All photos by Mac McKinney

My wife and I decided to drive up to Colonial (or Historical) Williamsburg on Thanksgiving, not a long trip really, less than an hour in good traffic. It wasn't very cold and the chances of rain were low, so I had grabbed my camera too and, after several hours of walking around, came up with a few photos, actually quite a few, but I can only put so many up on OpEdNews.

Colonial Williamsburg, for those of you who don't know, is the historic part of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, replete with authentically restored and recreated buildings dating from colonial times, roughly 1699 to 1780. Colonial Williamsburg was actually the capital of Colonial Virginia throughout most of the 18th century, where many famous men such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison, to name but a few, passed through as leaders. Historical Williamsburg is also a lot more than just authentic buildings, but authentic atmosphere, costumes and lifestyle as well, with some "residents" even espousing the language nuances, vernacular and philosophies of this, the seat of one of our thirteen original colonies.

So it is fitting, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday founded in early colonial times to give thanks for a bountiful harvest, to return to that colonial past on that very day.

En route, before we hit the actual historical area, I spied some horses in the corralled fields outside of Williamsburg's Basset Hall, which is on the road to our destination, so I commence our photo-journey here:

After this rustic stop, in a few more minutes we were cruising through the historical area looking for parking, which is sparse, but the Gods of parking decided to smile upon me this day, and I found a spot relatively easily.



After that it was on toward the main thoroughfare, broad and teeming with all manner of people and establishments, famous Duke of Gloucester Street:



A gnarled tree-trunk in a front yard along the way to Duke of Gloucester Street




Row of houses on a side street



We're here now, looking down the main thoroughfare.



Historically costumed characters abound.





One of the many historical establishments.





A closeup of a Thanksgiving decorative wreath gracing a doorway.



A famous tavern.



Costumed greeters at a tavern



The seat of Virginia's colonial government, the Capitol, looming in the distance.



Another splendid colonial edifice



A gnarled section of a tree-trunk near the Capitol



Past the Capitol is another spacious tavern



A Revolutionary War Era cannon



The front of the Capitol



The coat of arms on the Capitol's spire



Well she's having fun!



Workers outside another tavern taking a break I gather.



In the street now









We stopped in Chownings Tavern for some lunch.



Inside, YES!





Wooden pikes greet you as you approach the Magazine, where munitions were kept.





Looking up past the arched entrance of the Magazine



The guard is signing his autograph for some kids, or so it seemed.



A tree's leaves have turned a beautiful red beyond the fence.



Another horse-drawn carriage passes by.



An artistically arranged firewood pile. This is the end of today's tour. WE barely scratched the surface at Colonial Williamsburg. There is much more to see here.