President Harry Truman
Presidents - United States
Heads of state - United States
Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972
Governor's Palace (Williamsburg, Va.)
Block 20. Building 3A.
President Harry S. Truman, flanked by several costumed interpreters, laughs as he descends the steps outside the Governor's Palace. President Truman was in Williamsburg in 1948 to receive an honorary degree from The College of William and Mary. During his visit, President Truman was given a tour of the Historic Area of Colonial Williamsburg.
Williams, Thomas L.
1948-04
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1948-W-225
King Paul and Queen Frederika of Greece
Visitors, Foreign - Greece
Kings, Queens, Rulers, etc.
Paul I, King of the Hellenes, 1901-1964
Frederika, Queen, consort of Paul I, King of the Hellenes, 1917-1981
Heads of state - Greece
Block 02. Building 65.
Williamsburg Inn (WIlliamsburg, Va.)
King Paul and Queen Frederika of Greece descending the stairs at the WIlliamsburg Inn. The King and Queen were among the first foreign dignitaries to visit Colonial Williamsburg through the State Department program established by Colonial Williamsburg President (and former State Department official) Carlisle Humelsine.
Beamish, George
1953-11-27
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1953-GB-4771
Sir Winston Churchill and General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969
Churchill, Winston, 1874-1965
Raleigh Tavern (Williamsburg, Va.)
Block 17. Building 6A.
Heads of State - United Kingdom
Prime Ministers - United Kingdom
Visitors, Foreign
Generals - United States
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 this photograph was taken. They 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.”
Dementi, Frank A.
Larson, Chiles
1946-03-08
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1955-CL-1427
Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako
Hirohito, Emperor of Japan, 1901-1989
Nagako, Empress, consort of Hirohito, Emperor of Japan, 1903-2000
Foreign Visitors - Japan
Heads of State - Japan
Kings, Queens, Rulers, etc.
Humelsine, Carlisle H.
Block 02. Building 65.
Williamsburg Inn (Williamsburg, Va.)
Japan's Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako setting out from the Williamsburg Inn on a carriage ride with Colonial Williamsburg president Carlisle Humelsine. The Emperor and Empress requested that their visit be identical to the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. Accommodations were made at the Williamsburg Inn and around the Historic Area. Security was tighter than normal, due to a threat against the Emperor and Empress from the Japanese Red Army.
October 1, 1975
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1957-2241
Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia
Tito, Josip Broz, 1892-1980
Foreign Visitors - Yugoslavia
Heads of State - Yugoslavia
Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia rides in a carriage with Williamsburg Mayor (Dr.) Henry M. Stryker, Colonial Williamsburg President Carlisle Humelsine, and others. Tito was in the United States for an informal visit to tour the nation. While visiting Colonial Williamsburg, Tito fell ill and stayed in bed at the Lightfoot House. Tito's wife visited Carter's Grove and, per her request, an American grocery store.
1963-10
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1963-834
President and Mrs. Arturo Frondizi
Frondizi, Arturo, 1908-1995
Heads of State - Argentina
Visitors, Foreign - Argentina
The Golden Ball (Williamsburg, Va.)
Block 17. Building 8D.
President and Mrs. Arturo Frondizi of Argentina visit with interpreters outside of The Golden Ball. President Frondizi toured the United States as part of his official state visit, which included a ticker tape parade in New York City.
1959-01
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1963-898
King Zahir of Afghanistan
Visitors, Foreign - Afghanistan
Kings, Queens, Rulers, etc.
Heads of state - Afghanistan
Zahir Shah, King of Afghanistan, 1914-2007
King Zahir and Queen Humaira Begum of Afghanistan during their visit to Colonial Williamsburg in 1963. The 'Last King of Afghanistan' visited Colonial Williamsburg with his wife as part of a tour of the United States.
Toth, Steve
1963-09
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1963-SMT-1204-49s
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
Peery, George C. (George Campbell), 1873-1952
Presidents - United States
Heads of state - United States
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.
1934
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1965-D-2773
President Urho Kekkonen of Finland and Ambassador Shirley Temple Black
Temple, Shirley, 1928-2014
Kekkonen, Urho, 1900-1986
Heads of state - Finland
Visitors, Foreign - Finland
Ambassadors - United States
Celebrities - United States
Actors - United States
Williamsburg Inn (Williamsburg, Va.)
Block 02. Building 65.
President Urho Kekkonen of Finland and Ambassador Shirley Temple Black lawn bowling at the Williamsburg Inn in 1976. Shirley Temple Black, who would also serve as U.S. Chief of Protocol, played host for several dignitaries, including President Kekkonen.
1976-08
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1976-1892-1
Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat
Heads of state - Egypt
Visitors, Foreign - Egypt
Lightfoot House (Williamsburg, Va.)
Block 03. Building 10.
Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat leaves the Lightfoot House. Sadat's visit to Colonial Williamsburg came as part his first official state visit to the United States since becoming President of Egypt. Following an afternoon touring the Historic Area, Colonial Williamsburg President Carlisle Humelsine gave a dinner in Sadat's honor at Carter's Grove Plantation. Sadat left for Washington the following morning.
1975-10-26
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1980-557
Former President Richard Nixon, Pat Nixon and archaeologist Ivor Noel Hume.
Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994
Nixon, Pat, 1912-1993
Noel Hume, Ivor
Archaeology Lab (Williamsburg, Va.)
Block 27. Building 65.
Presidents - United States
Former President Richard Nixon with wife Pat and archaeologist Ivor Noel Hume in the archaeology lab, 1981. Former President Nixon took a personal interest in the archaeological methods used at Colonial Williamsburg. Ivor Noel Hume, director of the archaeology program at Colonial Williamsburg for over 30 years, gave Mr. and Mrs. Nixon the tour of the lab where artifacts are processed.
1981
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1981-1536
President Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Presidents - United States
Prime Ministers - United Kingdom
Visitors, Foreign - United Kingdom
Heads of state - United Kingdom
Heads of state - United States
Reagan, Ronald
Thatcher, Margaret
President Ronald Reagan greets British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during the welcoming ceremonies of the 1983 Economic Summit. Her visit was accompanied by the heads of state of France, Canada, West Germany, Italy, and Japan. The summit saw conversation between these leaders on topics ranging from international trade to missile deployments against the Soviet Union. It concluded with a series of economic principles the summit came to agree upon, which was titled, "The Williamsburg Declaration on Economic Recovery."
1983-05-28
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1984-100
Premier Zhao Ziyang of the People's Republic of China
Visitors, Foreign - China
Zhao, Ziyang
Heads of state - China
Bookbinder's Shop (Williamsburg, Va.)
Block 18-2. Building 12B.
Prime Ministers - China
Premier Zhao Ziyang of the People's Republic of China visits Colonial Williamsburg in January 1984. Mark Howell (ctr), acting supervisor of the Bindery, and Bob Lyon, (l) apprentice, explain the process of papermaking to Ziyang and his wife.
Winchester, Warren
1984-01
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1984-WW-205-13s
President Warren G. Harding
Presidents - United States
Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923
Heads of state - United States
President Warren Harding (tipping hat in the back seat) rides in a car through the city of Williamsburg, ca. 1920s. President Harding served from 1921-1923 before dying in office. During his visit, Williamsburg had not yet been restored to its 18th century appearance. This photograph provides a rare glimpse into pre-restored Williamsburg.
1920s
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1995-58
President Ronald Reagan and Mrs. Nancy Reagan
Reagan, Ronald
Reagan, Nancy, 1921-
Presidents - United States
Heads of state - United States
Actors - American
President Ronald Reagan and Mrs. Nancy Reagan reviewing the Fifes and Drums Corp. Their visit was part of the 1983 G7 summit, which also included the heads of state of France, Canada, West Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The summit saw conversation between these leaders on topics ranging from international trade to missile deployments against the Soviet Union. It concluded with a series of economic principles the summit came to agree upon, which was titled, "The Williamsburg Declaration on Economic Recovery."
1983-05
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K1983-2512-S
Indira Gandhi
Gandhi, Indira, 1917-1984
Prime ministers - India
Visitors, Foreign - India
Heads of state - India
As part of an official state visit to the United States, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (center) visited Colonial Williamsburg in March of 1966. Here, she is pictured exiting a building in the Historic Area. Prime Minister Gandhi would later enjoy a carriage ride with United States Chief of Protocol James Symington.
Sawyers, Art
1966-03
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1966-ANS-898