There are nooks and crannies within Colonial Williamsburg that I have yet to explore. While the tourism emphasis seems to be upon Duke of Gloucester Street, less centralized areas offer more history. In the area, one might locate the Thomas Everard house. Everard was not a rich man by any means, but appears to have been in the midst of much of the political action in the Virginia Colony, even taking part in selecting the men to represent the colony for the Continental Congress.
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 | If you look at the main entrance to the Governor's Palace and then allow your gaze to drift to the left, your eyes might land upon the George Wythe house. This house served as headquarters for the more well-known George - Washington, that is. This latter-mentioned George used the former's house as headquarters before the decisive Yorktown Battle. But George Wythe (pronounced like with) is more than the placard on the outside of his house describes. Not only was he a signer of the Declaration of Independence, but he also:
We can't appreciate this man enough for his contributions to society and to this nation. Later in the week, we were introduced to Wythe, interpreted and portrayed by Robert Weathers. Pictured here, Weathers presents Wythe with a distinct and intricate vocabulary, tinged with political commentary that touches on both the large events of the 18th Century, as well as everyday life in the colonial capital. Much of his presentation speaks to our own current events and could be debated just as easily on talk radio, today. |
Look to the right from the Governor's Palace, and you may notice the lovely wooden house pictured below. That is the Peyton Randolph house. Cousin to Thomas Jefferson, Peyton Randolph served as the first and third president of the Continental Congress. He was also the last speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses. I returned to the backyard of this house, one evening, during a special "ghost tour" and heard some "chilling" tales of events that are said to have occurred in and around this house.
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Speaking of chilling, if you're ever near the Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg, keep your eyes peeled for this little guy. Don't let his small stature deceive you. This little demon squirrel has to the potential to eat your face! He came at me and wouldn't leave me alone for a few minutes, often approaching me on hind legs, ready to pounce at any second. I physically had to walk backwards and verbally instruct him to grant me my personal space. This Loyalist, tax-gathering squirrel wanted to put his hand in my pocket and abscond with my own hard-earned income. No doubt there were others, hiding in the trees, ready to massacre anyone they suspected of being Patriots against the king. All I say is beware...and be careful whom you trust.
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