Books & Media

Insiders' Guide: Williamsburg and Virginia's Historic Triangle

Experience America's past and present-day glories in beautiful, historic Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, Virginia! Written by local Susan Corbett, Insiders' Guide: Williamsburg and Virginia's Historic Triangle includes: Comprehensive...

Colonial Williamsburg Christmas: Celebrating Classic Traditions and the Spirit of the Holiday

Drawing on 18th-century traditions, Colonial Williamsburg is famous for its Christmas festivities, and the pages of this lavishly illustrated book conjure up celebrations past and present. Here are cressets glowing warmly and fireworks exploding over the...

America's Forgotten Colonial History

From the publisher: "This is what we all learned in school: Pilgrims on the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. They had a rough start, but ultimately made a go of it, made friends with the Indians, and celebrated with a big Thanksgiving dinner...

The Words That Made Us: America's Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840

Go on a literary journey with preeminent legal scholar Akhil Reed Amar! In his 800+ page book, The Words That Made Us: America's Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840, Amar covers the history of the American Constitution's formative decades.  When...

Craft: An American History

At the center of the United States' economic and social development, according to conventional wisdom, are industry and technology—while craftspeople and handmade objects are relegated to a bygone past. Renowned historian Glenn Adamson turns that...

A History of Tea

As the world's most popular beverage, tea has fascinated us, awakened us, motivated us, and calmed us for well over two thousand years. A History of Tea tells the compelling story of the rise of tea in Asia and its eventual spread to the West and beyond...

Colonial Williamsburg: The Story

It was in Williamsburg, Virginia, that American independence—and democracy—took root. And it is in the Historic Area of Colonial Williamsburg that millions have learned about the continuing relevance of America's founding ideas. Spanning...

Striped Red Earthenware Inkwell

Add historic charm to your desk with this Striped Red Earthenware Inkwell. This reproduction inkwell would have been a common site to inhabitants of Williamsburg in the 18th century. Made of more common materials, such as earthenware, or finely crafted...

Red Earthenware Inkwell

Add historic charm to your desk with this Red Earthenware Inkwell. This reproduction inkwell would have been a common site to inhabitants of Williamsburg in the 18th century. Made of more common materials, such as earthenware, or finely crafted in...

American Traditions Secret Decoder Cypher Wheel

The American Traditions Secret Decoder Cypher Wheel is a fun toy for kids to explore and learn the art of encoding and decoding messages. Get two and send secret messages between friends! Made of wood. Includes instructions. Recommended for ages 5 and up...

Founding Mothers

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Cokie Roberts comes New York Times bestseller Founding Mothers, an intimate and illuminating look at the fervently patriotic and passionate women whose tireless pursuits on behalf of their families–and...

Colonial Spices and Herbs

Colonial Herbs and Spices by well-known food writer Patricia B. Mitchell is full of fascinating information, quotations, and descriptions about the typical usages of 23 of colonial America's most common spices and herbs. It offers brief descriptions of...

Snowy Village Boxed Christmas Cards by Marcia Long

Send your loved ones a warm holiday greeting with the Colonial Williamsburg Snowy Village Christmas Cards. Created by local artist, Marcia Long, these cards feature an illustration of iconic structures and imagery from Colonial Williamsburg set amongst...

Karen Cruden Festive Lamp Post Boxed Christmas Cards

Our Festive Lamp Post Boxed Christmas Cards feature original artwork by Karen Cruden. A  glowing lamp post decorated with festive fruit, greenery and ribbon stands out from illuminated Colonial Williamsburg buildings in the background. The...

The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Beauty

Ever wondered how Marie Antoinette achieved her sky-high hairstyle or how women in the 1700s created their voluminous frizz hairdos? The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Beauty answers all your Georgian beauty questions―and teaches you all you need...

The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking

Whether you wish you could time travel to the court of Versailles, the Highlands of Scotland, or Colonial Williamsburg in the 18th-century, this comprehensive guide will walk you through how to make and wear your 18th century dream gown. Lauren Stowell...

Travel 4-Player Shut the Box Game

A traditional game of counting, addition, and probability, Shut-the-Box dates as far back as the 12th century when this game was enjoyed by Norman fishermen after a long day at sea. Roll the dice and lay down any numerical combination of tiles that match...

Blue Pineapple Note Cards

What better way to say "thank you" than with the traditional symbol of hospitality? Each note card features an illustration of a ripe, plump pineapple in blue and white surrounded by swirling vines. The inside is blank so you can craft your own unique...

A Brief Treatise on Tomb & Grave Stones of the Eighteenth Century

An introductory guide and study resource for understanding the process of Eighteenth Century Gravestone carving, as well as a primer on identifying carvers of the stones. Includes proper notes for academic study thereon, along with many pictures for...

Colonial Williamsburg: The Guide

No visit to Colonial Williamsburg is complete without our official guide book! This first new edition of Colonial Williamsburg's official guide since 2014, this book includes information on all of Colonial Williamsburg's historic sites. This guide...

The U.S. Constitution and Other Writings

The U.S. Constitution and Other Writings is part of the Leather-bound Classics series and is a collection of the crucial documents, speeches, and other writings that shaped the United States. In addition to the Constitution, readers can review the...

Hidden History of Civil War Williamsburg

Each year, thousands of visitors from around the country visit the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's re-created 18th-century capital of Virginia to learn about the past and walk where the Founding Fathers walked. The fact that the same ground was later...

Trend and Tradition Subscription

Trend & Tradition: The Magazine of Colonial Williamsburg is devoted to telling the stories of 18th-century America from a 21st-century point of view. Redesigned in 2016, the Foundation's quarterly publication continues to feature history articles...

The School of Manners

"At Church, at Home, at Table, in Company, in Discourse, at School, abroad, and amoung Boys. With some other short and mixt Precepts. By the Author of the English Exercises." This replica of the fourth edition, as printed in London in 1701, gives all the...

Williamsburg's Joseph Prentis: His Monthly Kalender & Garden Book

In the eighteenth century as today, Williamsburg was known for its fine gardens. Among the town's most enthusiastic gardeners was Joseph Prentis, an attorney who kept a personal garden book and calendar. This volume includes the full text of Prentis'...

Four Documents of Freedom

Choose this unique set for the American history buff in your life, young or old. This impressive set of four antiqued historical documents includes the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, and Abraham...

Duel in the Wilderness

Major George Washington stared grimly at the French commander facing him. The young Virginian had traveled hundreds of miles into the frontier to deliver a message from the King of England. After a dangerous journey, Washington had arrived at his...

Holiday Welcome Embossed Christmas Cards

The door of the Historic Area's Roscow Cole House is beautifully decorated on this set of Christmas cards. The Roscow Cole house has anchored the east end of Market Square since about 1812. It is named for the merchant who built it and owned it until...

Bruton Parish Church Christmas Cards

A Christmas Eve stroll down Duke of Gloucester Street may find the Historic Area under a blanket of snow. Share the best of Williamsburg during the winter season with this beautiful set of boxed holiday cards. In the distance stands Bruton Parish Church...

Christmas in Market Square Christmas Cards

Vivid colors and sculpturally embossed details make this Colonial Williamsburg Christmas card stand out. On the front, a large illuminated evergreen stands in Market Square surrounded by historic structures decked in holiday wreaths. Features 16 cards...

George Wythe House Christmas Cards

Send Christmas greetings with a charming image of one of the Historic Area's most handsome colonial homes. The fanciful artwork depicts the George Wythe House during a winter snowfall with a well-appointed stagecoach riding past. It's a charming scene...

Colonial Williamsburg ABC Picture Book

This Colonial Williamsburg ABC picture book uses the alphabet to introduce children to eighteenth-century Williamsburg. From A to Z, each of the illustrations is based on an activity or an object associated with colonial life that can be seen in Colonial...

Governor's Party Christmas Cards

'Tis the season for holiday parties and the Governor's Palace hosted the most prestigious gathering in town. This set of 16 full-color, folded cards and envelopes features a Christmas Eve gathering on a snowy evening. At the time of its completion in...

Porch Gathering Christmas Cards

Each year during the holiday season, Williamsburg comes alive with blazing cressets, candle-lit windows, and most coveted of all, amazing fruit-and-foliage displays. Families from around the country, and even the world, flock to the Historic Area to...

Somerset Rug Mouse Pad

In celebration of the best in classic design, toss this mouse pad on your desk to offer a little color and a lot of protection. The design is straight from an 18th-century crewelwork coverlet in Colonial Williamsburg's collections featuring the scrolling...

Indienne Rug Mouse Pad

Spread a little tradition wherever you need to use your computer mouse ... and protect your table. With a detailed medallion and floral motif, this mouse pad will add a touch of rich elegance to your office or living room. Images of antique carpets in...

Entertaining Ideas from Williamsburg

Virginia, of course, is famous for its hospitality. Drawing on that tradition, here's a treasure trove of ideas for celebrating special occasions throughout the year. From a winter anniversary to a spring wedding, a Fourth of July picnic to a children's...

The Journal of Major George Washington

In 1753, Virginia Governor Dinwiddie appointed 21-year-old Major George Washington to a delicate mission - deliver a letter to the local French commander demanding that he and his forces leave British Territory and bargain for support with the local...

The Rockefeller Family And Colonial Williamsburg DVD

Part 10 of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Archive Series: Early Stories of the Restoration This is a story of remarkable generosity and considerable personal participation, chronicled in 1992 through archival photos and film, a narrative drawn...

The Cabinetmaker DVD

This DVD, Part 11 of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Archive Series: The Trades of Colonial Williamsburg, features The Cabinetmaker Crafting a Card Table. Antique furniture produced in 18th-century Williamsburg serves as patterns for work produced...

Forged In Wood DVD

Part 9 of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Archive Series: The Trades of Colonial Williamsburg This 1987 documentary shows how re-creating James Anderson's blacksmith shop provided a challenge for The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's architectural...

Silversmith Of Williamsburg DVD

Part 6 of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Archive Series: The Trades of Colonial Williamsburg The colonial silversmith produced items both functional and beautiful. In this 1971 docudrama, silver scraps are transformed into a magnificent new...

A Glorious System Of Things DVD

Part 8 of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Archive Series: Colonial Life through a Lens. The 18th century was an age marked by an upsurge of scientific curiosity, and this 1983 docudrama shows how early American colonists learned of such important...

The Music Of Williamsburg DVD

Part 2 of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Archive Series: Colonial Life through a Lens. Filmed in 1960, this docudrama explores how music in 18th-century Williamsburg was a ritual of everyday life—the accompaniment to everything from...

The Colonial Naturalist DVD

Part 3 of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Archive Series: Colonial Life through a Lens. Filmed in 1965, this docudrama highlights Mark Catesby's first visit to the colonies, where the self-trained naturalist spent time observing his natural...

Recipes from the Raleigh Tavern Bake Shop

Gingerbread cookies and other goodies from the Raleigh Tavern Bake Shop bring back delicious memories for generations of Williamsburg visitors. In this cookbook, original recipes from rare 18th-century cookbooks are presented side-by-side with their...

The Williamsburg Cookbook

Once tasted, the food of Williamsburg is not forgotten. Visitors return again and again for Chowning Tavern's Brunswick Stew, Christiana Campbell's Spoon Bread, the Williamsburg Inn's Breast of Turkey Supreme and countless other delicacies. In this...

I Am Murdered

George Wythe was Thomas Jefferson's mentor and friend, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, chief justice of the Virginia Supreme Court - and a victim of lethal poisoning. His murder and the trial of his nephew for the killing caused a sensation...