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5dc81f84b0955f11afddf345a69945f0
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Frank Dementi Photograph Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Dementi, Frank A. (1905-1986)
Williamsburg (Va.) - Buildings, structures, etc.
Williamsburg (Va.) - Photographs
Visitors, Foreign
Military personnel - American - Virginia - Williamsburg
Description
An account of the resource
A selection of photographs taken mostly before 1946 of Williamsburg buildings, events, and people by Richmond, Virginia photographer Frank Dementi and donated to Colonial Williamsburg in 1965. The nephew of Anthony L. Dementi, who founded the Dementi Studio in 1924, Frank Dementi graduated from the Winona School of Photography in Indiana. After working for several years with his brother, Tony Dementi, Frank started a position as a photo journalist with the Richmond News Leader where he worked alongside colleague Park Rouse who recalled "He liked action photography which involved movement, excitement, or even danger ."
Soon after the outbreak of World War II, Dementi opened Colonial Studio in the Business Block at the West end of Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg, Virginia on June 9, 1942. He focused primarily upon photographing soldiers and sailors stationed with military bases in the area but also took on a number of important assignments for Colonial Williamsburg and even took pictures of German prisoners of war. Two of his most exciting opportunities came when members of the Churchill family visited Williamsburg during and shortly after World War II.
In 1945, Dementi relocated his Colonial Studio, offering illustrative and portrait photography, to 9 East Grace Street in Richmond, Virginia, where he operated the business until his retirement in 1984. His early experimentation with color photography led him to win an award in 1955 for a composition set in Colonial Williamsburg that he titled "The Sabbath." Colonial Williamsburg's Director of Promotions, Thomas McCaskey, assisted him with arrangements for the photo shoot and praised the resulting scene of costumed interpreters positioned along Palace Street for "...completely captur[ing] the charm and informality of historic Williamsburg." Throughout his career, he continued to document dignitaries, leaders, and celebrities who visited Virginia, shot numerous scenic views to support state tourism efforts, and continued to take many studio portraits. An engaging storyteller who put his subjects at ease, Frank participated in significant historical events and met many interesting personalities as he built his business.
Over the course of his career, Dementi completed numerous photo shoots at Colonial Williamsburg, ranging from special events and exhibition building openings to the visits of Clementine and Sarah Churchill in September 1943 and Winston Churchill and Dwight D. Eisenhower on March 8, 1946. Mary Churchill, a subaltern in the British Army, took a break from her duties serving as her father’s aide-de-camp during the U.S. visit to accompany her mother on an impromptu trip to Williamsburg organized by the British Embassy. The two started their morning at the Williamsburg Inn, where they met Vernon Geddy, First Vice-President of Colonial Williamsburg, who served as their escort, and local photographer Frank Dementi, who operated Colonial Studio in Williamsburg from 1942-1945. Lord Moran, Winston Churchill’s private physician, and two aides from the White House also accompanied the party. During a guided tour of selected exhibition buildings, including the Governor’s Palace, where costumed interpreter Midge Adolph greeted the women, Clementine and Mary learned about the former British capital. A luncheon at the Travis House Restaurant allowed the group to sample some of the famous scalloped oysters and other fare that won rave reviews from many military and diplomatic guests. Mary Churchill remarked to Vernon Geddy that her post-war plans needed to include a two week stay in Williamsburg. During their “flying visit” to Williamsburg, as Mary Churchill described it, the two learned of Italy’s surrender to the Allies while touring the Raleigh Tavern. It proved to be a momentous day for wartime Williamsburg and one memorialized by Frank Dementi in a series of photo albums he later sent for presentation to the Churchill family.
During his 1946 tour of the United States with General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Sir Winston Churchill made plans to visit Colonial Williamsburg, now twelve years old after the opening of its Historic Area. Mr. Churchill and General Eisenhower arrived by a special train on Friday, March 8, 1946. Their party enjoyed a tour of the Historic Area, followed by a visit to the Wren Building at the College of William and Mary. During their carriage ride, the horses were frightened and the tour continued by car. General Eisenhower recalled how “Sir Winston didn’t pay any attention [to the frightened horses], he just lit his cigar.”
After the tour, Mr. Churchill and General Eisenhower were invited to tea at Raleigh Tavern by Mr. Kenneth Chorley, President of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, where Frank Dementi had the singular honor of being the only photographer allowed in to capture images of the event. The party proceeded to dinner at the Williamsburg Inn. Sir Winston Churchill graced Colonial Williamsburg with an eloquent speech at dinner, concluding with a generous wish: “Long may Colonial Williamsburg flourish! Firm may be the links which it may forge with our past, and may those links of distant by-gone days be reinforced by new links and new bonds which will reach across the ocean and join our two peoples together.”
Frank Dementi's Williamsburg photos constitute the subject matter of this collection while over 70,000 photos relating to the broader history of Richmond and the state of Virginia reside with the Valentine Museum. Members of the Dementi family hold the remainder of his photographic legacy.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Dementi, Frank A.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1930s-1940s
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Frank Dementi Photograph Collection
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
250 photographs
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. LIbrary, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Gelatin silver print
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
8 x 10 inches
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Dedication Ceremony for Duke of Gloucester Street
Description
An account of the resource
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Virginia Governor George C. Peery during the 1934 dedication of Duke of Gloucester Street. Williamsburg mayor Channing Hall stands in foreground.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Dementi, Frank
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Frank Dementi Photograph Collection
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
1965-D-2773
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Subject
The topic of the resource
Heads of state - United States
Presidents - United States
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
Peery, George C. (George Campbell), 1873-1952
Rites & ceremonies - Virginia - Williamsburg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
19341020
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
19341020
Automobiles
Channing Hall
Dedications
Duke of Gloucester Street
Frank Dementi
Franklin D. Roosevelt
George C. Peery
Virginia
Williamsburg
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https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/3854/archive/files/a511f812c2c4aa04faaf7a29a0357ab8.jpg?Expires=1712793600&Signature=PkVdkzDTvepnVdMvwE8sLkNSGb8-5x5cnithDuz4XmAK%7E0w6bUQ5F6A0MARjO90qlKflOtwsen6sM-Io3KpOObUZTwu0WYg4ma001LxSkzf2Bc3RJYYjPnNEqPY5iQYB4l76t5f1XD9EL5xxJqXXoCsr9F1dsyfVzmPhwA9GZAVC4KfNh5dKyuHeoK1aJOZ%7EzT5UWMryepIQST1iFV2K6C8l24CPHhsbb0BanxQfwyZcUhESHqM3MhBymMnsjmcfdjvx-ULOW8nQNRjmpUW%7EkhewTOf-7-EG1VjSD6s6VVxpnk9bIkdUUP6uQ4kpKG3HUa4KyKzoEgUQFcxEAp2Q8A__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
222ddbf3f9df9eda65db9ef40a4ce237
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Distinguished Visitors to Colonial Williamsburg
Subject
The topic of the resource
Visitors, Foreign
Presidents - United States
Celebrities - United States
Entertainers - United States
Kings, queens, rulers etc.
Statesmen
Gelatin silver prints
Color slides
Description
An account of the resource
<p>Colonial Williamsburg has played host to numerous distinguished visitors in the form of foreign dignitaries and heads of state, royalty, musicians, actors, and writers. A significant series within Colonial Williamsburg's official archive of photos taken by staff photographers, the distinguished visitor images offer a fascinating glimpse into many historic occasions and special events that took place within the living history museum. A selection is offered here to give researchers a sense of the scope of the subjects represented.</p>
<p>Government officials, actors, and even sports stars, began arriving at Colonial Williamsburg soon after the museum opened its first exhibition buildings in the 1930s. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated Duke of Gloucester Street in 1934 becoming the first United States president to experience its beauty and historical significance.<sup>1</sup> The completion of the Williamsburg Inn and Williamsburg Lodge offered gracious accommodations to attract other well-known guests. Child actress Shirley Temple celebrated her birthday in Williamsburg in 1938, while tennis star Helen Hull Jacobs registered as the first occupant at the Williamsburg Lodge in 1939.<sup>2</sup></p>
<p>During World War II, trips to Colonial Williamsburg served as a form of indoctrination for servicemen from neighboring military bases. Troops watched orientation films, attended lectures, and toured the Historic Area as a way to remind them of what they were going overseas to fight for.<sup>3</sup> In 1946, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and General Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived for a post-war visit to Colonial Williamsburg that included drinks at the Raleigh Tavern, a tour of several exhibition buildings, and a special dinner at the Williamsburg Inn.<sup>4</sup></p>
<p>The late 1940s marked the beginning of a steady stream of visits by foreign dignitaries. The United States Department of State began a custom of bringing foreign heads of state down from Washington, D.C. as part of their official visits to the United States. As a result, Colonial Williamsburg began expanding its focus to embrace a more international audience and celebrate some of the timeless democratic ideals embodied in the historic events that took place in colonial Virginia.<sup>5</sup> The growing living history museum also attracted the attention of Walt Disney, who visited in 1948 and offered his perspectives and ideas on the museum's operations.<sup>6</sup></p>
<p>During the 1950s, a standard protocol for VIP visits encompassed trips to Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown. Foreign visitors received a rapid overview of American history and ideals as a form of education by State Department officials. <sup>7</sup> Queen Elizabeth II's royal visit for the 250th anniversary of the arrival of settlers at Jamestown marked an important initial step towards strengthening ties between Great Britain and Colonial Williamsburg.<sup>8</sup> A succession of British dignitaries, ranging from the Lord Mayor of London to the Prince of Wales, followed.</p>
<p>Colonial Williamsburg President Carlisle Humelsine used his former State Department connections to turn Colonial Williamsburg into what many dubbed "State Department South." He oversaw over one hundred visits by foreign dignitaries who came to the area as part of official State Department itineraries. The typical visit during the Humelsine era included a carriage ride, along with stops at major exhibition buildings, such as the Capitol and the Palace, as well as one or two of the trade shops.<sup>9</sup></p>
<p>The 1960s and 1970s also witnessed a number of television stars descending upon Colonial Williamsburg with their accompanying production crews. Animal star Lassie performed in several scenes around the Historic Area as part of a larger travel series for his popular television show. Perry Como and John Wayne explored many aspects of Colonial Williamsburg during the filming of Perry Como's Early American Christmas in 1978.<sup>10</sup></p>
<p>Visits by foreign heads of state culminated in the 1980s when Ronald Reagan hosted the Ninth Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations at Colonial Williamsburg. The unprecedented closure of the entire Historic Area for the weekend in May 1983 marked a gamble on the part of Colonial Williamsburg officials to generate more international interest via the three thousand journalists covering the event. <sup>11</sup> Participants included Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone of Japan, Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani of Italy, Prime Minister Elliot Trudeau of Canada, Chancellor Helmut Kohl of Germany, and President Francois Mitterand of France. Opera singer Leontyne Price also contributed to the event's pageantry by performing at one of the state dinners.<sup>12</sup></p>
<p>In the decades which followed, a combination of actors, entertainers, sports stars, political candidates, and government leaders continued to visit in a steady stream of both official and "undercover" appearances. Two of the more high profile dignitaries included President Zhang Zemin of China in 1997 and a return visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 2007. Whether drawing large crowds or simply enjoying the peaceful charm with a few friends or Colonial Williamsburg escorts, each visitor has left their mark in the form of a fascinating legacy of photos.</p>
Endnotes: <br />(1) Donald J. Gonzalez, The Rockefellers at Williamsburg (McLean, Va.: EPM Publications, 1991), 102. <br />(2) Hugh DeSamper, Welcome to the Williamsburg Inn (Williamsburg, Va.: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in association with Lickle Publishing, Inc., 1997), 4. <br />(3) Anders Greenspan, Creating Colonial Williamsburg (Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2002), 154. <br />(4) Brian A. Dementi, Churchill & Eisenhower Together Again: A Virginia Visit (Manakin-Sabot, Va.: Dementi Milestone Publishing Inc., 2015), 85. <br />(5) Greenspan, 79. <br />(6) Gonzalez, 110. <br />(7) Greenspan, 117. <br />(8) Greenspan, 111. <br />(9) Gonzalez, 110. <br />(10) Mary Theobald, “Every Man a King: The VIPs Visit Colonial Williamsburg” Colonial Williamsburg Journal 23, No. 3 (Autumn 2001): 40. <br />(11) Greenspan, 153.<br />(12) “The World Comes to Williamsburg,” Colonial Williamsburg 4, No. 1 (Autumn 1983): 20.
<p>For further information: <a href="https://research.colonialwilliamsburg.org/Foundation/Journal/Autumn01/vips.cfm">https://research.colonialwilliamsburg.org/Foundation/Journal/Autumn01/vips.cfm</a></p>
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Gelatin silver print
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
8x10 inches
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Subject
The topic of the resource
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
Peery, George C. (George Campbell), 1873-1952
Presidents - United States
Heads of state - United States
Description
An account of the resource
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Gov. George C. Peery during the 1934 dedication of Duke of Gloucester Street. Williamsburg mayor Channing Hall stands in foreground.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1934
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1934
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
1965-D-2773
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Automobiles
Channing Hall
Distinguished Visitors
Duke of Gloucester Street
FDR
Franklin D. Roosevelt
George C. Peery
Governor of Virginia
Heads of State
Mayors
Motorcades
NBC
President of the United States
Virginia
Williamsburg