The Governor’s Palace at Colonial Williamsburg is one of their most impressive buildings. It housed governors and lieutenant governors during the British period and the early statehood period of post-revolutionary Virginia. It was built to impress and to display the colony’s wealth and power.
The exterior of the Governor’s Palace. Construction took 15 years to complete (with much grumbling about the expense) and was partially financed by a tax on the importation of slaves into Virginia!
The entrance hall holds an imposing display of swords and other weapons— intended to intimidate. Photo credit: Colonial Williamsburg.org.
For most visitors to the Governor’s Palace, this parlor to the right of the entry hall is as far as you’d get. And you’d likely not see the Big Guy himself, but his Secretary instead. In reality, that’s not much different than today.
See all the wavy lines outside the window? 18th century glass was rolled out. Instead of the perfectly flat glass of today, it was often a bit wavy like this or even had a few bubbles in the glass. I find that it adds character.
This dining table was set for dessert, consisting of fruit jellies in the tall glasses and sweetmeats (candied fruits and nuts, no actual meat) in the shallow bowls. That bright green paint color is original to the Governor’s Palace. “Phillips Green” was all the rage during the colonial period.
Guided tours of the Governor’s Palace are available from 10:00am to 4:00pm daily, or you can do self-guided tours from 4:00-5:00pm. The Governor’s Palace at Colonial Williamsburg requires an admission ticket for entry. Personally, I believe it’s well worth it. A single-day pass to Colonial Williamsburg is $37.50, although I think the better deal is the three-day pass for $55.00. There’s so much to see and do in Colonial Williamsburg that three days is really better than just one. And if you live close enough to Colonial Williamsburg that you’d be able to make it back for another visit, an annual pass is $75.00. Check out their daily events calendar. Most events are free, but a few special ones (such as the musket training one that I attended, which you can read about in my separate article “How to Fire a Musket”) cost extra.
Another option is the Historic Triangle Ticket, which gives you admission to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown for $126.00.
For an even more complete picture of adventures you can find at Colonial Williamsburg, see my related articles for “Colonial Williamsburg” and “How to Fire a Musket”.