Williamsburg In Vintage Postcards

"Williamsburg is a stronghold of the past, a sort of enchanted ground, lovely and quiet as a dream." Williamsburg may no longer be quiet as a dream, but it is certainly lovely and unquestionably a stronghold of the past, more so now than Miss Hildegarde Hawthorne could have dreamt when she penned these words in 1917. After Virginia's capital moved from Williamsburg to Richmond in 1780, the city sank into one and a half centuries of sleepy obscurity punctuated only by the Civil War. From 1928 to 1932, however, John D. Rockefeller Jr. restored the city to its colonial glory, and it leaped from impoverished backwater to tourist mecca within the space of a few years.

"Williamsburg is a stronghold of the past, a sort of enchanted ground, lovely and quiet as a dream." Williamsburg may no longer be quiet as a dream, but it is certainly lovely and unquestionably a stronghold of the past, more so now than Miss Hildegarde Hawthorne could have dreamt when she penned these words in 1917. After Virginia's capital moved from Williamsburg to Richmond in 1780, the city sank into one and a half centuries of sleepy obscurity punctuated only by the Civil War. From 1928 to 1932, however, John D. Rockefeller Jr. restored the city to its colonial glory, and it leaped from impoverished backwater to tourist mecca within the space of a few years.

Ritchie County, West Virginia, named for famed Richmond journalist Thomas Ritchie, was originally founded in 1843 from portions of Harrison, Lewis, and Wood Counties. In the late 19th century, Ritchie County found itself directly on the Baltimore & Ohio Rail Line. Early postcards from this era capture the county ripe with natural resources and the grandeur of the quickly developing region. The production of oil and natural gas has been a chief source of development since the early 20th century and continues today. The area is also known for its agricultural and manufacturing developments including livestock, grain, glassware, and lumber products.

From the days of the Powhatan Indians to the establishment of Middle Plantation nearly 400 years ago, from its rise to power for a hundred years as the capital of England's largest North American colony to its decline into as many years of obscurity, Williamsburg has been shaped by the forces of history. Beneath the remarkable surface of today's restored colonial city lies an even more fascinating glimpse into the life of a community that has weathered the full sweep of American history.

The definitive, comprehensive guide to Virginia Beach, Richmond and surrounding areas, with hundreds of lodging, dining, and recreational recommendations. Explore this vital region—Virginia Beach and Richmond, the state capitol. Author Renee Wright offers extensive coverage of Colonial Williamsburg, historic James-town, and Norfolk, home to the great Atlantic Fleet. Includes special sections on Civil War battlefields, maritime history, Hampton Roads’ quadricentennial, and bird-watching opportunities in the region.

Situated strategically in the midst of such large urban centers as Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City, the city of Wilmington, Delaware, boasts its own unique character as well as a fascinating and continuously evolving history that has spanned more than 350 years. Officially chartered in 1832, this determined community has steadily developed a prosperous business economy--fueled in earlier times by the demands of war and more recently by a liberal tax structure--as well as a dynamic residential life for the thousands who make Wilmington home.

Located in the rolling hills of North Carolina's Piedmont, between the Yadkin and the Catawba Rivers, Cabarrus County was once a haven of lush vegetation and wild animals. Early immigrants-mostly of German and Scotch-Irish descent-arrived with a strong pioneering spirit to carve out of this wilderness a place to call home. The rich and fertile soil was ideal for agriculture, while the shiny yellow rocks proved to be "worth their weight" when correctly identified as nuggets of gold. Today, Cabarrus County and its county seat, Concord, are considered home to more than 100,000 residents.