But there WERE plenty of funky wigs and some seriously vintage clothing.
Colonial Williamsburg, 301 acres of "living history" museum, is an impressive undertaking by any standard. The city, named for William III, used to be the center of British rule in Virginia, and much of what used to be here in the 18th century has been painstakingly rebuilt on the original foundations. I only had a few hours for the site, but you could spend days wandering around all the various buildings. Among the chief attractions? The reconstructed Capitol and the reconstructed Governor's Palace, both of which are only accessible through a guided tour.
Everybody working inside the complex stays in historical character as much as possible, no small task given how different 2012 is to 1775. For example, I was asked for my mark of credit instead of a credit card at a gift shop and when I inquired after the bathroom at Chowning's tavern, I was informed there was no bath on the premises but there was a room of rest up the stairs. I was also gently teased for my British accent and one character asked if I visited often with His Majesty King George III.
The site also puts on several performances depicting parts of American history. My own trip was topped off with a splendidly OTT reenactment of the moment when the good citizens of Williamsburg received word of the battles of Lexington and Concord. Here's how it started:
for some reason i would love to see one of the historical actors sporting an ironic tattoo =)
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