Founded in 1632, Williamsburg was the first — and, for a long time, the only — municipality in Virginia, making it the political, educational, and social center of the largest and wealthiest of the 13 colonies. In 1699, Williamsburg succeeded in Jamestown, the first permanent English-speaking settlement in the New World, as Virginia’s Colonial Capital. Here, the ideas of representative government took shape. Here, many of the leaders of the new American republic learned their statecraft. And nearby in Yorktown, independence was won.
Today, the City of Williamsburg is an independent city with an estimated population of approximately 15,550, as of 2021. Williamsburg sits along Interstate 64 corridor midway between Richmond and Norfolk/Virginia Beach — at the center of the Eastern Virginia region, which has a population of more than 2.5 million.
Our Pillar Institutions
The City of Williamsburg is home to the second oldest college in the U.S., William & Mary, and the world’s largest living history museum, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
William & Mary, founded in 1693, is a premier public research university that is widely recognized for its outstanding academic reputation, beautiful campus and vibrant community. As a “Public Ivy” — one of only eight in the nation — William & Mary offers a world-class education at an exceptional value.
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a 301-acre outdoor history museum with more than 600 original and reconstructed houses, outbuildings, shops, taverns, and public buildings. Known worldwide for its preservation and interpretation of the nation’s founding, Colonial Williamsburg is the City’s largest taxpayer and tourism driver.
August 31, 2024
Politico
Colonial Williamsburg: Homeschool Hands-On - 18th-Century Astronomy Step into the solar system, become the planets, and discover how 18th-century scientists viewed the stars (or skies).... Read More
Colonial Williamsburg: Homeschool Hands-On - Importance of TobaccoPrior to the Revolution, tobacco was Virginia's main cash crop. Learn about the historic trade of farming, the process of growing tobacco, and how tob... Read More
Colonial Williamsburg: Homeschool Tour - Children and the LawJoin us for a 45-minute guided walking tour of the town as we explore how the youngest residents of Williamsburg are represented in the laws of the ti... Read More
Colonial Williamsburg: Homeschool Hands-On - Bray SchoolWhat was the lesson of a Virginia student like? What skills did a colonial English society value? How did the day of an enslaved black student differ ... Read More
Colonial Williamsburg: Drawing the LineWitness Lord Dunmore, the last Royal Governor of Virginia, finalize his famous proclamation at the inception of the Revolutionary War, issuing martial... Read More
Colonial Williamsburg: Veterans Day ProclamationOur Veterans Day programming begins at 10 a.m. with a ceremony on Palace Green honoring the men and women who have served in the United States Armed F... Read More
Andrew Trivette
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