The House of Burgesses and the Governor's Council (General Assembly) met in the capitol building.

Taverns provided visitors with food and lodging and a place to talk.

The Peyton Randloph House was the home of an important lawyer and land owner.

Many successful tradespeople lived in Williamsburg.

As you visit buildings, you will see people wearing clothing of the 1700's who will explain colonial life.

For instance, babies slept in cradles.

The wealthy home might have fancy tile in the fireplace.

A wealthy home might also have canopied beds and rugs and many servants. Most servants were slaves.

In the ballroom of the Governor's Palace, a lady entertained us by playing the harpsicord.

The dining room table in the Governor's Palace was ready for a fancy supper.

China birds decorated this mantle in the Governor's Palace.

Not everyone in Williamsburg was rich. Many craftsmen made and sold goods here: the carpenter, the cooper, the wheelwright, the blacksmith, the shoemaker, the milliner, the apothecary, and the silversmith.

Demonstrations of many of these trades gave us lots of information.

Mrs. Lapping and the carpenter show us how it's done. Everyone took turns trying to saw this large log.

The cooper made barrels and other containers out of wood. Tobacco was shipped in barrels back to England, liquids were kept in casks, and pails and butterchurns were needed on farms.

There were many shoemakers in Williamsburg. Shoes and boots were made by hand (not machine) at this time.