National Historic Landmark

Williamsburg Historic District

Williamsburg (Independent City), Williamsburg County, Virginia
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
66000925

About this property

Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in Williamsburg, Virginia. Its 301-acre (122 ha) historic area includes several hundred restored or recreated buildings from the 18th century, when the city served as the capital of the Colony of Virginia. The district includes 17th-century, 19th-century, Colonial Revival, and more recent structures and reconstructions. The historic area includes three main thoroughfares and their connecting side streets, which are designed to represent how Williamsburg existed in the 18th century. Costumed employees work and dress as people did during the colonial era, sometimes using colonial grammar and diction. In the late 1920s, the restoration of colonial Williamsburg was championed as a way to celebrate patriots and the early history of the United States. Proponents included W. A. R. Goodwin and other community leaders, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, Colonial Dames of America, United Daughters of the Confederacy, the United States Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations, and John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his wife Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Along with Jamestown, Yorktown, and Colonial Parkway, Colonial Williamsburg is part of the Historic Triangle in Virginia. The site was once used for conferences by world leaders and heads of state. In 1960, it was designated a National Historic Landmark District.

Location

Williamsburg (Independent City), Williamsburg County, Virginia
37.27231, -76.69665

Categories

CONSERVATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Williamsburg Historic District

This page lists Williamsburg Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Randolph, Peyton, House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Williamsburg Inn
Industrial
0.2 mi
Semple, James, House
Colonial
0.3 mi
Merchants Square and Resort Historic District
Colonial
0.3 mi
Wythe House
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Williamsburg (aftermath 1862)
1862Civil War
0.6 mi
Skirmish at Williamsburg (aftermath)
1862Civil War
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Williamsburg Historic District listed on the National Register?

Williamsburg Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Williamsburg Historic District?

Williamsburg Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Williamsburg Historic District a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Williamsburg Historic District has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Williamsburg Historic District?

The period of significance for Williamsburg Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Williamsburg Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Williamsburg Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Williamsburg County

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Virginia history

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