Hartian Vacation To Williamsburg! (And, Uh, Some Other Places.) – Friday.

We decided to visit the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown today. (Yorktown is where the deciding battle of the Revolution happened. It was really interesting. They have a reenactment army camp and plantation outside that was fun to walk around. Also, we were able to have one of Mom’s friends from college join us for the day, which was fun.) When we got to Yorktown, we drove past the museum a little way to see a beautiful beach and a quaint town we didn’t realize was there. We thought that if we come back this way, we would explore the town and spend a little time there.

We got back to the museum and looked at the gift shop while Dad checked in. Then we went into the Museum. It was really cool because as you walk the halls, you can see quotes and facts about famous people from then. We got to see what kind of cannons they used, and what cannon balls and shot went to what. We also got to see a display on the Constitution with a room off to the side where you could say what liberty meant to you. The answers were electronically displayed on lanterns hanging on a faux tree.

There was also this really cool 4D video about the battle of Yorktown. As we saw the scene of the battle, the room filled with smoke that came from machines under the video. It looked like we were sitting in clouds. It was so cool. We learned that when the British army was defeated by the patriot Army at Yorktown, the only way for the British to escape would be by crossing the river to the other side. However, as the British army was trying to leave, a storm came up and made the York River so rough that they couldn’t cross it. I mean, that had to have been a really bad storm for them to not be able to cross the river. What do you think? Was that God’s hand helping the American forces so that people could have a free place to worship where their rights would not be infringed on? Or was it a coincidence? I don’t know about you, but I know myself that I believe it was God helping us. After all, It is HIS-story.

Ms. Lisa joined us as we were looking at the cannons, and she and Mom followed after us talking. We re-watched the 4D video because, well, we could, and it was interesting. Then, we looked at a couple of other videos that had to do with the time leading up to the war. We also saw the painting of King George III. After we finished exploring the inside of the museum, we ate lunch. We were debating going into town, but decided not to because we wanted to have time to see the outside display, so we ate at the little cafe inside the museum.  We finished lunch, then went outside.

We arrived in the middle of a musket demonstration, so we stood and watched as someone in period clothing shot a musket. After the demonstration, we got to hold it. It was actually pretty heavy (and really cool)! Then we wandered the camp and ended up listening to someone talk about different healing techniques used. We were in front of the surgeon’s tent (set up like they would have been back then). 😖   Apparently, the hospital was not on the campgrounds. They put it further back because it was thought (and they were probably right) that having the hospital in the same area as the camp would ruin the men’s morale. How would you have liked it if there wasn’t any pain medication when you were having a surgery. The best they could do was give you a bite stick?  Talk about ow! Also, some of the tools are just plain gross. Like they used leeches when you had a fever.😖

Anyhow, when the talk was over, Mrs. Lisa needed to leave, so we said goodbye, then we decided to explore the plantation. We saw a spinning wheel, and a drop spindle (which does pretty much the same thing as a spinning wheel) and a loom with half-finished cloth on it. That was in the first house, which was also the family living quarters. The next house was the kitchen. Then, you had the barn, the tobacco house (tobacco was the cash crop for the colonies. It’s how farmers made their money to buy things they couldn’t make themselves) and the slave quarters. There was a pasture, and in front of that, a little tent like thing (cloth on top of four poles) where you would sheer sheep, then “comb” the fur to take out the hay, or bugs, or other things to get it ready to turn into thread and weave.  Next, we went to the little amphitheater to hear the talk about artillery and see them fire a cannon. Brynn got to be in the demonstration of how to load it before they actually did load and fire it. I don’t think they actually fired a cannonball, but you could see a flash and lots of smoke. It was really cool. Succeeding the cannonball shooting, we decided to leave, but first went back to the gift shop so I could get a book and a T-shirt. 😁 The shirt says “Give me liberty or give me death. – Patrick Henry.” The book is called George Washington’s Secret Six, by Brian Kilmeade.  It’s about the Culper spy ring. It’s really good. (You should read it).  (Now).

After, we drove to Jamestown because we were planning on getting something Brynn wanted from the gift shop, but we ended up going into Historic Jamestowne, which is where the original settlement was instead of where the reenactment place was. (Fun fact: the James river changed course a little bit, so part of the original fort is in the water). We were able to get into both the site and the museum at the Historic site for free because 1, Ricky is in fourth grade, and fourth graders can get free passes to all (or most) national parks for themselves and their families and 2, the museum cash registers closed at five so the person in charge told us to just go in.  The museum was really cool and fascinating and gross (the skeletons) and creepy (see previous answer). Mom used to be an archaeologist, so it was fun watching her identify a bunch of stuff and listen to her tell us what she used to dig up.

After the museum, we went to the other side of the fort and walked around, looking at the remains of an old town.  Then, checking the time, we decided to leave. As we were leaving Dad decided to see if we could still get into the Jamestown reenactment site. The gift store was still open, so, as someone came out, we went in. Brynn was able to get what she wanted (a quill pen) and Ricky was able to get the thing he wanted (a wooden sword.). Elie got a sign that said Eliana Street (It’s rare for us to find anything with our names on them, so it’s always a big thing when we do). All three of them bought large candy items (such as the “Worlds largest candy necklace” 🤷🏻‍♀️). I found something really cool. It was a wax and seal kit so you could seal your letters the way they did in 1776. I ended up getting it because It was so awesome. 😁

Then, we went back to Brusters to get more ice-cream (that place makes the ice-cream there fresh) and back to the condo to eat pizza and pack because we are leaving tomorrow.🙁😕😭

 

 

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