Creating Colonial Williamsburg

In Creating Colonial Williamsburg, Anders Greenspan examines the restoration and re-creation of the structures and gardens of Virginia's colonial capital beginning in 1926. The restoration was undertaken by the Rockefeller family, whose aim was to promote a twentieth-century appreciation for eighteenth-century ideals. Ironically, those ideals, including democracy, individualism, and representative government, were often promoted at the expense of a more complete understanding of the town's true history. The meaning and purpose of Colonial Williamsburg has changed over time, along with America's changing social and political landscapes, making the study of this historic site a unique and meaningful entry point to understanding the shifting modern American character.

In recent years, financial struggles and declining attendance forced a new interpretation of the town, extending the presentation into the period of the American Revolution, while adding new interpretive approaches such as street theater and a greater emphasis on technology. Over its eighty-year history, says Greenspan, Colonial Williamsburg has grown and matured, while still retaining its emphasis on the importance of eighteenth-century values and their application in the modern world.

Creating Colonial Williamsburg: The Restoration of Virginia's Eighteenth-Century Capital
Anders Greenspan is professor of history at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
Creating Colonial Williamsburg presents a balanced critique, leavened with succinct, thorough historical context. . . . Expertly researched and beautifully written--a sympathetic yet unapologetic examination of America's most famous historic townscape.--CRM: The Journal of Heritage Stewardship

[Greenspan] not only helps us understand, but he also encourages us to value the remarkable growth of one of modern America's most ambitious efforts to reconsider, and to re-envision its past. In so doing, he calls attention to the challenge--and the extraordinary efforts some [of] us will make--in seeking a consistent and convincing interpretation of our history.--The Public Historian

A well-written narrative of the establishment and development of arguably the nation's best-known history museum, Colonial Williamsburg. . . . By closely aligning the interests and characteristics of the various Rockefeller men who led Colonial Williamsburg with its development under those leaders, Greenspan makes a compelling case for the ability of one very wealthy family to influence the historical knowledge of entire generations of Americans.--The Journal of American History