides

of the Atlantic.

There are speculations that Thomas had 2 wives, one in England and one in Virginia,

and rumors of a third. The validity of those statements is still hotly contested and we

The author assisting with the embroidery work on the jacket.

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THE IN-DEPTH GENEALOGIST 35 Going In-Depth April 2014

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may never truly know.

Some feel his first wife may have been Elizabeth Washington, whom he married while

in England in 1632. The union of Thomas Rolfe and Elizabeth resulted in one child,

Anne in 1633. Elizabeth unfortunately died shortly after Anne’s birth. If this

speculation is proven true it must be assumed the child was left behind with relatives

when Thomas made his way back to the colony, as no record of her exists from the

colony. Anne married a man named Elwin or Elwyn from which the purported

English line descends.

After his return to Virginia, Thomas married Jane Poythress and they had one child,

Jane, in approximately 1650. In turn Jane married Colonel Robert Bolling and they had

one child, John. The Bolling family was a prominent Virginia line and they continued

to marry other prominent families within the colony. Many of the Colonial Southern

Gentry families and modern prominent individuals can claim ancestry from this

union. For instance, three US Presidents (Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, and Jimmy

Carter) and a First Lady (Edith Bolling Galt Wilson) are among those honored few.

Shannon

Shannon Combs Bennett

Shannon Combs-Bennett is a stay at home mom who writes both a blog and for print

publication. Her passion is hunting down the facts behind her family’s stories. You

can follow her on Facebook and on Twitter (@tntfamhist.) Shannon is the author of

IDG’s monthly column, The Society Pages, and the book “An In-Depth Guide to

Richmond, Virginia”.

THE IN-DEPTH GENEALOGIST 36 Going In-Depth April 2014

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Sources / Further Reading

To learn more about The World of Pocahontas exhibit at Historic Jamestowne please

see their website for updates and more information: http://www.historicjamestowne.org/

wofp/events.php

If you are interested in learning more about this family and their history check

out these links and resources. This is by no means a complete listing of resources

available.

JSTOR : Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, "The Ancestors and

Descendants of John Rolfe with Notices of Some Connected Families

(Continued)." Published April 1913. Accessed April 3, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/

stable/4243266. [This is one of a series of articles covering this genealogy]

Powell, Eric A. Archaeology Archive, "1608 Church - Jamestown, Virginia."

Published Jan/Feb 2011. Accessed April 3, 2014.

http://archive.archaeology.org/1101/topten/virginia.html

Neely, Paula. National Geographic, "Pocahontas's Wedding Chapel Found at

Jamestown Mud-walled structure was site of 1614 nuptials." Published

November 10, 2010. Accessed April 3, 2014. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/

news/2010/11/101110-pocahontas-wedding-chapel-jamestown-science/

Robert, Gary Boyd. American Ancestors, "Notable Kin: Some Descendants and

Kinsmen of Descendants of Pocahontas: An Excursion into Southern Genealogy."

Published April 1986. Accessed April 3, 2014. http://www.americanancestors.org/

an-excursion-into-southern-genealogy/

Robertson, Wyndham. "Pocahontas, alias Matoaka, and her descendants through

her marriage at Jamestown, Virginia, in April, 1614, with John Rolfe, gentleman."

Published 1887. Accessed April 3, 2014. https://archive.org/details/

pocahontasalias00brocgoog

Colonial Williamsburg exhibit demonstrates unexpected richness of Southern furnishings

By Mark St. John Erickson

April 12, 2014

When Colonial Williamsburg staged its first Antiques Forum in 1949, it hoped the art historians, antique dealers and antique collectors who gathered from across the country would leave the pioneering event feeling enlightened.

Instead, the remarks made by legendary curator Joseph Downs left many listeners with Southern roots wondering if their hearts and souls — if not their hair — had caught on fire.

Delivering a talk on regional furniture, the head of the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York was merely giving voice to the predominant opinion of the day when he observed that "little of artistic merit was made south of Baltimore."

"Mr. Downs, did you make that statement out of prejudice or ignorance?" she asked.

"I had better plead ignorance," he replied, taking the first quick backward steps in an argument that was plagued by lack of knowledge from the outset.

Sixty-five years later, so many well-placed volleys have been fired in answer to this once-prevalent assumption that the question of artistic merit in early Southern decorative arts has been largely settled. But if any doubts remain, the latest salvo from Colonial Williamsburg breaks so much new ground that — its curators say — it's not just a celebration of an overlooked legacy but also a definitive rebuttal.

http://www.dailypress.com/entertainment/galleriesandmuseums/dp-fea-southern-furnishings-exhibit-20140412,0,7545310.story?page=2

"Thirty years ago, we couldn't have done an exhibit as large and comprehensive as this — because we didn't know these things the way we do now," says chief curator Ronald L. Hurst, describing the encyclopedic array of 350 objects found in "A Rich and Varied Culture: The Material World of the Early South."

"As one of my colleagues has said, this is the largest exhibit of Southern material culture ever mounted — and part of the reason behind that diversity and depth is to reinforce the idea of just how much the South made. The idea that it didn't is a myth."

Funded by Williamsburg donors Michael and Carolyn McNamara, the landmark show was more than two years in the making, during which Hurst and Senior Curator Margaret Beck Pritchard spent long stretches of time studying early objects in scores of public and private collections throughout the South.

But its roots reach back to the milestone 1997 book "Southern Furniture, 1630-1830," which Hurst co-wrote with former CW furniture curator Jonathan Prown, now executive director and chief curator of The Chipstone Foundation in Wisconsin.

Where that widely admired study and an accompanying exhibit focused on 150 pieces of furniture, however, Colonial Williamsburg's new and much more comprehensive survey also embraces an extended range of media, including painting, prints, metals and ceramics as well as mechanical arts, firearms, architectural artifacts, rare books, maps, clothing and musical instruments.

"This is one of the most important shows in the history of Southern decorative arts — and it's the first that explores such a complete range of media," says Robert A. Leath, chief curator of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in North Carolina, who served as consulting curator.

"It's a very dense exhibit — and it's filled with great objects that we will never see come together again in our lifetime."

Among the flagship examples in the show is MESDA's great late-1700s Charleston library bookcase, which hasn't left the pioneering museum's building in Winston-Salem since it opened nearly 50 years ago.

Scores of other seldom or never-loaned masterpieces from more than two dozen collections across the region are also on view, underscoring the momentous nature of the exhibit.

"We had the gall to ask them all for five-year loans — and they all said, 'Yes,'" Hurst says.

"That's a long time for these places to be without so many key masterpieces. But they all bought into it because they wanted people to see their best things in a setting that would show off their importance."

In addition to established stars, the exhibit bristles with surprises, too, showcasing many objects that have only rarely or never been in a museum setting before, including a large number from regions that decorative arts scholars describe as the South's "Back Country."

http://www.dailypress.com/entertainment/galleriesandmuseums/dp-fea-southern-furnishings-exhibit-20140412,0,7545310.story?page=2

Among them are a Kentucky chest of drawers blending influences from both the mid-Atlantic and New Orleans, an exuberant Georgia slab table and a Tennessee corner cupboard fabricated from wildly figured walnut. "While many of the objects produced in the Chesapeake and Carolina Low Country display a heavy reliance on British taste, the adventurous and entrepreneurial character of the ethnically diverse populations that migrated in to the Back Country is immediately apparent," Pritchard says.

"These artisans produced highly sophisticated objects that exploited the availability of local materials, often profusely decorating them with motifs that reflect a wide array of cultural backgrounds."

Such discoveries sparked numerous revelations when Hurst and Pritchard returned to Williamsburg, bringing newly enlightened eyes to the study of their home collection.

"It's now crystal clear that this is actually from central Kentucky," Hurst said, "and it's the best example that there is."

Similar surprises were found in a massive dresser that bears all the hallmarks of a Pennsylvania piece yet was actually made by Pennsylvania immigrants living and working in Chatham, N.C.

"We've had it for 50 years — and I didn't put it in the 'Southern Furniture' book because — like everybody else — I assumed it was Pennsylvania," Hurst says.

"That tells you something about the strength of that old bias. People thought it couldn't possibly be Southern. It was too good."

Erickson can be reached at 757-247-4783.

Want to go?

"A Rich and Varied Culture: The Material World of the Early South."

Where: DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, entered through the Public Hospital of 1773, Francis and Henry streets, Williamsburg

When: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily

Cost: $12.95 adults, $6.50 children 6-12

Information: 757-220-7724 or http://www.history.org/museums

http://www.dailypress.com/entertainment/galleriesandmuseums/dp-fea-southern-furnishings-exhibit-20140412,0,7545310.story?page=2

EDITORIAL: Celebrating the good deeds in greater Williamsburg

April 8, 2014

Celebrating the good deeds of locals of all ages:

Members of the Gypsy Good Sam Chapter camping group, with members from Lanexa and Toano, sold raffle tickets throughout 2013. Proceeds were donated to Williamsburg Salvation Army.

The Guild at Hospice House and Support Care of Williamsburg was recently selected Person or Group of the Year by Men's Charity Tennis Inc.

Walsingham Academy's Madrigals choir group performed at the Vatican in the presence of Pope Francis. The group then celebrated New Year's by attending a Mass in St. Peter's Square.

The Williamsburg Business Alliance Networking Group made a $250 donation to Hospice House.

Olde Towne Medical Center received two examination tables for new courtesy of Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center.

The Williamsburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority delivered school supplies to Child Protective Services for use by local school children.

Bedcrafters by Michelle collected cat food and dog food, providing customers with a discount and donating the food to the Heritage Humane Society.

Through a partnership dubbed the "housing collaborative," Je'Marc Morton and his daughter Aaliyah were able to secure a transitional apartment while he searched for permanent housing.

The choir at Williamsburg United Methodist Church took the hymns of Vespers to a different level in January, performing them to a jazz accompaniment.

Members of the Warhill High School band made people smile and raised money, performing during the holidays at a local Farm Fresh while collecting donations for the Salvation Army.

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-editorial-0409-20140408,0,4895351.story

Members of the women's soccer and men's track teams at the College of William and Mary raked leaves at the Grove Christian Outreach Center as their task for a service day project.

Norge Dental Center held its annual Dentistry From the Heart event in March, treating more than 200 patients, all for free. A team of dentists and assistants did fillings, cleanings and extractions.

Similarly, Olde Towne Medical Center held a kids' dental care day in February. Between 150 and 200 children received care.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension, James City County-Williamsburg Master Gardeners and employees of the county Stormwater Division joined with students and faculty of J. Blaine Blayton Elementary School to install and mulch more than 200 plants at the school.

Children have learned to love BUGs at D.J. Montague Elementary School. Dozens of students in kindergarten through third grade were recognized for their academic ability to Bring Up Grades, improving in one subject while maintaining their performance in others. The children were recognized in a ceremony. The program is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Williamsburg.

Howard Wallace has looked after faculty, staff and students at James River Elementary School for 18 years. Prior to clocking in as head custodian each day, he serves as a crossing guard, ensuring students make it to school safely.

Bishop John Gray of Bethel Restoration Center and Pastor Mark Morrow of Crosswalk Community Church marked Martin Luther King Jr. weekend by holding a "pulpit swap." Each man preached a sermon to the other's congregation.

Hall Ford in Newport News donated a 2014 Ford Fusion for the Child Development Resources Bid 'n Buy Auction. The vehicle was valued at $24,000.

Colonial Williamsburg recognized 92 employees for service in January, each with at least 25 years at the foundation. A dozen had 40 or more years of service.

Robin Bledsoe completed her 100th hike to honor a fallen service member.

The Williamsburg Center for Dental Health held a coat drive, collecting more than 100 winter coats for donation to the Grove Christian Outreach Center.

Six Girl Scout troops combined to collect more than 3,100 pounds of food for donation to two local food pantries.

Six members of Temple Beth El took part in a b'nai mitzvah, a ceremony for adults who never participated in the rite of passage in the Jewish faith. Bruce Sykes, who converted to Judaism, commented "I am a Jew by choice. This was my way of affirming my beliefs in Judaism."

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-editorial-0409-20140408,0,4895351.story

Chinese ceramics highlighted exhibit at Colonial Williamsburg

April 9, 2014

WILLIAMSBURG - A new exhibition now open in the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum dispels a popular belief that colonial Virginians had limited access to the trappings of fashionable ceramics. “China of the Most Fashionable Sort: Chinese Export Porcelain in Colonial America” demonstrates that the lack of direct trade with China prior to the American Revolution certainly did not hinder 18th-century Virginians from indulging in consumerism of the times. Seventy objects from Colonial Williamsburg’s collections show the variety of Chinese porcelain available in colonial America and owned by a broad cross-section of the public, including tradesmen, merchants and wealthy landowners. The exhibition provides museum guests with an overview of European trade with China, how the porcelain was made, trade routes involved from the east to the west and the general types of porcelain available. The exhibition focuses on artifacts recovered during archaeological excavations in the Williamsburg’s Historic Area then moves to include Virginia and the eastern seaboard by examining porcelain owned and used in each of those contexts. Case studies of two families — Spotswood and Rumford — highlight ownership of these wares by multiple generations over time. In 1607, when the English landed at Jamestown and established the first permanent English settlement in North America, Chinese porcelain was already well integrated into European culture. Although those early settlers carried few personal possessions, one of them brought Chinese porcelain to Jamestown in the form of a small wine cup. Colonists who came to Virginia and other parts of North America were no different from their European brethren. They were fascinated with Chinese porcelain and merchants sought to give these men and women what they wanted — china of the most fashionable sort. From then through the Revolution, colonial Virginians expressed their growing affluence and participated in the relatively new consumer world. “China of the Most Fashionable Sort: Chinese Export Porcelain in Colonial America” is curated by Suzanne Hood, Colonial Williamsburg’s curator of ceramics. The exhibition will remain on view through 2015.

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-chinese-ceramics-highlight-exhibit-20140409,0,6420365.story

The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg include the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum exhibits the best in British and American decorative arts from 1670–1830. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum is home to the nation’s premier collection of American folk art, with more than 5,000 folk art objects made during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg are located at the intersection of Francis and South Henry Streets in Williamsburg, and are entered through the Public Hospital of 1773. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. For museum program information, telephone (757) 220-7724.

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-chinese-ceramics-highlight-exhibit-20140409,0,6420365.story

Spring break tourism off to good start in Historic Triangle

By Steve Vaughan

April 11, 2014

WILLIAMSBURG — With Easter falling well into April this year, the spring break tourist season may stretch over three weeks.

It's apparently off to a good start. In large part that may be because of the return of school field trips, which had been curtailed by tight budgets for several years after the recession.

Last week at least 10 school groups were in Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area by 9 a.m. on a weekday morning, including three from Charlotte, N.C., and one from Houston.

"We anticipate increases in tickets, rooms, dining and retail as we enter the spring break period, which of course is occurring later this year than last," said Colonial Williamsburg spokeswoman Barbara Brown. "We are already seeing signs of that increase in the number of school groups visiting the Revolutionary City. This should provide a springboard to the summer season when we have a number of initiatives underway to boost visitation by families."

The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation is also seeing big crowds, including many school groups.

"Our group reservations, which are mostly school groups, are up 20 percent this year over last April," said foundation spokeswoman Debby Padgett.

She said the late Easter would push this year's spring break business primarily into April.

Padgett said March's numbers were down due to the bad weather, adding that early April's perfect spring weather probably helped attendance.

"We are selling a good number of individual tickets as well as group tickets," she said.

Busch Gardens opened for spring break April 4.

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-springbreak-0405-20140411,0,3904327.story

"It's part of a multi-week opening for spring break," spokesman Kevin Crossett said. "We look at where the people will be coming from."

He said various school divisions were taking different weeks as their spring break.

"We'll be open through April 21, he said.

While Historic Triangle attractions have their eyes on visitors arriving from out of the area, people who live in Hampton Roads say they are more likely to take a spring break trip this year.

According to a poll released this week by AAA Tidewater 62 percent of Hampton Roads residents plan a spring vacation this year, up from 53 percent who say they traveled during spring break last year.

"Spring break travel has increased this year as our members are feeling more confident about their personal economic situations. Gas prices are lower than this time last year and some unusually cold weather has prompted travel to warmer climates," said Georjeane Blumling, AAA Tidewater spokesperson.

A spring break trip was defined in the poll as a trip at least 50 miles away from home and requiring an overnight stay during March, April or May.

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-springbreak-0405-20140411,0,3904327.story

Easter Brunch at the Williamsburg Lodge

By Emily Ridjaneck

April 10, 2014

You don’t have to hunt far for a spectacular Easter Brunch – bring your favorite some-bunnies to the Williamsburg Lodge on Sunday, April 20. Executive Chef Anthony Frank and his team will do all the cooking and baking so your family can enjoy a dazzling array of savories and sweets. Step up to the crepe chef action station, design your custom omelet, and indulge with our smoked spice honey beef brisket with house made BBQ sauces. For the grand finale, sample there decadent desserts including custom cupcakes and a milkshake station.

Sunday, April 20, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Williamsburg Lodge. Adults: $52. Children 6–12: $26. Children 5 and under: complimentary. Prices include tax and gratuity. Reservations required.

http://wydaily.com/2014/04/10/easter-brunch-at-the-williamsburg-lodge/

Spring Spa Days

By Emily Ridjaneck

April 15, 2014

A great chance to pamper yourself at a great price.

April 20 – 26 a the Spa of Colonial Williamsburg. Call 757-220-7720 to book your appointment today – they will fill up fast!

http://wydaily.com/2014/04/15/spring-spa-days/

AleWerks Brewing Company Claims Three Titles at U.S. Beer Tasting Championships

By Brittany Voll

April 10, 2014

York County-based AleWerks Brewing Company took home two grand champion awards from the 20th annual U.S. Beer Tasting Championships.

USBTC judged 580 beers from 151 breweries in 15 categories; each category yielded a grand champion and best entry from six regions.

To capture two grand champion awards and a division award, AleWerks took beer brewing above the four main ingredients – water, hops, malt and yeast – to achieve flavors derived from wood, coffee, vanilla, bourbon and chocolate.

AleWerks’ Bourbon Barrel Porter, which gains its bourbon flavor from Virginia Gentleman barrel aging, was named grand champion in the barrel-aged beer category against 67 other beers.

Café Royal, a stronger brewed AleWerks CoffeeHouse Stout also aged in Virginia Gentleman barrels, beat out 34 other beers for grand champion in the bean beer category. Bean beers are brewed with coffee, chocolate, vanilla or other beans to get the most flavor, rather than flavor coming from malt alone.

Old Stitch, a brown ale AleWerks brews for Colonial Williamsburg using a 1737 recipe, was named best brown ale in the Mid Atlantic/South Division.

“For brewing strong brown ale called stitch, this is mostly the first runnings of the malt but yet a longer length than is drawn off for stout,” said Frank Clark, Colonial Williamsburg Historic Foodways supervisor who worked with AleWerks on Old Stitch, in a news release. “It was a weaker version of what the manual calls a brown stout beer that was probably eight percent alcohol. Mixing beers was very common during this time period and is how porter got its start.”

Old Stitch is served in Colonial Williamsburg’s historic taverns, Inn and Lodge restaurants and is sold by the bottle and six-pack in Colonial Williamsburg stores.

Visit AleWerks’ website for more information about the brewery and its beers.

http://wydaily.com/2014/04/10/alewerks-brewing-company-claims-three-titles-at-u-s-beer-tasting-championships/

Everything Williamsburg Moves to Duke of Gloucester Street, Plans Saturday Celebration

By Brittany Voll

April 15, 2014

Colonial Williamsburg’s Everything Williamsburg store has moved from its 22-year location on South Henry Street to a Merchants Square spot on Duke of Gloucester Street.

When the Toymaker of Williamsburg closed its doors at 415 W. Duke of Gloucester Street after 40 years, Colonial Williamsburg’s Director of Retail Stores Teresa West jumped at the chance to move Everything Williamsburg around the corner.

“It was thrilling for them to concede to us and say, ‘Yeah, you guys can have the space.’ I think there were other merchants who were interested in it,” West said. “We wanted to be in the heart of the action.”

Everything Williamsburg’s new location is visible from inside Merchants Square and to guests walking from the parking lot through the breezeway into the shopping area. Less than two weeks into the move, West said the store has already seen an increase in foot traffic, but she is waiting until after Easter to really gauge the changes.

The store has the added benefit of selling similar items to those found in the toy shop.

“Those who were avid toy store shoppers still come and we are able to transition them into [Everything Williamsburg] shoppers because we do still carry a lot of the toys and games,” West said.

Also, the store now sells sundries tourists and shoppers may need on their trips into Merchants Square: pain killers for headaches, bandages and sunscreen. Other than the new section, the store still carries toys and games, souvenirs, books, collectible items, stationery, soaps, and food and drinks.

http://wydaily.com/2014/04/15/everything-williamsburg-moves-to-duke-of-gloucester-street-plans-saturday-celebration/

Moving to the new store was no quick task. In February, demolition began inside the toy shop, which made way renovations in March. The store closed its doors on South Henry Street on March 22 and began moving with the intent of opening April 5. The store opened a day early in its new home.

“I have a dream team and everybody was so anxious to get us over there prior to the Easter closings and the school breaks,” West said.

Now that she has the location, West does not intend on giving it up anytime soon.

“I have no plans to go anywhere. We’re stuck like glue. We’ll be like the Toymaker,” West said. “When you get a location on Duke of Gloucester Street, you’re not apt to give it up.”

West will celebrate the store’s opening in its new location Saturday during the Williamsburg Farmer’s Market. Staff from the Colonial Williamsburg rare breeds program will bring out a Leicester Longwool ewe and her newborn lamb from 8:30 a.m. to noon as long as the weather holds.

Staff from Everything Williamsburg will bring out plush lambs, baby blankets and books to show the connection between the rare breeds animals and the store. Children visiting the store can take a picture with a sheep cutout and submit names for the newborn lamb.

http://wydaily.com/2014/04/15/everything-williamsburg-moves-to-duke-of-gloucester-street-plans-saturday-celebration/