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Colonial Williamsburg: Past & Present: Podcasts

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This week's podcast: January 30, 2012
Town Gunsmith

The gun is part of America's creation story. Gunsmith George Suiter describes the technology of this potent tool. Comment.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the gunsmith
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 23
2012
I am murdered

A tale of murder in the final chapter in a great man's noble life. Chris Hull tells George Wythe's story.
Additional resources
- Learn more about George Wythe .
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 16
2012
The Polite Academy

The manners of the parlor codify the feminine culture. Kristen Spivey keeps up appearances in The Polite Academy.
Additional resources
- Learn more about manners.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 9
2012
Arming the Continent

New information continues to emerge from the excavation of Anderson's Armoury. The tin shop is found, beginning a new exploration of the trade. Meredith Poole updates.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Anderson's Armoury.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 2
2012
Meet the Cooper

The coopers's cask is one of mankind's strongest constructions, and the ubiquitous container for shipping items wet and dry. Meet cooper Ramona Vogel to learn more about the trade.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the cooper's trade.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 26
2011
Great Hair

Hear tales of hair farms, shaved heads, yak fur, and wigs rigged with live ammunition, told by wigmaker Betty Myers.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the wigmaker.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 19
2011
Crystal Carols

Christmas tunes resonate from an instrument you've probably never heard before. Hear Dean Shostak play Ben Franklin's invention: the glass armonica.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Kimball Theatre.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 12
2011
Westward!

America outgrows her 13 colonies and stretches her boundaries west. CNU Professor Phillip Hamilton explains the sprawl.
Additional resources
- Learn more about westward expansion in an Electronic Field Trip.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 5
2011
A Good Read

Author Susan Berg on what the 18th century read for work and for fun.
Additional resources
- Learn more about 18th century books and pamphlets.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 28
2011
Harsh World, This World

The diverse relationships between slaves and masters were governed by kindness, betrayal, trust, and cruelty. A new Electronic Field Trip, "Harsh World, This World" examines the complex familiarity of slavery.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
- Learn more about African Americans in Virginia.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.

All 2012 podcasts ...

All 2011 podcasts ...

Nov 21
2011
Woodworking in Williamsburg

Master cabinetmaker Mack Headley makes fine furniture in the plain and neat Virginia style.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the cabinetmaker.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 14
2011
A Method for Madness

Doctors treating madness in 1773 embraced methods like bleeding, vomiting, restraint and intimidation. Interpreter Donna Wolf researched the topic for her program, "A Method for Madness."
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Public Hospital.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 7
2011
Inventing the Submarine

The first combat submarine was invented as a vehicle to transport underwater bombs. Jerry Roberts of the Connecticut River Museum tells the story of an intrepid American inventor.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Turtle.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 31
2011
Ghosts Amongst Us

A chilling specter of the 18th century reaches its icy grasp to the present day. Hear the story of Moses Riggs, a man possessed.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the ghosts of Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 24
2011
An Enduring Spirit

Edith Cumbo was a rare individual in colonial Virginia: a free African woman. Learn about her life and her stature in this interview with Emily James.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Edith Cumbo.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 17
2011
Brick by Brick

Williamsburg's proudest buildings start with humble clay. Brickmaker Jason Whitehead tells the story.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the brickmaker.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 10
2011
Meet Benjamin Franklin

Wry humor softens the sharp wit of this quintessentially American founding father. Interpreter John Hamant talks about portraying Benjamin Franklin.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Ben Franklin.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 3
2011
The Mystery of the Gravestones

Two gravestones are unearthed during a construction project. Historians and curators work to solve the mysteries below. Emily Williams tells their story.
Additional resources
- Learn more about historic burial sites.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 26
2011
First Do No Harm

Restoration presents a paradox when repairing old instruments could mean erasing their stories. Conservator John Watson walks the fine line.
Additional resources
- Learn more about The Colonial Williamsburg Art Museums.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 19
2011
Williamsburg's Blacksmith

Williamsburg's blacksmith transforms crude metal into elegant, functional tools. Master Blacksmith Ken Schwarz details the trade.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the blacksmith.
- Visit the Armoury Blog to see the public armoury take shape.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 12
2011
Spies in Virginia

The tale of a Spanish spy reveals England's fragile hold on the New World. Miguel Girona tells the story of Don Diego de Molina.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Historic Jamestowne.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 5
2011
Constitution Day: Trial by Jury

The Constitution guarantees the right to jury trial. What does it mean for a vital democracy? Director of the Center for Jury Studies Paula Hannaford-Agor explains their importance.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Trial by Jury.
- Learn more about the Constitution.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Aug 29
2011
The Idea of America

Democracy is an experiment sustained through debate; rights are a privilege earned through participation. Program author Michael Hartoonian introduces The Idea of America.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Idea of America.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 22
2011
More Than Meets the Eye

Early maps and prints leave geography for last, focusing first on politics and propaganda. Curator Margaret Pritchard talks about a new exhibit at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Additional resources
- See the exhibit at The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 15
2011
Excavating Ancient Armor

A broken helmet is discarded and forgotten, only to be resurrected 400 years later by curious archaeologists on Jamestown Island. Curator Michael Lavin describes the effort.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the dig on Jamestown Island.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 8
2011
Meet the Basketmaker

Basketmaking is a tradition born of utility and preserved for beauty. Colonial Williamsburg basketmaker Terry Thon practices a trade passed down through generations.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the basketmaker.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 1
2011
Kids Tell the Story

History is in the hands of Junior Interpreters all summer long, as the story of the Revolution expands to include a kid's perspective. Pam Blount tells us how sites involve children in the 18th century and today.
Additional resources
- Learn more about kids in the 18th century.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Jul 25
2011
George Washington's Farewell

George Washington's 1796 Farewell Address teems with advice that rings true today. Listen to interpreter Ron Carnegie read excepts from the timeless epistle.
Additional resources
- Learn more about George Washington.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 18
2011
Founding Mothers

Sharp quills did the bidding of the even sharper intellects of the Revolution's founding mothers. Listen to the words of Mercy Otis Warren and Abigail Adams, voiced by Abigail Schumann.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Abigail Adams.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 11
2011
Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death

Patrick Henry demands liberty or death in his rousing 1775 speech. Hear the immortal words voiced by interpreter Richard Schumann.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Patrick Henry's speech.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 4
2011
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

Thomas Jefferson reads the words that started it all: The Declaration of Independence.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Declaration of Independence.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Jun 27
2011
Arsenal of War

A new armoury complex takes shape on the footings of Anderson's Forge. Archaeologist Meredith Poole talks about the site's rebuilt narrative.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Armoury project.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 20
2011
Meet the Weaver

War makes the weaver busy. Cloth for everything from sails to bedsheets is created on his loom. Max Hamrick weaves the tale.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the weaver.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 13
2011
A Tribal Relic Returns

A lost relic returns to the Pamunkey tribe in a new form. American Indian Initiative Manager Buck Woodard guides us through treaties and time.
Additional resources
- Watch the making of the Pamunkey Peace Medal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Jun 6
2011
Washington's Whiskey Still

George Washington's retirement venture had a high alcohol content. Mount Vernon's Director of Preservation, Dennis Pogue, leads us on a tour through Washington's whiskey distillery.
Additional resources
- Learn more about whiskey.
- Learn more about Mount Vernon.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 30
2011
Age of Piracy

Pirates seek treasure both sunken and sea-going, from the 17th century through today. William and Mary Professor Kris Lane draws the connections between the old traditions and the fresh emergences of piracy.
Additional resources
- Hear a story told by Israel Hands, Blackbeard's first mate.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 23
2011
Oral History

African American history is both discovered in and continued by an ancient oral tradition. Richard Josey describes the process of restoring a community's voice.
Additional resources
- Learn more about African Americans in Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 16
2011
What Makes a Good President?

Author and historian Alan Brinkley shares his thoughts on the alchemy of luck and chance in the Oval Office.
Additional resources
- View our online feature Politics, Elections, and the Presidency.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 9
2011
Women of the Revolution

Could the war have been won without women? Author and Professor Holly Mayer thinks not. Learn more about the inner workings of the Continental Army.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Women in the Revolutionary Army.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 2
2011
Immortal Bricks and Mortar

Buildings bear silent witness to the history that happens inside them. Conservator Matt Webster makes sure structures live to tell their tales.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Architectural Research at Colonial Williamsburg
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Apr 25
2011
The Revolutionary Origins of the Civil War

Abraham Lincoln makes good on the founders' promises of freedom and equality. Author Gordon Wood lays out the Revolutionary origins of the Civil War.
Additional resources
- Read How the Founders Sowed the Seeds of Civil War from the journal Colonial Williamsburg.
- Buy Civil War Williamsburg from Williamsburg Marketplace.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 18
2011
Martha Leads the Charge

While General George Washington commanded the troops in the field, Martha led the charge at home. Historic Interpreter Lee Ann Rose describes the impact women made during the Revolution.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Martha Washington.
- Read The Sentiments of an American Woman.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 11
2011
Model Prison Architecture

Williamsburg's jail, or gaol, set the standard for colonial prison architecture. Visit the building this year as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of its reconstruction. Architectural historian Carl Lounsbury describes the structure.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Public Gaol.
- Learn more about Colonial Williamsburg's reconstructed buildings.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 4
2011
Beer and Whiskey

In an age when water was suspect, sometimes beer was the safest thing to drink. Food historian Frank Clark discusses the brewing process common to most colonial homes and recreated in Historic Area kitchens.
Additional resources
- Learn more about colonial brews.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Mar 28
2011
The Art of Beauty

Attaining ideal beauty in the 18th century might require hog's lard, mousehide, toxic lead, and daily application of gin. Historical Interpreter Meg Brown shares her favorite discoveries.
Additional resources
- See our favorite 18th-century cosmetic recipes.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 21
2011
A Settler Revolt

British colonists revolt against their mother country when traditional English rights are threatened. Author and historian Jack Greene explains.
Additional resources
- Learn more about choosing Revolution.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 14
2011
A Pig Worth Saving

The Ossabaw Hog shares its unique genetic legacy with visitors to Colonial Williamsburg's Great Hopes Plantation. Historic Farmer Wayne Randolph talks about the rare breed.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Ossabaw Island Pigs.
- Learn more about Historic Foodways.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Mar 7
2011
Jefferson's Boyhood Home

A new examination of Thomas Jefferson's boyhood home reveals the forces that shaped the third president. Author Susan Kern talks about her new book, "The Jeffersons at Shadwell."
Additional resources
- Learn more about Thomas Jefferson
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 28
2011
A Dangerous Job

Listen to the story of Gowan Pamphlet, the first ordained slave preacher in America.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Gowan Pamphlet.
- Learn more about religion in colonial America.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 21
2011
Merging Cultures

Many West African cultures make landfall in colonial Virginia, where they adapt and adopt traits that will form the basis of a new African American culture. Historian Rose McAphee describes the blend.
Additional resources
- Learn more about African Americans in Virginia.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 14
2011
African American Folk Art

Folk Art from the African American tradition holds a wealth of cultural memory. Trish Balderson describes selected pieces chosen for the African American Folk Art Tour.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the African American Folk Art Tour.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 7
2011
Freedom Bound

Slavery gains a foothold in the American colonies as early as 1619. In the years that follow, laws and resistance grow around the institution with equal determination. Dr. Cassandra Newby-Alexander discusses slavery's early path.
Additional resources
- Learn more about African Americans in Virginia.
- Learn more about the Electronic Field Trip, Freedom Bound.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Jan 31
2011
Storm on the Horizon

The Civil War has its roots in the American Revolution. Explore the causes and conflicts in "Storm on the Horizon," a special two-day Colonial Williamsburg event February 18th and 19th, 2011.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Storm on the Horizon two-day special program Feb 18 and 19.
- Buy the book Civil War Williamsburg by Carson O. Hudson.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 24
2011
Where Pocahontas Pledged Her Love

Ongoing excavations at James Fort reveal a surprising discovery: the site of the 1608 church where Pocahontas married John Rolfe. Chief Archaeologist Bill Kelso shares the excitement of rediscovery.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Historic Jamestowne.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 17
2011
New World English

The first English words spoken in Virginia were pronounced with a 17th-century London accent. Linguistics professor Anne Charity-Hudley explains the evolution of the American sound.
Additional resources
- Tangier Island clip reproduced with permission from The Center for New American Media.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 10
2011
Skill and Science in Historic Trades

Intelligence born of practice combines with the study of science to complete the historic tradesman's store of knowledge. Director of Historic Trades Jay Gaynor describes the balance.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Historic Trades.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 3
2011
Fashion Accessories from Head to Toe

The accessories that graced the ensembles of history are on display at the Colonial Williamsburg Art Museums in "Fashion Accessories from Head to Toe." Curator Linda Baumgarten introduces the collection.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Colonial Williamsburg Art Museums.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.

All 2010 podcasts ...

Dec 27
2010
History is Served

A new blog from Historic Foodways presents 18th-century recipes in 21st-century terms. Get cooking at recipes.history.org.
Additional resources
- Visit the Colonial Williamsburg Food Blog.
- Learn more about Historic Foodways.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 20
2010
Music for Christmas

The Governor's Musick is Colonial Williamsburg's resident 18th-century musical ensemble. Jane Hanson, Herb Watson, Jenny Edenborn and Wayne Moss perform.
Additional resources
- Watch an audio slideshow of a Palace concert.
- Find Colonial Williamsburg music programs to see during your visit.
- Learn more about Christmas Music in Colonial Days.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 13
2010
A Perfect Copy

By 1820, the original Declaration was showing signs of wear. John Quincy Adams commissioned a now-famous facsimile. Librarian Doug Mayo describes Colonial Williamsburg's copy.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Stone Declaration of Independence.
- Learn more about the Electronic Field Trip Founders or Traitors.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 6
2010
Williamsburg Christmastide

The heart of Christmas remains unchanged, even as each generation lends new customs to the celebration. Historian Lou Powers talks Christmastide in three centuries.
Additional resources
- Watch videos of Christmas in Williamsburg.
- Make plans to visit Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Nov 29
2010
Colonial Kids

Growing up colonial meant babies in crash helmets and boys in dresses. Program developer Kristin Spivey compares childhood now and then.
Additional resources
- Find games, activities and programs for kids in the Kids Zone.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 22
2010
Pumpkin's Progress

Gain a new respect for the good old pumpkin. Author Mary Miley Theobald traces the history of the long-suffering gourd.
Additional resources
- Read Some Pumpkins! from the journal Colonial Williamsburg.
- Make plans to visit Colonial Williamsburg this holiday season.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 15
2010
The Bill of Rights

Do you know your rights? Professor of Law Henry Chambers explains the lasting wisdom of the Constitution's first 10 amendments.
Additional resources
- Learn more about The Bill of Rights Electronic Field Trip.
- Read Debating the Bill of Rights from the journal Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 8
2010
Williamsburg's Indian School

The Indian School at the College of William and Mary was conceived for the religious conversion of Indians. Professor Jim Axtell shares the storied building's history.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Brafferton.
- Read a brief history of the Indian School at William and Mary.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 1
2010
Hidden Williamsburg

The backyards of Williamsburg's finest homes tell the story of a separate society. Author Mike Olmert reads the architecture of outbuildings.
Additional resources
- Read Kitchens, Places Apart from the journal Colonial Williamsburg.
- Read Smokehouses, Foursquare and Stolid from the journal Colonial Williamsburg.
- Read Necessary and Sufficient from the journal Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Oct 25
2010
Pirates Amongst Us

A disgruntled pirate's haunted history lingers in the town where his shipmates met the hangman. Carson Hudson and Willie Balderson team up for "Pirates Amongst Us."
Additional resources
- See the Pirates Amongst Us program during your visit.
- Learn more about Blackbeard the Pirate.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 18
2010
Ghosts of Williamsburg

Author L.B. Taylor preserves Tidewater's spectral folklore in his book, "The Ghosts of Williamsburg."
Additional resources
- Buy Ghosts of Williamsburg.
- Read Doctor Goodwin's Ghosts from the journal Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 11
2010
The Will of the People

What did the founders really intend for our democracy? Political Science Professor Quentin Kidd talks about how the government was built and how Americans have adapted it.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
- Get ready for the 2010 Midterm Elections.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 4
2010
Papa Said, Mama Said

Papa Said, Mama Said preserves the African-American community's long tradition of storytelling. Art Johnson shares a fable.
Additional resources
- Find Colonial Williamsburg programs to see during your visit.
- Learn more about the African American experience in Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 27
2010
Jumpin' the Broom

Jumping the broom was a marriage ceremony rich with meaning for communities denied traditional rights. Training Specialist Rose McAphee describes the wedding recreated weekly at Colonial Williamsburg's Great Hopes Plantation.
Additional resources
- Learn more about African American family.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 20
2010
Call Forth the Militia

Local militiamen were ragtag but tenacious fighting forces. Supervisor of Military Programs John Hill describes Revolutionary War hometown defenses.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the militia.
- Visit the Powder Magazine.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 13
2010
Constitution Day

Get to know the Constitution: a document whose genius lies in its malleability. Historian and author Pauline Maier talks ratification.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Constitution.
- Zoom in on the original document.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Sep 6
2010
The Story of Cotton

Cotton springs from the ground with a story all its own at Great Hopes Plantation. Farmer Wayne Randolph tells cotton's story.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Rural Trades.
- Learn more about middling planters.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 30
2010
Moving Robertson's Windmill

History hits the road when an iconic windmill moves to a new home. Hear the story behind Robertson's Windmill from Jim Horn, CW's Vice President of Research and Historical Interpretation.
Additional resources
- Read The Miller and the Windmill from the journal Colonial Williamsburg.
- Learn more about moving the windmill.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Aug 23
2010
Escape the Noose: Benefit of Clergy

The hangman's noose was the last stop for many a felon. But the ultimate penalty could be avoided with the recitation of one special psalm. Historian Linda Rowe explains the Benefit of Clergy.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Benefit of Clergy plea.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 16
2010
Williamsburg's Midwife

Thousands of Williamsburg mothers entrusted the delivery of their babies to midwives and man-midwives. Medical historian Robin Kipps outlines the ancient profession.
Additional resources
- Learn more about midwife Catherine Blaikley.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 9
2010
Meet Martha Washington

"As George was what the soldiers looked to, Martha then became what women looked to." Learn more about the remarkable life of the first First Lady with interpreter Lee Ann Rose.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Martha Washington.
- Learn more about Women of the Revolution, an Electronic Field Trip.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 2
2010
Learning from the Powells

The Powell House is a hub for educating people of all ages. Interpreter Pat Chilton introduces this middling family to visitors and the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Powells.
- Learn more about the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Jul 26
2010
Arming for Revolution

Archaeology at Anderson's Forge unearths the story of a city preparing for war. Staff Archaeologist Andy Edwards talks about the dig.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the blacksmith.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 19
2010
History's Myths

Myths abound in history's retelling. Historian and author Mary Miley Theobald shares some of her favorites.
Additional resources
- Read Stuff and Nonsense from the journal Colonial Williamsburg
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 12
2010
Hercules of the American Revolution

A man of remarkable strength and size was George Washington's one-man army. Author and sixth-generation descendant Travis Bowman shares the tale of Peter Fransisco.
Additional resources
- Learn more about A Common American Soldier.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 5
2010
Elizabeth Thompson: Lady Spy

Women's unassuming roles made them excellent spies. Playwright Darci Tucker tells the story of Elizabeth Thompson: Lady Spy.
Additional resources
- Learn more about women in the Revolutionary Army.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 28
2010
Declaration of Independence

Hear the Declaration of Independence read in its entirety by Thomas Jefferson interpreter Bill Barker, and see a new vodcast on the Fifes and Drums: The Sound of Independence.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Declaration of Independence.
- Download a free Declaration of Independence screensaver.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Jun 21
2010
Cornwallis' Sunken Fleet

A British flotilla from the Battle of Yorktown lies mired in a murky tomb beneath the tides of the York River. Underwater archaeologist John Broadwater dives down to Cornwallis' sunken fleet and shares his finds.
Additional resources
- Learn more about National Marine Sanctuaries.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 14
2010
Shipwreck Archaeology

Underwater archaeologist John Broadwater and his team dove down to a sunken fleet of ships from the Battle of Yorktown.
Additional resources
- Learn more about National Marine Sanctuaries.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 7
2010
Ice Cream

Historic Foodways Journeyman Rob Brantley makes ice cream the really old-fashioned way in the kitchen at the Governor's Palace.
Additional resources
- Learn more about historic foodways.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
May 31
2010
Women Soldiers

Determined women disguised themselves as men to fight in the Revolutionary War. Historian Joyce Henry brings us the story of Anna Maria Lane.
Additional resources
- Learn more about women in the Revolution.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 24
2010
Civil War Williamsburg

Williamsburg's streets are rich with the history of two wars. Historian and author Carson Hudson describes the aftermath of the Battle of Williamsburg.
Additional resources
- Buy the book Civil War Williamsburg.
- Learn more about the Civil War in Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 17
2010
Fifes and Drums: The Music

Members of the Senior Corps of the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums play the tunes that directed a soldier through his day, from morning's first light to the night's last ale.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Fifes and Drums.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 10
2010
Fifes and Drums: The Instruments

Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums introduces the instruments designed to be heard under cannon fire and over musket volleys. Learn the history of the instruments and uniforms with Amy Miller and members of the Senior Fife and Drum Corps.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Fifes and Drums.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 3
2010
Harpsichord Maker

Harpsichord maker Ed Wright prizes the instrument for its bright, crystalline sound and unique mechanics.
Additional resources
- Read Peter Redstone Builds a Barton Portable from the journal Colonial Williamsburg.
- Listen to a sample of harpsichord music from Keys of the Palace.
- Buy the cd Keys of the Palace.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Apr 26
2010
Weapons of War

Muskets, swords, buttons and drums convey powerful memories of the soldiers who claimed them. Curator Erik Goldstein highlights some of his favorite military treasures from the Colonial Williamsburg collections.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Governor's Palace.
- Learn more about the Geddy Gunsmith and Founder.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 19
2010
So Far From Scioto

Four Shawnee men visit Williamsburg as diplomatic hostages in 1774. See their story in "So Far From Scioto," part of Revolutionary City programming. Buck Woodard shares the details.
Additional resources
- Learn more about So Far From Scioto.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 12
2010
Patrick Henry's Secret

American patriot Patrick Henry is burdened with his first wife's tragic decline into insanity. Interpreter Richard Schumann tells the tale.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Patrick Henry.
- Learn more about the Public Hospital for Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 5
2010
Conservation, Where Art and Science Meet

Museum conservators wage daily battle against 10 agents of decay. Exhibit Curator Emily Williams outlines the plan of attack in "Conservation, Where Art and Science Meet."
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Mar 29
2010
Thomas Jefferson, Engineer

Thomas Jefferson approached mechanical problems with an engineer's mind. Historic Interpreter Bill Barker continues his reflection on this founding father's areas of expertise.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Thomas Jefferson.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 22
2010
Thomas Jefferson, Scientist

Thomas Jefferson's passion for politics is rivaled only by his passion for science. Historic Interpreter Bill Barker shares his study of the third president.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Thomas Jefferson.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 15
2010
New in the Collection

Objects rare and poignant joined the Colonial Williamsburg museum collections in 2009. Chief Curator and Vice President for Collections, Conservation and Museums Ron Hurst describes the finds.
Additional resources
- Browse our collections in eMuseum.
- Learn more about the Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 8
2010
The Rights of Youth

Children and the law: Historian Cathy Hellier and Law Professor Jim Dwyer contrast 18th-century and 21st-century juvenile justice.
Additional resources
- Learn more about The Rights of Youth
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 1
2010
Daniel Boone

Folk legend Daniel Boone was a reluctant hero in his lifetime. Historic Interpreter Scott New tells the story of the humble hunter.
Additional resources
- Bring Daniel Boone to your classroom with the Westward! Electronic Field Trip
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 22
2010
A Slave's Perspective

Independence was a promise extended to landed white men only. Historic interpreter Hope Smith lays out a slave's perspective on freedom.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Eve.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 15
2010
Runaway Slaves

Runaway slave ads provide a wealth of insights into the life of the colonial slave. Historian Harvey Bakari shares some examples.
Additional resources
- Learn more about African American life.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 8
2010
The Slave Trade

The slave trade touched the lives of people around the globe, explains Colonial Williamsburg's Educational Program Development Director Bill White.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 1
2010
Slave Preacher

An electrifying presence changes history. Historic interpreter James Ingram shares the details of a remarkable life.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Gowan Pamphlet.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 25
2010
Furnishing History

Objects take their places in a scene that suggests a bustling social hub. Curator Kim Ivey describes the interior of Charlton's coffeehouse.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Charlton's coffeehouse.
- Learn more about Peter Pelham .
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 18
2010
Organist Peter Pelham

Organist Michael Monaco coaxes the sound of the 1700s from an 18th-century organ in William and Mary's Wren Chapel.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Peter Pelham .
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 11
2010
Pottery With a Past

Stoneware held a place in every household. Curators Janine Skerry and Suzanne Hood describe the innumerable forms.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Salt-Glazed Stoneware in Early America.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 4
2010
Early Virginia Vehicles

Virginia was a mobile colony, says Coach and Livestock Director Richard Nicoll.
Additional resources
- Learn more about carriages.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.

All 2009 podcasts ...

Dec 28
2009
A New Story

Historian Cary Carson describes creating a narrative framework for Colonial Williamsburg that made room for the stories of black Virginians.
Additional resources
- Learn more about African Americans in 18th-century Willamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 21
2009
Irish Christmas Melodies

Tavern entertainer and musician Kelly Kennedy plays and sings Christmas airs in the Irish tradition.
Additional resources
- Learn more about colonial Christmas.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 14
2009
Tangible Remains

Objects drawn from a 1609 well put people back in the picture at James Fort. Senior Archaeological Curator Bly Straube interprets the evidence.
Additional resources
- Learn more about archaeology at James Fort.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 7
2009
The John Smith Well

Discovery continues at Virginia's James Fort, site of America's first permanent English settlement. Archaeologist Bill Kelso gets to the bottom of a 1609 well.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Historic Jamestowne.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 30
2009
Colonial Girls

Gentry girls had but one job: to find a husband. Historian Cathy Hellier explains the custom.
Additional resources
- Read The Adolesence of Genty Girls by Cathleene Hellier.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 23
2009
Consider the Pumpkin

Pumpkins sustain early settlers through American winters. Author and historian Mary Miley Theobald explains why the gourd deserves more respect.
Additional resources
- Read the article, Some Pumpkins! from the Autumn '09 Colonial Williamsburg journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 16
2009
The Cherokee Nation

The modern Cherokee Nation is enjoying a renaissance in language and culture. Living History Demonstrator Paula Nelson shares the resurgence.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Cherokee people in the EFT Emissaries of Peace.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 2
2009
75 Years of Costume Design

Colonial Williamsburg marks 75 years of costumed interpretation in 2009. Costume Design Center Director Brenda Rosseau describes the metamorphosis from 1934.
Additional resources
- See the Costume Design timeline.
- Learn more about colonial clothing.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Oct 26
2009
Ghosts Amongst Us

Centuries-old phantoms linger in Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area. Hear a tale from the "Ghosts Amongst Us" evening tour.
Additional resources
- Learn more about evening programs.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 19
2009
Bruton Parish Churchyard

Individuals of all classes rest in the peace of the Bruton Parish graveyard. Church guide Anne Conkling describes one of America's oldest cemeteries.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Bruton Parish churchyard.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 12
2009
Horses in Williamsburg

Horses lend their speed and strength to the American colonies. Head coachman Joyce Henry shares the horse's role in early Virginia.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Historic Area horses.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Oct 5
2009
Bees in the Colonies

The humble honeybee sweetens the American story. Apiarist Bill Krebs says bees have been here since the beginning.
Additional resources
- Read "The Bugs That Bugged the Colonists."
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 28
2009
We the People

America's Constitution stands as a monument to compromise.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Articles of Confederation.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 21
2009
The Lost Colony

One hundred and seventeen colonists vanish in America's oldest mystery. Ivor Noel Hume tells the story of the Lost Colony.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Lost Colony.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 14
2009
2009 Storytelling Concerts

Colonial Williamsburg continues the joyful tradition of telling with this year's storytelling concerts. Dylan Pritchett describes how stories evolve.
Additional resources
- Learn about the 2009 Storytelling Concerts.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 7
2009
Prisoners of War

As long as there have been wars, there have been prisoners of war. Tom Hay talks about Revolutionary War captives.
Additional resources
- Learn about the Revolutionary War.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Aug 31
2009
Religion in the Colonies

The story of religious freedom is one that continues to unfold. Bob Doares explains the genealogy of worship in America.
Additional resources
- Learn about religion in early America.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 24
2009
History's Most Famous Duel

Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr act out a fatal altercation. Mark Schneider provides the details.
Additional resources
- See a dueling slideshow.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 17
2009
The Code Duello

Rules and ceremony govern this gentlemen's contest. Mark Schneider describes the Code Duello.
Additional resources
- Read about the John Burk duel.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 10
2009
The Joy of Discovery

Recreating 18th-century technology takes perseverance and luck, says Jay Gaynor, Director of Historic Trades.
Additional resources
- Visit the Cannon blog.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Aug 3
2009
Reading Ravenscroft

Archaeologists turn their trowels on Ravenscroft for its third summer of excavation. Meredith Poole shares an update.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Ravenscroft.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 27
2009
Purpose-Built: Backyard Architecture

Backyard structures bespeak a separate history. Author Mike Olmert shares his study of outbuildings.
Additional resources
- Read Kitchens, Places Apart by Mike Olmert.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 20
2009
Comic book history

Comic book author Bentley Boyd uses a vivid medium to snare new students of American history.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Revolutionary City.
- Buy the Revolutionary City comic book.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 13
2009
Smallpox and the Covenant

America's smallpox eradication has its roots in 18th-century Boston.
Additional resources
- Buy Hurricane of Independence by Tony Williams.
- Learn more about smallpox.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 6
2009
18th-Century Surgery

Colonial medicine is not for the faint of heart. Sharon Cotner describes the philosophies and practices.
Additional resources
- Learn more about colonial medicine.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 29
2009
We Hold These Truths

The foundation of American democracy rests on one mighty sheet of parchment. Hear interpreter Bill Barker read the Declaration of Independence.
Additional resources
- Get a closer look at the Declaration of Independence.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Jun 22
2009
Hidden in Plain Sight

What's lost is found, safe in a place it never left. Scott Stephenson describes a rediscovery.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 15
2009
Cherokee Diplomacy

European and Cherokee cultures converge in Virginia in the 1700s.
Additional resources
- Listen to Emissaries of Peace.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 8
2009
Zooarchaeology

Zooarchaeologist Joanne Bowen decodes 400-year-old leftovers.
Additional resources
- Learn more about archaeology.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Jun 1
2009
Pirates of the Atlantic

Piracy is equal parts economics and adventure. Author Carson Hudson describes the lust for treasure.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Blackbeard the pirate.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 25
2009
Migrating Cultures

Foreign tools and family treasures came to America like stowaways in immigrants' baggage. Trish Balderson retraces migration's story through museum objects.
Additional resources
- Learn more about museum programs.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 18
2009
In Their Own Words

Old sources give fresh voice to slavery's story. Manager of African American programs Tricia Brooks explains how we know what we know.
Additional resources
- Learn more about African American programs.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 11
2009
Flowers and Herbs of Early America

Gardener Larry Griffith and Photographer Barbara Lombardi summon botanic phantoms and capture their essence on film.
Additional resources
- Order Flowers and Herbs of Early America.
- Download the screensaver.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 4
2009
Spring Lambs

Preserving genetic diversity one lamb at a time: Manager of Rare Breeds Elaine Shirley talks about the 2009 generation of Leicester Longwools.
Additional resources
- Learn more about rare breeds.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Apr 27
2009
Thomas Jefferson on Religion

Thomas Jefferson's policy on religioius freedom rests on one ageless axiom: do unto others. Interpreter Bill Barker expounds.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Thomas Jefferson.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 20
2009
Patrick Henry on Religion

Patrick Henry's passionate beliefs come alive through Richard Schumann's interpretation.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Patrick Henry.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 13
2009
Reconstructing the Capitol

Bricks and mortar bear witness to a contest of aesthetics and evidence. Senior Architectural Historian Carl Lounsbury tells the story of the Capitol's reconstruction.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Capitol.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 6
2009
What's an EFT?

Director of Educational Program Development Bill White and his team create a television broadcast to nurture citizens for a new era.
Additional resources
- Learn more about resources for teachers.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Mar 30
2009
The Governor's Palace at 75

Fresh eyes refocus an architectural icon. Chief Curator Emeritus Graham Hood on recomposing an 18th-century landmark.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Governor's Palace.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 23
2009
Spies of the 18th Century

The means have changed, but the end is the same. Interpreter Jay Templin describes the tactics of information gathering.
Additional resources
- Learn more about spying during the Revolution.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 16
2009
A Record in the River

Oyster shells are the black box recorders of the James River. Marine scientist Juli Harding collects the data.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Jamestown.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 9
2009
On This Day

News and notices from the 18th century are the subject of a new compilation. Librarian Juleigh Clark describes the Revolutionary War Era Daybook.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 2
2009
Swordmaking in the 18th Century

Colonial tradesmen learned the swordmaking craft as Virginia armed itself for war. Journeyman brass founder Suzie Dye describes the process.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the foundry trade.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Feb 23
2009
Ironworks at Jamestown

Virginia's soil yielded unexpected resources. Journeyman Blacksmith Shel Browder talks about an early iron foundry at Jamestown.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Ironworks in Virginia.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 16
2009
Freedom Bound

The instinct for liberty is a universal human trait, explains EFT author Christy Coleman.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 9
2009
Colonial Chocolate

Journeyman cook Jim Gay explains that Americans' love of chocolate dates back to the beginning.
Additional resources
- Learn more about colonial foodways.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Feb 2
2009
African American Programs at 30

African American programming adapts through the decades. Harvey Bakari outlines the goals of interpreting Williamsburg's enslaved population.
Additional resources
- Learn more about African Americans in Virginia.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 26
2009
Mourning Art

Tangible expressions of grief keep lost loved ones close. Curator Kim Ivey explains the customs of mourning art.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 19
2009
The Native Tongue

Native tribes and colonizers began a dialogue without a word in common. Buck Woodard describes the early exchanges.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Native Americans in Virginia.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 12
2009
The Chiefdom of Powhatan

Stratified social organization, strategic alliance, and lineage leadership were hallmarks of Powhatan's rule over southeastern tribes. Buck Woodard describes the society that existed before first contact.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Powhatan empire.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 5
2009
Colonial Journalism

Political pressure and personal bias have hounded American journalists since the first newspapers were printed. Interpreter Dennis Watson talks about the Virginia Gazette.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Virginia Gazette.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.

All 2008 podcasts ...

Dec 29
2008
We Hold These Truths

Examine iconic American rhetoric in Paul Aron's new book, "We Hold These Truths."
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 22
2008
Gingerbread Houses

The town is rendered in gingerbread once a year at Colonial Williamsburg. Executive Pastry Chef Joe Sciegaj oversees the construction.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Colonial Williamsburg dining.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 15
2008
Colonial Weapons System

As important as the cannon is the vehicle to carry it: a two-wheeled cart that transports, supports, and stores the weapon and its accoutrements. Wheelwright John Boag has the task of construction.
Additional resources
- Visit the cannon blog.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 8
2008
Making History Live

Relating the daily lives of America's ancestors is the product of research and performance. Performer Kat Getward shares the part that music plays in the EFT "Making History Live."
Additional resources
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 1
2008
Christmas in Williamsburg

Doors are decked in Williamsburg's signature style to celebrate the holiday season. Laura Viancour describes the preparations.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Christmas in Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Nov 24
2008
The Carolina Room

Modern-day curators focus on reversible restoration techniques. Conservator Shelley Svoboda describes the renewal of the Carolina Room.
Additional resources
- Read New Life for the Carolina Room from the Summer 2008 journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 17
2008
Recreating a Cannon, Part Two

Revolutionary-era cannon tell the story of the evolution of war technology. Director of Historic Trades Jay Gaynor and Master Blacksmith Ken Schwarz continue their overview of recreating a light infantry three-pounder.
Additional resources
- Visit the cannon blog.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 10
2008
Recreating a Cannon

Revolutionary-era cannon are artifacts of war technology's evolution. Director of Historic Trades Jay Gaynor and Master Blacksmith Ken Schwarz describe the process of recreating a light infantry three-pounder.
Additional resources
- Read the cannon blog.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 3
2008
A Splendid Coincidence

Inspiration intersects with means in a partnership that resurrects a city. Character interpreter Ed Way portrays W.A.R. Goodwin at Colonial Williamsburg.
Additional resources
- Learn more about W.A.R. Goodwin.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Oct 27
2008
Witches in the Colonies

Author Carson Hudson shares some practical 17th-century tips for identifying witches.
Additional resources
- Listen to Cry Witch.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 20
2008
The Wren Building

Williamsburg's restoration got underway in earnest with the College of William and Mary's Wren Building, explains Louise Kale, director of the Historic Campus.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Wren building.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 13
2008
The Will of the People

Contentious elections are the founders' legacy, explains Bill White, the Theresa A. and Lawrence C. Salameno Director of Educational Program Development.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 6
2008
Tobacco in the Colonies

Investment in the field yields profits in the marketplace for diligent tobacco farmers. Rural tradesman Wayne Randolph describes the hungry crop's allure.
Additional resources
- Learn more about rural trades.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Sep 29
2008
The Bray School

A historic headmistress devotes her days to educating enslaved children. Interpreter Antoinette Brennan shares the biography of Ann Wager.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Ann Wager.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 22
2008
Picture Perfect

Camera becomes time machine as photographer Dave Doody frames the past in his lens.
Additional resources
- See Colonial Williamsburg slideshows.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 15
2008
The Combustible Woman

Storytelling Festival favorite Art Johnson shares a tale.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the 2008 Storytelling Festival.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 8
2008
Teacher Institute

Teachers take a turn as students in the town-sized classroom of Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area. Director of Teacher Development Tab Broyles reviews the lessons.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Teacher Institute.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 1
2008
Restoration and Reconstruction

Putting an 18th-century face on a 21st-century building is a feat of research and resourcefulness, explains Colonial Williamsburg architect Scott Spence.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Historic Area buildings.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced and video podcasts.
Aug 25
2008
First Lady of Virginia

Lady Dunmore's ease and grace are among Lord Dunmore's most valuable political assets. Interpreter Corrine Dame reflects on the lady who delighted the colony.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Lady Dunmore.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 18
2008
Charlton's Coffeehouse

A long-absent address returns to Duke of Gloucester Street. Architectural Historian Ed Chappell explains the Charlton Coffeehouse reconstruction.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the coffeehouse.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 11
2008
Captured Colors

Four flags survive through battle and time against equally long odds. Curator Erik Goldstein talks about a compelling new exhibit at the Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 4
2008
The Bodleian Plate

Sheer chance delivered a guiding light of Williamsburg's restoration. Hear the story of the Bodleian plate with Architectural Historian Carl Lounsbury.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Williamsburg's restoration.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 28
2008
The Stamp Act

Britain's tax on paper goods was unremarkable in itself, but the colonies' furious response surprised two continents. Historian Linda Rowe talks about the Stamp Act.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Stamp Act.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 21
2008
The British Constitution

The fundamentals of British law reside in the American Constitution. Historian Nancy Milton describes the English influence.
Additional resources
- Read America's Constitution.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 14
2008
The Fifth Virginia Convention

The American rebels stood to lose a lot by winning the war. Sites interpreter B.J. Pryor discusses the risk of success.
Additional resources
- Read the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 7
2008
Common Sense

Forty-six pages from Thomas Paine's pen whip discontent into outright rebellion. Public Sites Interpreter Alex Clark details the transformation.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Revolution.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 30
2008
We hold these truths

Hear the words that started a war, read by Thomas Jefferson interpreter Bill Barker. Episode one of July's Revolutionary Documents series.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Declaration of Independence.
- Learn more about Thomas Jefferson.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 23
2008
The Jefferson Blog

A new blog subjects Thomas Jefferson's ideals to modern scrutiny. Add your two cents beginning this July.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Thomas Jefferson.
- Learn more about Thomas Jefferson.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 16
2008
Natural History

A foreign landscape is revealed to a curious world by naturalist Mark Catesby. Interpreter Robb Warren talks about the man and his art.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Mark Catesby.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 9
2008
Love and Revolution

Divergent views on politics and religion fuel a feud between two prominent Williamsburg families. Museum educator Anne Willis tells the story of their children's unlikely marriage.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Randolph family.
- Learn more about the Nicholas family.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 2
2008
The King's Man

Could Lord Dunmore have prevented the Revolution? Interpreter Phil Shultz considers the question.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Dunmore's Proclamation.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 26
2008
In Other Words

The cost of modern speech is paid in verbs as America trades eloquence for speed. Historian Cathy Hellier explains the change.
Additional resources
- Learn more about 18th-century speech.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 19
2008
For What Ails You

For poxes, headaches, and fevers, the apothecary has a preparation to ease your symptoms. Medical historian Susan Pryor details the treatments.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the apothecary.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 12
2008
Fifes and Drums at 50

A new documentary reflects on five decades of Fifes and Drums. Director Mike Durling talks about building a film that looks through the years and across the country.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums.
- Purchase Drummers Call: America's Fife and Drum Tradition.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 5
2008
Fashion and Function

A corset's engineered strictness defines the shape of the 18th-century woman. Journeywoman Brooke Welborn explains the trend.
Additional resources
- Learn more about 18th-century clothing.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 28
2008
Disgustingly Adorable

Never at a loss for words, Rare Breeds Manager Elaine Shirley coins the phrase "disgustingly adorable" to describe this year's lambs.
Additional resources
- Learn more about rare breeds.
- Read the story "Rare Sheep" from the summer 2007 Colonial Williamsburg journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 21
2008
The Frenchman's Map

New questions are raised as old ones are answered in the study of the Frenchman's Map. Architectural researcher Ed Chappell talks about the document.
Additional resources
- Read In Search of the Frenchman's Map from the Colonial Williamsburg journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 14
2008
Fakes and Forgeries

Fakes and phonies are stopped with a squint. Curator John Davis discusses the subtleties of form.
Additional resources
- Learn more about The Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 7
2008
Smart as an Ox

Bovine behemoths boast brains and brawn. Oxman Darin Tschopp describes these beasts of burden.
Additional resources
- Read the story "Smart as an Ox" from the spring Colonial Williamsburg journal.
- Watch an audio slideshow. View with Quicktime 7 (free).
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 31
2008
Great Escapes

Stories of famous captures are rivaled only by stories of famous escapes at Williamsburg's Public Gaol. Tom Hay shares his favorites.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Public Gaol.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 17
2008
Wit's Last Stake

Eighteenth-century farce delights 21st-century audiences. Todd Norris describes timeless comic themes.
Additional resources
- Find performance times at the Kimball Theatre.
- Learn more about colonial theater.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 10
2008
A Rarity Restored

Two artists collaborate across the centuries: one working with a brush, and the other with a micro spatula. Curator Barbara Luck and conservator Pam Young describe the restoration of a rare watercolor.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the technology of conservation.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 3
2008
Treasure Keepers

Good as new isn't always as good as old. Curator John Watson talks about conservation at Colonial Williamsburg.
Additional resources
- Learn more about The Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 25
2008
The Butcher, the Baker

One sheep's fleece supplies half a dozen trades. Shepherdess Carrie MacDougal spins the tale.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Leicester Longwools.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 18
2008
Washington as a Symbol

Washington's leadership was an appealing surrogate for the king's paternal presence. Historian Kevin Kelly discusses the first president's legacy.
Additional resources
- Learn more about George Washington.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 11
2008
Wealth on the Shelf

When a single book cost half a year's wages, tomes were rare treasures. Bruce Plumley describes the bookbinding trade.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the bookbinder.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 4
2008
No Master Over Me

A man purchases his enslaved family to set them free. James Ingram shares the tale.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
- Read about African Americans in Virginia.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 28
2008
Mythical Beasts, Magical Creatures

Dragons, mermaids and griffins lurk in the museum collections. Christina Westenberger leads the hunt.
Additional resources
- Visit the Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 21
2008
The Restoration, Part Two

Single-minded determination is the Historic Area's salvation. Author Will Molineux continues his discussion of the restoration.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Bruton Parish Church.
- Read the words of Dr. Goodwin.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 14
2008
The Restoration, Part One

A determined rector reclaims history from the ravages of progress and poverty.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the restoration.
- Read The Architect of Colonial Williamsburg by Will Molineux.<
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jan 7
2008
The Town Before the Town

An early plantation slumbers beneath Williamsburg's streets and foundations.
Additional resources
- Learn more about archaeology at Colonial Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.

All 2007 podcasts ...

Dec 31
2007
Twelfth Night

Holiday celebrations culminate with Twelfth Night revelries.
Additional resources
- Read "Once Around the Colonial Seasons" from the holiday '06 journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 24
2007
An Irish Christmas

In clear voice and high spirits, Kelly Kennedy sings Irish Christmas melodies.
Additional resources
- Learn more about tavern performers.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 17
2007
A Child's-Eye View

Old toy trains and sprawling dollhouses connect imaginations through the span of years. Curator Jan Gilliam has the happy task of laying them out.
Additional resources
- Visit our family of museums.
- See "The Joys of Toys" slideshow.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 10
2007
Jewish Holy Days

Jewish holidays were celebrated by a faithful few in 18th-century colonies. Martha Katz-Hyman outlines the early traditions.
Additional resources
- Read Early American Jewish Holy Days online.<
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Dec 3
2007
Founders or Traitors

Not all colonists were ready to follow their leaders into revolution. Interpreters Steve Holloway and John Hamant debate in character as John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.
Additional resources
- See the Electronic Field Trip.
- Learn what led to the Revolution.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 26
2007
Playing the Part

Taking the shape of a founding father calls for equal parts of preparation and imagination. Interpreters John Hamant and Steve Holloway detail the process.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
- Read about politics in colonial Virginia.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 19
2007
A Laden Table

A table crowded with local game, seafood, custards and savories is a feast of gratitude. Journeyman Rob Brantley describes the dishes.
Additional resources
- Learn more about historic foodways.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 12
2007
Outfitting an Army

The Powder Magazine stood ready to arm soldiers against the oppressors of the age. Historic interpreter Chris Geist details the building's purpose.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Magazine.
- Read the online edition of the Colonial Williamsburg journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Nov 5
2007
Emissaries of Peace

Adept negotiators in pursuit of peace, the Cherokee tribe endures through centuries of change. Colonial Williamsburg director and producer Linda Randulfe talks about the November 8 Electronic Field Trip, "Emissaries of Peace."
Additional resources
- See the Electronic Field Trip.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 29
2007
Cry Witch, Part Two

Hear the verdict in the trial of Grace Sherwood, the "Virginia Witch."
Additional resources
- Learn more about Evening Programs.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 22
2007
Cry Witch, Part One

Take a seat at the trial of Grace Sherwood, the "Virginia Witch."
Additional resources
- Make plans to see "Cry Witch."
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 15
2007
Wren's Formal Garden

After three summers of digging, archaeologist Steve Archer hits pay dirt.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Wren building.
- Explore colonial gardens.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 8
2007
Jamestown Unearthed, Part Two

With 60 percent of James Fort unexplored, the island outpost guards a wealth of stories. Bill Kelso continues the hunt for discovery.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
- Read "The Technology of History" to learn about archaeological methods.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Oct 1
2007
Jamestown Unearthed, Part One

The most impartial chronicle of Jamestown Settlement is in its trash. Curator Bly Straube explains.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Electronic Field Trips.
- Read "Jamestown Revisited" from the Spring '04 Colonial Williamsburg journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 24
2007
Prelude to Victory

"Prelude to Victory" celebrates the anniversary of the Battle of Yorktown with three days of special programs that recall September 26, 27, and 28, 1781.
Additional resources
- Learn more about General George Washington.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 17
2007
The Gunpowder Plot

Add your shouts to the clamor for revolution in Colonial Williamsburg's evening program, "The Gunpowder Plot." Author Gina DeAngelis explains.
Additional resources
- Read "The Monstrous Absurdity" from the summer 2006 Colonial Williamsburg journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 10
2007
Under Storytelling's Spell

Storytellers from around the world will gather at Colonial Williamsburg to participate in the Third Annual Storytelling Festival, including Williamsburg's own Art Johnson.
Additional resources
- Hear a podcast about the 2006 Storytelling Festival.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Sep 3
2007
Carriages, Carts and Wagons

Conjuring a wheel from elm and iron is one big geometry problem for John Boag, Colonial Williamsburg wheelwright.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the wheelwright's trade.
- Read "Wheels and Riding Carts" from the winter '04-'05 journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 27
2007
Colonial Children's Dance

Youth interpreters in Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area enliven parlors and stages with dancing demonstrations. Kelly McEvoy details the colonial pastime.
Additional resources
- Hear more about colonial dance traditions in this podcast with Marcy Wright.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 20
2007
A Different Kind of Founder

Candlesticks, buckles, bells, and sword hilts are just a few objects that Colonial Williamsburg founder Doc Hassell is called to manufacture.
Additional resources
- Learn about the brass founder.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 13
2007
Southern Hospitality

A gracious host, the Governor's Palace met the needs of nine governors and the Continental Army. Tom Spear details the venerable building's past.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Governor's Palace.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Aug 6
2007
The Age of Wood

Making the job up as he goes along is one of Garland Wood's favorite aspects of his job as carpenter at Colonial Williamsburg.
Additional resources
- Read about the carpenter's trade.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 30
2007
Tempted to Enlist

The prospect of ready money tempted many middling men to enlist. Bryan Simpers and Bereni New interpret the Hoys at Colonial Williamsburg.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Alexander Hoy.
- Learn more about Barbry Hoy.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 23
2007
A Loyal Subject

Loyal subjects of the king walked among Williamsburg's revolutionaries. Colonial Williamsburg's Jack Flintom interprets John Randolph's allegiance to King George III.
Additional resources
- Read about the Randolph family.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 16
2007
A Slave's Perspective

The Declaration of Independence was a promise extended to white men only. Hope Smith portrays Eve, a slave in the Peyton Randolph house.
Additional resources
- Read Eve's biography.
- Learn about the house where Eve was a slave.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 9
2007
Marquis de Lafayette

Portraying the Marquis de Lafayette, Colonial Williamsburg's Mark Schneider tells the story of the Frenchman who helped save the American Revolution.
Additional resources
- Read a Marquis de Lafayette bio.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jul 2
2007
The Declaration of Independence

Hear the words that were catalyst to the Revolution, read by Bill Barker, Colonial Williamsburg's Thomas Jefferson.
Additional resources
- Download our Declaration of Independence Screensaver.
- Learn more about the reasons for revolution.
- Learn more about Thomas Jefferson.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 25
2007
Under the Redcoat

The Revolutionary War wasn't always a winning proposition for the colonists, explains Tim Sutphin. "Under the Redcoat" recalls the British occupation of Williamsburg.
Additional resources
- See a video clip.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 18
2007
The Art of the Cut

Translating a man's measurements into suits for all seasons is the task of the skillful tailor, says apprentice Neal Hurst.
Additional resources
- Learn about the tailor's trade.
- Read "Tailor Made for History" from the autumn '05 journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Jun 11
2007
Caring for the Mentally Ill

Williamsburg's Public Hospital was the first facility for the treatment of the mentally ill in British North America.
Additional resources
- Read about the Public Hospital.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 28
2007
Martha Washington Remembers

This first lady devoted herself to her husband and his troops.
Additional resources
- Read more about the lives of George and Martha Washington.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 21
2007
Slavery and Manumission

The little-known process of manumission was a means of securing freedom for a handful of Virginia slaves.
Additional resources
- Read and listen to the experiences of African Americans in Williamsburg.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 14
2007
Drummer's Call

The noble tradition of the fifes and drums is celebrated May 18-20 during Drummer's Call.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Colonial Williamsburg's Fifes and Drums.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
May 7
2007
Historical Rivalry

Despite its 14-year lead, many don't know that Jamestown was settled before Plymouth. James Axtell's article, "Historical Rivalry," explores the reasons why.
Additional resources
- Read Jim Axtell's "Historical Rivalry" from the winter 2007 journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 30
2007
The Photo of a Lifetime

Photographer and author Chiles Larson snapped an iconic picture of Queen Elizabeth II in 1957, which he hopes to make one of a pair during her 2007 visit to Jamestown.
Additional resources
- See a slideshow of images from the queen's 1957 visit.
- Learn more about the queen's May 2007 visit.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 23
2007
Jamestown Unearthed

Portraying lesser-known historical figures gives Willie Balderson an opportunity to relate the experiences of the everyday man.
Additional resources
- Tune in for the Electronic Field Trip, "Jamestown Unearthed."
- Read "Jamestown Revisited" from the spring 2004 journal.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 16
2007
Chapters in the Soil

Staff Archaeologist Meredith Poole explains how each layer of soil yields subtle clues.
Additional resources
- Read "Tailoring the Tenant House," from the winter 2002 Colonial Williamsburg Journal.
- Read about the Ravenscroft excavation.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 9
2007
Music Suited to a Lady

Colonial ladies played instruments that showed their graceful features to the best advantage, and they never showed their elbows. Music Interpreter Jane Hanson explains.
Additional resources
- Learn how harpsichords are made in "Peter Redstone Builds a Barton Portable" from the spring '02 journal.
- Read about organist and jailer Peter Pelham.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Apr 2
2007
Education for Citizenship, Part Two

Citizen participation is as vital to democracy today as it was at the dawn of our nation, says Colonial Williamsburg Foundation President Colin Campbell.
Additional resources
- Read "Voting in Early America" from the spring '07 journal of Colonial Williamsburg, and download a Web-exclusive screensaver.
- Learn more about Revolutionary City.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 26
2007
Education for Citizenship in Revolutionary City

To bring life to the struggles and principles of the 18th century is the goal that guides Revolutionary City programs, says Colonial Williamsburg Foundation President Colin Campbell.
Additional resources
- Read about Revolutionary City's spring programs.
- Listen to a 2005 podcast with Colin Campbell.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 19
2007
Anthropologist to the Past

Distinguished Visiting Professor Rhys Isaac's 1970 encounter with Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area set the course for his career.
Additional resources
- Learn more about Thomas Jefferson.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 12
2007
Passion, Romance, and Intrigue in "Othello"

Themes of jealousy, passion, and betrayal in Shakespeare's "Othello" are as gripping today as they were in the 18th century, says Performing Arts Manager Todd Norris.
Additional resources
- Learn about The Williamsburg Playhouse of 1760 and the World of 18th-Century Theater.
- Read more about Colonial Williamsburg theater.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Mar 5
2007
Revolutionary Stories

New vignettes reveal revolutionary citizens from different angles, explains Bill Weldon, Colonial Williamsburg's manager of public history.
Additional resources
- Learn more about the Revolutionary City program.
- Listen to Bill Weldon discuss Revolutionary City's beginnings in a 2006 podcast.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 26
2007
Gowan Pamphlet, slave preacher, cont.

Hear James Ingram, Colonial Williamsburg's Gowan Pamplet, tell how an enslaved man became the leader of Virginia's largest Baptist church.
Additional resources
- Read more about the life of Gowan Pamphlet.
- Hear more about the study of religion in the colonies in this podcast with John Turner, religious specialist.
Quicktime 7 (free) is required to view the enhanced podcasts.
Feb 19
2007
Gowan Pamphlet, slave preacher

Born at the right time, this revolutionary figure

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Colonial Williamsburg: Past & Present: Podcasts

Podcasts by date

Town Gunsmith

I am murdered

The Polite Academy

Arming the Continent

Meet the Cooper

Great Hair

Crystal Carols

Westward!

A Good Read

Harsh World, This World

All 2012 podcasts ...

All 2011 podcasts ...

Woodworking in Williamsburg

A Method for Madness

Inventing the Submarine

Ghosts Amongst Us

An Enduring Spirit

Brick by Brick

Meet Benjamin Franklin

The Mystery of the Gravestones

First Do No Harm

Williamsburg's Blacksmith

Spies in Virginia

Constitution Day: Trial by Jury

The Idea of America

More Than Meets the Eye

Excavating Ancient Armor

Meet the Basketmaker

Kids Tell the Story

George Washington's Farewell

Founding Mothers

Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

Arsenal of War

Meet the Weaver

A Tribal Relic Returns

Washington's Whiskey Still

Age of Piracy

Oral History

What Makes a Good President?

Women of the Revolution

Immortal Bricks and Mortar

The Revolutionary Origins of the Civil War

Martha Leads the Charge

Model Prison Architecture

Beer and Whiskey

The Art of Beauty

A Settler Revolt

A Pig Worth Saving

Jefferson's Boyhood Home

A Dangerous Job

Merging Cultures

African American Folk Art

Freedom Bound

Storm on the Horizon

Where Pocahontas Pledged Her Love

New World English

Skill and Science in Historic Trades

Fashion Accessories from Head to Toe

All 2010 podcasts ...

History is Served

Music for Christmas

A Perfect Copy

Williamsburg Christmastide

Colonial Kids

Pumpkin's Progress

The Bill of Rights

Williamsburg's Indian School

Hidden Williamsburg

Pirates Amongst Us

Ghosts of Williamsburg

The Will of the People

Papa Said, Mama Said

Jumpin' the Broom