The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Earned Media Coverage

March 27, 2014

The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2014

From country music to herbal cocktails to horseshoe crabs to Rodin, our third annual list takes you to cultural gems worth mining

April, 2014

They beckon from nearly every corner of the country, from grand rivers and awesome mountains, from the Great Plains and a misty farm valley and a venerable whaling harbor, and what never fails to charm us is that each one follows its own, unhurried clock, saving up stories to tell and making time to talk. They are America's Best Small Towns to visit, and for this, our third annual search-and-enjoy mission, we've singled out communities for particular strengths in history, music, visual arts, learning, food, theater and science. It's not solitude we're seeking—the fruits of human creativity are best shared—but, rather, enrichments unbothered by the growl of our increasingly urban lives. We worked with the geographical information systems company Esri, which analyzed tons of data to find towns or cities of fewer than 15,000 residents where cultural opportunities abound, at least on a per capita basis. When you think of museums you probably don't think of Nebraska City (No. 9), but there's said to be one museum for every 800 people. And there's a beautiful river, too, and a fresh breeze, and sky

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/20-best-small-towns-to-visit-in-2014-180950173/?no-ist

3. Williamsburg, VA

The hem of a calico skirt disappearing around a corner, lowering light on the Bruton Parish Church steeple (which houses the same brass bell that rang for George Washington himself), the sound of a door being bolted and, from a tavern on Duke of Gloucester Street, a fiddle: This is Colonial Williamsburg calling it a day, which is kind of what it did after its service as the cradle of American ideals was over and the Virginia capital moved to Richmond in 1780. For the next 150 years the Tidewater town was so sidestepped by time and events that city fathers forgot to hold a municipal election in 1912.

Williamsburg woke up to become an American shrine, of course. As the capital of the oldest, biggest, wealthiest English colony in the New World, it helped forge the idea of an independent America. And it's about as real as such a place can be, meticulously restored or rebuilt thanks to William A. R. Goodwin, Bruton church rector from 1926 to 1938, who had the vision, and John D. Rockefeller Jr., who brought money and commitment to one of the most comprehensive historic preservations in the world.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/20-best-small-towns-to-visit-in-2014-180950173/?no-ist

Apprentice Abby Cox plies her trade in a Colonial Williamsburg millinery shop, where hats and dresses are made with 18th-century technology. (Matt Eich)

Entering the 300-acre historic district, you encounter people in 18th-century dress actually plying colonial trades such as shoemaking, brickmaking, weaving and blacksmithing. Patrick Henry fulminates against the Stamp Act in the House of Burgesses. Citizens protest that Lord Dunmore, Royal Governor of the Virginia Colony, confiscated gunpowder from the magazine after shots rang out in Lexington and Concord.

But don't stop reading because you think you've been there and done that (or you think historical re-enactments are hopelessly corny). There are stories a single trip simply can't tell, places you may have passed by or, like me at age 8 on my first visit, were too young to appreciate. Bassett Hall, for instance, is a Colonial-era farmhouse lovingly restored to its appearance in the 1930s when the Rockefellers spent the spring and summer there. Among the prizes at the nearby Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art and DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts museums—with subterranean galleries entered through the historic Public Hospital for the mentally ill, which admitted its first patient in 1773—are the blissfully dreaming Baby in Red Chair portrait and the whimsically carved 1920s hippopotamus-rhinoceros Victrola console. And just west of the village is the Christopher Wren-inspired old campus of the College of William & Mary, founded six years before the capital moved to the village from Jamestown in 1699.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/20-best-small-towns-to-visit-in-2014-180950173/?no-ist

Tourists can mingle with re-enactors on the streets of colonial Williamsburg. (Matt Eich)

Also, previously ignored facets of history have been brought to light, especially the lives of black slaves, who once made up 51 percent of the population; exhibits and re-enactments explore how slaves responded when the British offered to free them in exchange for fighting against the Colonists.

The place has changed, too. "New" venues have opened, like R. Charlton's Coffeehouse, right out of Bos-well and Johnson. High-tech investigations have guided restorations of structures including the Peyton Randolph House, which was formerly oyster-shell white and has been painted hematite red. "I'm still getting hate mail about that," says Edward Chappell, director of architectural and archaeological research.

Tourists can mingle with re-enactors on the streets of colonial Williamsburg. (Matt Eich)

Modern Williamsburg has had to chart a delicate course, growing with what can be thought of as America's Roman Forum at its heart. Many hotels, restaurants and shopping malls line designated

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commercial corridors, and pose no visual threat to the scenic integrity of the preserved colonial town; homeowners in neighborhoods near the historic district must choose exterior paint colors in accord with architectural preservation.

Yet the 21st century isn't hard to find. Residents hit the Saturday farmer's market in Merchants Square and take part in Art Month, a fall festival that opens galleries, stages concerts, sponsors Virginia wine tastings and turns Duke of Gloucester Street in the historic village into a fine arts fair. William & Mary has its Muscarelle Museum of Art and Phi Beta Kappa Hall, where the Virginia Symphony Orchestra performs.

But there's no doubt the past is the town's favorite pastime. Middle schoolers put their video-game consoles aside to perform with the Fifes and Drums, which rallies the village for revolution with tunes such as "The World Turned Upside Down."

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/20-best-small-towns-to-visit-in-2014-180950173/?no-ist

Re-create Colonial Williamsburg Style

Birmingham architect Bill Ingram gives his 1940s cottage some character-building TLC with materials chosen for their authentic looks and upkeep.

Inspired by the architecture of Colonial Williamsburg, Bill gave his home the authenticity and substance it needed with a few elegant upgrades.

http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/decorating/re-create-colonial-williamsburg-style/colonial-williamsburg-look

Flimsy materials diluted the charm of this 1,400-square-foot cottage, but architect Bill Ingram couldn't overlook its pleasing proportions. He was also drawn to its ideal location—tucked away from traffic but only a stone's throw from shops and restaurants.

Bill put every inch of his small front yard to good use by forgoing grass for a more impactful garden. He replaced the unruly vines, sloppy shrubs, and front walk with a tailored parterre of boxwoods and paths of antique bricks. "The house is only 27 feet wide," he says. "It's no issue walking around that garden, and it adds a bit of green around the front door."

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Bill first got rid of the lifeless siding, asphalt roof, mismatched windows, and flat, nonfunctioning shutters. He opted to cover the exterior walls and roof with more-tactile cedar shakes. "The house was static before, but now it's more animated," he says. "The shadows and textures all enliven it."

The new cottage-style windows (the bottom sash is longer than the top) work better with the home's architecture. They are also shorter than the originals, which allowed Bill to break the windows' previously awkward alignment with the front door. New operable shutters, painted Benjamin Moore's Georgian Green, flank the windows. Bill left the shutter hardware unpainted because he likes the crisp black color of the iron.

http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/decorating/re-create-colonial-williamsburg-style/colonial-williamsburg-look

"They weren't bad as far as their shape went, but I felt they would look better with the same roof style as the main house," says Bill. He replaced their squatty, hipped roofs with pointy gables. He also added a third dormer in the middle, explaining, "They were just too far apart. It looked like something was missing." Lastly, he installed new double-hung windows to complement the first story.

Add iconic cottage style to your home with these charming picks.

Lantern: French Conductor in Antique Brass (CHO2100), $1,050; circalighting.com Flag: 3' by 5' US Polyester Flag, $36.95; tidmoreflags.com $ Reader deal! 10% off with code SL13 Shakes: #1 Medium Handsplit Treated Cedar, from $2.59/sq. ft., available through Cole-Hall Lumber Company; 205/663-2900 Bricks: Chamfered Full Range Pavers by Ragland Clay (raglandclay.com), $2.43/sq. ft.; available through alabamabrick.com

http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/decorating/re-create-colonial-williamsburg-style/colonial-williamsburg-look

The Historic Triangle and More

When many Virginia visitors think of the Old Dominion, they think of plantations and the "Historic Triangle" of Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown. These historic havens have become synonymous with the history that Virginia visitors crave.

However, it's not history out of some boring textbook. It's living history in many ways and it's all easy to explore in one long trip or several shorter trips.

Colonial Williamsburg

In a state blessed with so much history, Colonial Williamsburg can provide many days' worth of historical exploration. More than a million annual visitors can't be wrong.

Williamsburg was once the capital of a colony that extended all the way to present-day Minnesota. It was a seat of pre-Revolutionary War political rebellion. Today's restored Colonial Williamsburg portrays 18th-century Williamsburg as it appeared on the eve of and during the Revolution. It covers 301 acres of the town laid out in 1699 by Royal Governor Francis Nicholson.

Bisected by mile-long Duke of Gloucester Street, the Revolutionary City is enhanced by a 3,000-acre greenbelt. There are more than 85 original structures, hundreds of major reconstructions, and more than 40 exhibition buildings containing more than 225 rooms, with furnishings from a 100,000-item (and counting) collection.

There are also 90 acres of gardens and greens, 15 exhibition sites, 10 shops, more than 30 trade presentations, several museums, historic interpreters, and many special and on-going programs. There's obviously much to see.

Any visit should start with a stop at the informative Visitor Center. Opened in 1957, the Visitor Center provides parking (including for RVs), information, tickets, bus service, and reservations. Orientation begins with a 35-minute film "Williamsburg--The Story of a Patriot."

Highlights within the historic area include the Capitol; the reconstructed Governor's Palace, completed in 1720, but destroyed in 1781; and the wide variety of shops where costumed milliners, wigmakers, postal workers, and many others are plying their trades.

Along with other dining options, operating taverns include Chowning's, Christiana Campbell's, Shields, and King's Arms. For shoppers, Merchants Square is an ideal place for that perfect gift or weekend memory. Eating and shopping are definitely a part of the Colonial Williamsburg experience.

There is a wide variety of ticket options for adults and children, as well as many package possibilities that include accommodations and dining. Colonial Williamsburg also provides a perfect base for exploring Yorktown and Jamestown, the other two points of the renowned "Historic Triangle." Be prepared, however, to spend more than just a day or two exploring the historic riches of the area.

Yorktown

Yorktown was the site of the last major battle of the Revolutionary War and the surrender of Lord Cornwallis to General George Washington in 1781. The National Park Service Visitor Center features "The Siege of Yorktown," a 16-minute film, a museum with artifacts related to the 1781 siege, including tents used by General Washington, ranger-led programs, and information for self-guided tours. Visitors can drive the battlefield and encampment tour roads, visit the Moore House where surrender negotiations took place (open seasonally), see the site of the British surrender, and view exhibits about Yorktown's Civil War history at the National Cemetery Lodge. The Monument to Victory and Alliance, the Nelson House, home to Thomas Nelson, Jr., signer of the Declaration of Independence, and other historic sites are located within the town.

The Yorktown Victory Center, a museum of the American Revolution, chronicles America's quest for nationhood. Thematic gallery exhibits and the film, "A Time of Revolution" highlight the experiences of

ordinary men and women who lived during the Revolution, trace the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution, and examine how people from many different cultures shaped a new society. Outdoors, historical interpreters engage visitors in everyday life during the Revolutionary era. Visitors can learn about a soldier's life in a re-created Continental Army encampment and, on a re-created 1780s farm, help with chores such as weeding the garden and processing flax. The museum continues to welcome visitors daily as it transforms into the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, to open in late 2016.

Since 2005, Riverwalk Landing has linked the Yorktown Victory Center and Yorktown Battlefield in a one-mile pedestrian walkway on the York River. A beautiful waterfront venue, designed in the spirit of colonial architecture reflected in Yorktown's historic buildings, offers a variety of shops and riverfront dining. Visitors can arrange to rent a bike, take guided Segway adventure tours of the village, or sail on the schooners Alliance or Serenity. A free trolley runs daily from spring through fall, offering many stops throughout town.

Jamestown

The historic Jamestown (or "Jamestowne") area offers a wealth of activities for exploring the first permanent English settlement in North America and more. The Visitor Center at Historic Jamestowne features exhibits with hundreds of Jamestown artifacts and an introductory theater presentation. At the Nathalie P. and Alan M. Voorhees Archaearium, visitors learn about the excavation of James Fort and view more than 1,000 artifacts.

Visitors can witness archaeology-in-action at the 1607 James Fort excavation; tour the original 17th-century church tower and reconstructed Jamestown Memorial Church; take a walking tour with a ranger or living-history interpreter through the historic townsite and view representations of many of the buildings that once stood in the town; watch costumed glassblowers at the Glasshouse; and drive the scenic Island Drive.

Jamestown Settlement, a museum of 17th-century Virginia, evokes the world of America's first permanent English colony through the film "1607: A Nation Takes Root," gallery exhibits and outdoor living history. Expansive exhibition galleries featuring more than 500 period artifacts provide an overview of Jamestown's beginnings and the first century of the Virginia colony and describe the cultures of the Powhatan Indians, Europeans and Africans who converged in 1600s Virginia.

Outdoors, visitors can board the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery, replicas of the three ships that sailed from England to Virginia in 1607. Plus, they can explore life-size re-creations of the colonists' fort and a Powhatan village. Costumed historical interpreters describe and demonstrate daily life in the early 17th century.

Plantation Road

Williamsburg and Richmond are connected by much more than a beautiful country road. Williamsburg was the original state capital, before the Old Dominion's headquarters was moved to Richmond. Today,

nearby I-64 makes the trip a blur, but nearby Route 5 allows visitors to linger in the present and enjoy leisurely glimpses into the past.

In a drive of less than 60 miles, the road between Williamsburg and Richmond winds through more than three hundred years of Virginia (and U.S.) history on the home front. The drive is like a trip to visit several wealthy friends at their large and varied country estates.

Once you leave the outskirts of Williamsburg on Route 5, the history lessons begin quickly. Most drivers are drawn to the large number of Virginia historic markers. Cars are constantly pulling over for roadside history lessons, culled from the distinctive signs all along Virginia's historic roads. Route 5 explorers will also notice the attractive Virginia Byway signs (including a cardinal, the state bird) denoting the historic and scenic importance of this road.

The first plantation after leaving Williamsburg is Sherwood Forest Plantation, which is open to visitors (for a small fee) for self-guided ground tours, as well as house tours by appointment and during special events. Sherwood Forest was the home of President John Tyler and is considered the longest frame house in America, at 300 feet. It has been a working plantation for more than 240 years and is still occupied by members of the Tyler family. There's even the family's Pet Grave Yard nearby.

Try to time your driving for a stop at Charles City Tavern, about 12 miles west of Sherwood Forest, for lunch or brunch. It's housed in an 1889 farmhouse that sits on a 2,000-acre working farm. Their creative fare includes don't miss "Virginia Poutine"--French fries topped with pimento cheese and Surry bacon gravy.

Back on Route 5, look for the turn to Westover Church on the left. The original church was built nearby in 1613 and this site and "new" building were adopted in 1730. If you're enjoying Route 5 on a Sunday, try to time a visit for morning services at this true country church.

Just down the road on the left are two plantations for the price of one drive down a country road. Called "Virginia's Most Historic Plantation" for good reason, Berkeley Plantation is one of the most popular stops on Route 5. Plus, the the grounds of Westover Plantation are also well worth a visit.

The half-mile dirt road to Berkeley was designed for carriages and built in 1725. A sign asks drivers to drive "leisurely." This historic mansion was built in 1726 (the initials of Benjamin Harrison IV and his wife Anne are on a datestone over a side door) and has since played host to George Washington, many more succeeding U.S. presidents, and thousands of tourists.

The Colonial-clad tour guides will point out many unique features. Some great tidbits you'll learn during the tour include "Taps" was composed at Berkeley in 1862 while Civil War Union forces were encamped at the plantation; William Henry Harrison, Governor Benjamin Harrison's third son, was born at Berkeley and went on to become the famous Indian fighter "Tippecanoe," the ninth president of the U.S., and grandfather of the 23rd president of the U.S.

If you're visiting in early-November, be sure to call in advance about the Virginia First Thanksgiving Festival, an annual celebration on the first Sunday in November. In 1619, Captain John Woodlief came

safely ashore here (two years before the colonists arrived in Massachusetts) and they have since celebrated the event annually. This popular event includes historical reenactments, crafts, Indian dancers and exhibits, music, and some great Virginia food.

By taking the other fork in the road, plantation lovers in the know head to Westover Plantation to tour the grounds, gardens, and outbuildings (small donation requested) or visit the interior's downstairs rooms during special events. This home, built about 1730 by William Byrd II, only opens its grounds (you can't go inside) for touring.

Situated directly on the James River, the best view of the buildings and grounds is found by walking across the lawn instead of following the path. Check out the small structure by the ice house, which contains passageways leading to the river in case of attack by Indians.

On the other side of the house, look for the iron fence with supporting columns topped by unusual stone finials cut to resemble an acorn for perseverance (from little acorns great oaks grow); a pineapple for hospitality; a Greek Key to the World for knowledge; a cornucopia or horn of plenty; a beehive for industry; and an urn of flowers for beauty.

The last of the Route 5's plantations is situated less than 20 miles outside of Richmond. Like many stately mansions, the ride up to Shirley Plantation is along a tree-lined road. Shirley was founded in 1613, just six years after the settlers arrived in Jamestown to establish the first permanent English Colony in the New World.

The brick structure is one of the nation's prime examples of Queen Anne architecture. It has been the home of the Carter family since 1723 and the 800-acre working plantation is still owned and operated by the ninth and tenth generations of the original family. It was the home of Anne Hill Carter, mother of Robert E. Lee.

As they do today, many prominent Virginians enjoyed the hospitality of Shirley Plantation, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Look for the plethora of pineapples, a Colonial symbol of hospitality, in the hand-carved woodwork of the house and the 3 1/2-foot pineapple pinial on the peak of the rooftop. The history- and anecdote-packed tour is excellent and a tour of the grounds along the James is invigorating.

Next, Civil War buffs flock to Fort Harrison, one of many large battlefields that are part of the Richmond National Battlefield Park. There is a small museum and visitors center, where you can get background on Fort Harrison's role in the War Between the States and a useful map.

Fort Harrison was bloodily captured by the Union forces of General Ulysses S. Grant in 1864 with more than 15,000 Yankee troops. The battle served as the beginning of the downfall of Richmond, the Capital of the Confederacy, six months later. There's a pretty and (now) peaceful walking tour and drive through the park before heading back to Route 5.

As you enter Richmond along the James River, the modern skyline looms ahead, but the memories of a unique past are just a few miles behind you.

Virginia Arts Festival brings an international roster of artists

By David Nicholson

3/23/14

The Virginia Arts Festival doesn't call itself an international gathering. But with the roster of artists visiting Hampton Roads this spring, you could easily make that connection.

There's a military band from Korea, a dance company from Great Britain, and an orchestra from Israel. These far-flung elements are part of more than 70 performing events coming to the 2014 festival April 2 through May 29 in venues from Williamsburg to Virginia Beach.

While Festival Director Robert Cross worries that the rough winter has put their marketing efforts behind — "We feel like we lost so many days because of the bad weather," he says — he's encouraged that sales have been brisk, especially from festival-goers who live outside the region.

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As the festival grows in longevity and reputation — this will be its 18th season — Cross has booked more adventuresome programming to increase the festival's visibility on the national scene and make it a destination for arts lovers along the East Coast.

This year's lineup will feature its first chamber opera, Marc-Antoine Charpentier's "Acteon," performed by Juilliard 415, the early music ensemble from the Juilliard School of Music. Last year the student group presented the Bach B Minor Mass at the festival, and Cross says, "We had such good artistic success with that work that we asked them to come back."

Other unusual offerings include Benjamin Bagby performing the iconic poem, "Beowulf," and Broadway and cabaret star Jasmine Guy mining the words of Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston in "Raisin' Cane: A Harlem Renaissance Odyssey."

The range of small and large-scale performing halls in Hampton Roads gives the festival lots of venues to pick from. Many of the more intimate concerts take place in the Robin Hixon Theater in the festival's headquarter building called the Jay and Clay Barr Education Center in downtown Norfolk.

Larger events often move into nearby Chrysler Hall or the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach. The festival's opening concert will host the Israel Philharmonic at the Sandler performing works by Faure, Ravel and Berlioz. Orchestra conductor Gianandrea Noseda says he is hoping this all-French program of works spanning 80 years will create "the feeling of a long journey" for the audience.

Another anticipated offering is a screening of the 1925 silent film, "Ben Hur," accompanied by live music. Rock drummer Stewart Copeland of The Police has written the film score and will be in town to perform with the orchestra.

Joshua Bell returns to perform the Shostakovich violin concerto with conductor JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Symphony. That concert also will feature Strauss' massive "Alpine Symphony" with stunning images of the mountains by German photographer Tobias Melle projected above the stage.

Dance lovers can enjoy Dance Theatre of Harlem and Britain's Richard Alston Dance Company, and chamber music fans will have the Miami String Quartet, The Assad Family of guitarists, the Tallis Scholars and Chanticleer.

The Virginia International Tattoo, a choreographed evening of military bands and bag-pipers, returns as well with a program honoring Vietnam War veterans. Cross is excited that the tattoo has been designated one of the signature events of the Vietnam War 50th Commemoration marking the beginning of the conflict.

"We're paying tribute to the veterans and families of the war," he says.

As with past seasons, the festival has grouped several concerts in individual cities to create mini-festivals. A long-standing one is Festival Williamsburg on May 22-25 that this year will present chamber music, Richard Alston dance, banjoists Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn, and the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy swing band. Many of those events are part of the festival's partnership with Colonial Williamsburg.

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"Colonial Williamsburg attracts residents and travelers interested in culture and heritage, and we are delighted to continue to partner with the festival team to present the finest musical traditions," says Colin Campbell, president of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

http://www.dailypress.com/entertainment/arts/dp-fea-virginia-arts-festival-20140323,0,1224538.story

Dominion Power gives Colonial Williamsburg $500,000 for programs

By Steve Vaughan

3/21/14

Though they were on opposite sides in a recent fight over high-voltage power lines across the James River, Colonial Williamsburg was the beneficiary of a $150,000 grant from Dominion Power this week. The grant was one of nine grants worth a combined $500,000 given to various Virginia historical organizations to support African-American history and heritage programs.

Dominion awarded the grant to Colonial Williamsburg in support of its research and interpretation of the African-American colonial experience. Among the projects it will fund are the creation of new African-American characters in its "Revolutionary City" street theater program.

This is far from the first connection between Dominion and Colonial Williamsburg. In fact, Thomas Farrell II, the CEO of Dominion, is chairman of the Colonial Williamsburg's Board of Trustees. Another member of the board is Sen. Tommy Norment, R-James City, long Dominion's staunchest ally in the General Assembly.

Despite that, Colonial Williamsburg opposed Dominion's plan, ultimately approved by the State Corporation Commission, to string a 500 kilovolt power line across the James River from its Surry nuclear power plant.

Colonial Williamsburg isn't holding a grudge.

"Dominion Virginia Power has provided support to Colonial Williamsburg for more than 30 years in a variety of ways," foundation spokeswoman Barbara Brown said in a press release. "The company's support of our African-American interpretive programming has been particularly meaningful and

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-dominion-cw-0321-20140321,0,5780689.story

impactful to our guests and staff over a long period of time, and we are immensely grateful for this partnership. There is, obviously, no connection between such a programming initiative and a matter involving power lines, which are separate and distinct subjects."

Dominion announced the grants at Montpelier, the lifelong home of President James Madison, where as many as 300 enslaved African Americans once lived and worked.

Over the last 10 years Dominion has contributed more than $400,000 to the Montpelier Foundation, most of which has been used to better understand and interpret the experiences of its enslaved community and the complexities of 19th century plantation life in the early years of the American republic.

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-dominion-cw-0321-20140321,0,5780689.story

Williamsburg lands on Smithsonian’s must visit list

By Steve Vaughan

3/21/14

The city was recognized as one of America's Top Ten Best Small Towns to Visit in the April issue of Smithsonian magazine.

This is the third year that Smithsonian has done the rankings, but the first in which they've chosen Williamsburg.

"There are stories a single trip [to Williamsburg] simply can't tell, places you may have passed by or, like me at age 8 on my first visit, were too young to appreciate," Susan Spano, the writer who explored the winning locales wrote.

Editors selected the winners by working with Esri, a geographical information systems company, which analyzed data from towns with 15,000 residents or fewer and ranked them by the number of cultural opportunities per capita.

"When Smithsonian approached the city last December to let us know we'd made the list, we were especially glad to see that we were singled out for culture, and that the ranking came from impartial data," said Mayor Clyde Haulman in a release from the city. "We know what makes us special, but it's gratifying that by any measure — intuition, experience or raw data — we're a culturally rich and diverse place to visit and to live."

Bob Harris, vice president for tourism at the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance, said the designation was a big feather in the city's cap.

"Anytime a well-known and prestigious brand like Smithsonian recognizes you, that is significant," he said. "We hope to be able to leverage that to attract more visitors. Anytime you have something like this, people add this to their list of places to go, to their bucket lists."

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The magazine consistently has high praise for theColonial Williamsburg Foundation — for its scholarship and authenticity as well as for the visitor's experience. The article begins with: "Revolution is afoot in a village that achieves historic authenticity in a digital age."

In addition, the article notes the 21st century charms of the town, which include Arts Month in the fall, the Williamsburg Farmers Market, and the College of William and Mary.

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-smithsonian-recognition-0322-20140321,0,2596091.story

Colonial Williamsburg offers discount resident pass

By Rachel West

3/20/14

Colonial Williamsburg is saluting Virginians by offering a season pass to the historic area for the price of a single-day admission.

Officials say the promotion saves residents 30 percent by paying for one day and get the rest of the year free. The offer is valid from Friday through May 31.

The pass includes unlimited admission to the Revolutionary City and its 35 exhibition sites and 19 historic trade shops, as well as access to Colonial Williamsburg’s world-class museums.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation operates and maintains the preserved 18th century site as an educational and tourist venue.

http://wavy.com/2014/03/20/colonial-williamsburg-offers-discount-resident-pass

Virginians can Pay for a Day, Revisit Colonial Williamsburg for Free

3/22/14

Virginia residents can now pay for a day’s visit to Colonial Williamsburg and return again this year for free.

The Salute to Virginia promotion offers Virginia residents annual passes at the cost of a single-day ticket — $43.95 – instead of the 30 percent higher annual pass price of $64.95. The offer is valid through May 31.

“This promotion was very well received by Virginia residents last year,” said Skip Ferebee, Colonial Williamsburg’s director of consumer strategy, in a release. “We listened to our fellow Virginians. We heard how honored they felt with this special offer, so we are bringing it back because of its overwhelming success.”

Salute to Virginia pass holders are granted unlimited admission to the Revolutionary City, including its 35 exhibition sites and 19 Historic Trades shops, and museums. Shuttle bus service is provided free, as are special walking tours. Discounts on admission tickets for friends and family, a 25 percent discount on tours and evening programs, and advance information about upcoming events are also available to pass holders.

Passes will be accepted through the end of the calendar year. For more information, visit Colonial Williamsburg’s website or call 855-296-6627.

http://wydaily.com/2014/03/22/virginians-can-pay-for-a-day-revisit-colonial-williamsburg-for-free/

Smithsonian Magazine Names Williamsburg Top Places to Visit This Year

3/22/14

Williamsburg is No. 3 on Smithsonian Magazine’s list of top towns to visit this year.

The magazine’s April edition includes The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2014, which puts the City of Williamsburg in third behind Chautauqua, N.Y. and Healdsburg, Calif. This is the third year Smithsonian has compiled a list of top small towns, but the first time Williamsburg made the cut.

Williamsburg was selected from a list of towns with 15,000 or fewer residents, and was ranked for “the number of cultural opportunities per capita,” according to a news release from the city.

“When Smithsonian approached the City last December to let us know we’d made the list, we were especially glad to see that we were singled out for culture, and that the ranking came from impartial data,” said Williamsburg Mayor Clyde Haulman in the release.

Smithsonian’s recognition of Williamsburg’s attractions pointed mainly to Colonial Williamsburg, but also made mention of the College of William & Mary’s Muscarelle Museum of Art and Phi Beta Kappa Hall, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Williamsburg Farmer’s Market in Merchants Square and Arts Month.

“We know what makes us special, but it’s gratifying that by any measure – intuition, experience or raw data — we’re a culturally rich and diverse place to visit and to live,” Haulman said.

http://wydaily.com/2014/03/22/smithsonian-magazine-names-williamsburg-top-place-to-visit-this-year/