Governor’s Palace, before and after
Reconstruction of the Governor’s Palace began in 1930, according to “Williamsburg Before and After,” a book published by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 1988. The Matthew Whaley School, at the head of the Palace green, had to be demolished so that the palace could be reconstructed on its original foundation.
During excavations, the walls of the original basement of the palace — constructed in the early 1700s — were found intact. Also remarkably preserved were the kitchen, stables, garden walks and a Revolutionary War cemetery.
The palace had been extensively remodeled and enlarged in the 1750s, with the addition of a ballroom and supper room.
“Research was aided in particular by the measured floor plan drawn by [Thomas] Jefferson,” according to the book, “along with information in colonial records and such graphic sources as the Frenchman’s Map and the Bodleian Plate.”
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[brightcove videoID=3738019619001 playerID=2893748186001 height=315 width=560]
Watch Williamsburg Before and After
Much of the Palace reconstruction was done before the demolition of the school. As you can tell from the picture, the two buildings were pretty close to each other. The new Matthew Whaley School was built between 1929 and 1930, paving the way for the old building to be knocked down in 1933.
The building coming down in the foreground was Williamsburg High School, which was only built in the early 1920s. The back wall of the Mattey School (built ca. 1870) sat right on top of the Palace foundation’s front wall…and so that school had to come down in July of 1930, before excavation was complete. If anyone is interested in the excavation of the Palace site (and lots of pictures!) there is an article in this quarter’s online journal “Popular Archaeology.” You need to register, but the subscription is free.
I’m a little puzzled by the black and white photo. The top of the reconstructed Governor’s Palace (cupola, chimneys and roofline) seems to be visible behind the partially-demolished school. Did the school possibly extend a bit south of the Palace site, so that the reconstruction was done before at least the last part of the school demolition?
Amazing that so much was found intact.
Are there any photos of the original basements taken during excavations?
Jane Elizabeth says
We have just posted a photo. Thank you for your suggestion!