I was really looking forward to taking my wife to see and experience the Historic Triangle. As Canadians, our country’s history is about 200 years old. It is tough to find anything before the mid-1800s. If you go to the USA, there is history all the way back to the mid-1600s. There is more history and more to explore in the USA.
I decided that on March Break, we would enjoy this time together in the oldest section of our southern neighbours. I wanted to immerse myself in the history and culture of early America, which is where the Historic Triangle came into play.
Yorktown Battlefield is one of several attractions in this Triangle. A pivotal battle occurred here during the American Revolution, and because of the victory here, the Americans were sure to win the Revolution. There is a large museum at the location, and it is possible to tour much of the battlefield to see and feel history.
The American Revolution Museum is also included in the price of The Historic Triangle. This museum was more than helpful in explaining why there was a revolution in the first place. This has always been a mystery to me, one who is loyal to the Crown, why anyone would want to leave the British Empire. It was because of taxation, strict import and export rules, an intentional act to withhold development and use of new technologies and a lack of local representation that sparked the flames of war. This museum has done more to educate me on this historical period than anything throughout my life. It left me with an understanding of why the Revolution occurred.
Jamestown Settlement was well presented. On one end are replicas of the ships that brought the first English settlers, and on the other are the original settlers of the land and the type of houses they had. Information would be provided on how the introduction of Europeans to the area was welcomed with some reservations. Slowly, things soured between the new settlers and the tribes in the area. Eventually, there would be open hostilities.
Colonial Williamsburg is the main feature of the Historic Triangle. It boasts the largest number of period homes found anywhere. Blocks and blocks of houses from the era of early colonialism can be seen. But the most disappointing aspect of this display of heritage was that only a few of them were enterable. Half of those that could be entered were an added fee, and the others were crowded with tourists.
The best part of Colonial Williamsburg was the events that happened throughout the days. At the governor’s palace, we heard the opinion of a former slave. He helped the American Revolution, but would he be set free because of it? We learned how hard it was to free someone from slavery and how difficult it was for those who escaped the chains of slavery. It was brilliantly done. Other places included court cases, how the government worked, local trades and daily life. The town had a schedule of events, and I did my best to attend as many as possible. This is where the value of the tickets comes into play.
Yes, it was disappointing that we could not explore many of the buildings. Others have expressed this disappointment at one of the events, and they received a formulaic answer. But what we learned from the guided tours, the actors, and the demonstrations made up well beyond what we could not see. I would get a year-long membership to see all they offered if I lived in the area. It was worth the drive and money because we attended as much as possible. The value would have been missed had we just walked in and out.
- The best value is purchasing a five-day pass to see The Historic Triangle. To get the best value, expect to spend most of your time at these places.
- Colonial Williamsburg is the most prominent attraction of the Triangle and will require repeated visits to see all the buildings and to attend many of the events.
- There is driving between each of the attractions (Jamestown Settlement, Yorktown Battlefield, American Revolution Museum, and Colonial Williamsburg). Depending on traffic, all are within an hour’s drive.
- Check out All The Places We Have Been To Map to see where these locations are.
