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According to the card's caption: "'Aunt Mary,' born a slave and one of the old cooks of Williamsburg, is now the custodian of the kitchen of the restored Governor's Palace in Williamsburg, Virginia."]]>
Interior view of the Clerk's Office in the House of Burgesses, Capitol Building, 1935.  Charles Willson Peale's portrait of Washington (accession # 1933-502, A&B) is featured prominently on the wall. In 1928, it was acquired by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. from Shirley Plantation, where it was likely exhibited since at least the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century (having been passed down through generations of the Carter family). Legend has it that Marion Carter Oliver agreed to the sale because Washington was not actually a family member.

Interior furnishings and decor reflect curators' views in the 1930s as to how Williamsburg's historic interiors may have looked in the eighteenth century.  Nevertheless, with new research advancements over the years, the interiors of the Governor’s Palace have changed to reflect a more authentic and accurate view of the building’s likely contents and room arrangements.

 

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Council Chamber of the Capitol, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1935. Located on the second floor (West wing) of the reconstructed Capitol building of 1705, the Council Chamber served as place for members of the Governor's Council to meet. The Council consisted of twelve colonists appointed by the King to serve for life in the upper house of Virginia's legislature.    

Interior furnishings and decor reflect curators' views in the 1930s as to how Williamsburg's historic interiors may have looked in the eighteenth century.  Nevertheless, with new research advancements over the years, the interiors of the Capitol have changed to reflect a more authentic and accurate view of the building’s likely contents and room arrangements.

At the time this photo was taken, the portrait of Queen Anne (accession #1935-218) is visible in the background to the left on the wall. A painting of Queen Anne's coat of arms is displayed to the right.

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The Raleigh Tavern opened in 1932 as one of the earliest exhibition buildings at Colonial Williamsburg. One of the rooms open to visitors was the Daphne Room, a private room offered to tavern guests for holding meals and meetings. Interior decor for the Daphne Room consisted of a dining room ensemble, patterned wallpaper, and brocade curtains. Later research led to a reinterpretation of the room with plain painted walls and curtainless windows.

Above the fireplace hangs a painting entitled Imaginary Landscape (accession #1931.101.3), a gift of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller.  In anticipation of guests' needs, a bottle case or cellaret (accession # 1930-58) is pictured to the left of the fireplace. Cellarets functioned as portable wine cellars for holding wine and bottled spirits at mealtimes.  

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The family portrait on the wall, entitled "Family Group With Two Servants," was painted in England in 1790 (accession #1939-290). Under the portrait, two mahogany knife boxes (accession #1930-303, 1) are featured on either end of a sideboard table.

The Raleigh Tavern was the frequent scene of both jollity and consequence. Dinners and dances rivaled in elegance those at the Palace and burgesses reconvened at the tavern when they were dissolved by royal governors prior to the Revolution. Burned to the ground in 1859, it was reconstructed from published illustrations, insurance policies, and archaeology that uncovered most of the original foundations.

Interior furnishings and decor reflect curators' views in the 1930s as to how Williamsburg's historic interiors may have looked in the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, with new research advancements over the years, the Raleigh Tavern's interior furnishings have changed to reflect a more authentic and accurate view of each room's likely contents and arrangements.
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The Raleigh Tavern was the frequent scene of both jollity and consequence. Dinners and dances rivaled in elegance those at the Palace and burgesses reconvened at the tavern when they were dissolved by royal governors prior to the Revolution. Burned to the ground in 1859, the tavern was reconstructed from published illustrations, insurance policies, and archaeology that uncovered most of the original foundations.

In anticipation of guests' needs, a bottle case or cellaret (accession # 1930-58) is featured to the left of the fireplace. Cellarets functioned as portable wine cellars for holding wine and bottled spirits at mealtimes. Above the fireplace hangs a painting entitled Imaginary Landscape (accession #1931.101.3), a gift of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Interior furnishings and decor reflect curators' views in the 1930s as to what Williamsburg's historic interiors may have looked like in the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, with new research findings evolving over the years, the Raleigh Tavern's interior furnishings have changed to reflect a more authentic and accurate view of each room's likely contents and arrangements.
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Detail photo of fireplace in the Great Room of the Market Square Tavern taken by F.S. Lincoln, 1935. The original tavern structure burned down in 1859 but the remains of the original foundations allowed for the restoration of the building to its eighteenth-century appearance. John Dixon constructed the original around 1749 and used it as a combination dwelling and shop. Later additions allowed the building to be converted into a tavern. 

In the 1930s, guests to Colonial Williamsburg could rent rooms in the tavern to experience some colonial ambiance. The Great Room served as a gathering spot for conversations, games, and special occasions. A cozy corner of the room for reading or resting centered around a paneled fireplace. A painting from the collection of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, titled Girl with Dove (accession # 1933.100.3), decorated the wall above the mantel.

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Garr-041 (Inscription)]]>
The caption reads: "Passing seasons bring changing settings in many exhibition areas, as this parlor's Christmas decorations of candied and fresh fruits in English delft containers attest."]]>
chest on chest (accession # 1935-343), made of mahogany and white pine, stands against the wall to the left. Interior furnishings and decor reflect curators' views in the 1930s as to how Williamsburg's historic interiors may have looked in the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, with new research advancements over the years, the interior furnishings of the Governor’s Palace have changed to reflect a more authentic and accurate view of the building’s likely contents and room arrangements.]]> Rights and reproductions]]> Interior of the Dining Room in the Governor's Palace, 1935. The painting on the wall may be a portrait of the young Prince William, Duke of Gloucester (1689-1700), son of the future Queen Anne. (This painting is possibly a former loan to the museum). Among the room's furnishings, a beautiful corner table (accession # 1930-227), made of mahogany, maple, and white pine, stands in the corner.

Interior furnishings and decor reflect curators' views in the 1930s as to how Williamsburg's historic interiors may have looked in the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, with new research advancements over the years, the interiors of the Governor’s Palace have changed to reflect a more authentic and accurate view of the building’s likely contents and room arrangements.

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Interior of the parlor in the Governor's Palace, 1935. The painted portrait above the mantel represents King James I of England (and VI of Scotland). A handsome tilt-top mahogany tea table (accession # 1930-184) stands in the middle of the room, and an elegant card table stands to the left against the wall.

Interior furnishings and decor reflect curators' views in the 1930s as to how Williamsburg's historic interiors may have looked in the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, with the advance of new research findings over the years, the interiors of the Governor’s Palace have changed to reflect a more authentic and accurate view of the building’s likely contents and room arrangements.

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The slide offers a view looking towards the fireplace in the Great Hall. During the colonial era, the room served as a dining area for professors and students to gather for common meals. Members of the House of Burgesses also occasionally met in this room when the Capitol underwent renovations.]]>

The two portraits hanging on the back wall are currently part of the collection of the Muscarelle Museum at the College of William & Mary. For many years, the college loaned the two portraits to Colonial Williamsburg for display in the Capitol. To the left is a portrait of King William III by Sir Peter Lely (formerly loan item L1955-483.) To the right is a portrait of Queen Mary II by Sir Godfrey Kneller (formerly loan item L1954-1069.)]]>
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