Audio tourColonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Hi! My name is Katherine and I’ll be your guide on this tour of Colonial Williamsburg, presented by Insight Guides. This tour takes approximately two hours to complete. You can stop at any time and start again at the same spot later. You can follow the route on your phone or simply listen as I guide you from one sight to the next. I’ll be giving you clear directions and the audio will automatically start playing when you get close to the next sight on the tour. Don’t worry if you need to skip a sight as the tour will pick up at the next location. One more thing before we get started – always be aware of your surroundings and be sure to obey all traffic signals.
The story of Williamsburg is the story of two cities and the people of two centuries.
The first is the capital of colonial Virginia. Building from a hard-scrabble settlement between the James and York rivers with the nondescript name of “Middle Plantation,” it was designated the capital of the Virginia colony in 1699. It quickly became the center of power and prestige, and as the passion for revolution grew, it was the apex of political machinations and debate. But after the Revolution, with Virginia’s capital moved to Richmond, Williamsburg faded into obscurity and disrepair. 
The second is of the rediscovery and restoration of the historic town in modern times. Archeology allowed for authentic restoration and reconstruction of the buildings. But the real value lies in the lessons learned in the re-creation of the daily lives of the 18th century. Williamsburg’s interpreters explain what these things showed about that society and how they laid the foundation of the American character and creation of the country.
Two men are responsible for the creation of Colonial Williamsburg, Rev. W.A.R. Goodwin and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. You’ll learn more about them as we go.