If I had to  characterise the research that has been conducted at Colonial Williamsburg I would hardly call it "inadequate", as it often represents the best standards and practices of history, architecture, and archaeology during the 76 year period of the Williamsburg restoration.

Colonial Williamsburg is constantly reassessing and re-evaluating their architecture, history, and interpretation. One only need look at what is being done at the Peyton Randolph house with the recent restoration of the house and furnishings and the development of the Randolph yard to re-establish it's urban landscape. What is really apparent at Williamsburg is just how much the modern world has encircled and closed in on the historic town and how much the high levels of visitation impacts the historic fabric of the place.

Again I politely disagree with those that see validity in removing an historical building from it's original site and yet who use the strong word "lie" to describe the restoration of an historical building to represent a historical point in time. This is especially strong when seen in the light that the National Trust at Montpelier is establishing an entire gallery in their plans to interpret the DuPont ownership of the house and grounds.

I for one would never call an historic house that has been moved from its site a "lie" nor "inauthentic". But I would posit that an historic structure that is removed from it's real place, and set in another context, however well imagined, has lost a substantial and very real part of its context. And perhaps this is the very point that some are making, albeit in a more forceful way, about the intended restoration of Montpelier.

That being said, I must say that I have enjoyed this thoughtful disucssion and am ever happy to accept that divergent views emerged and were well articulated.

Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Artifacts
2930 South Birch Street
Denver, CO  80222
303-300-5257
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