West Point Cadets visit from Ft. Eustis; ca. 1942
The Williamsburg Inn, the landmark property conceived and built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. and opened in April 1937, has been the crown jewel of Colonial Williamsburg’s hotels for 75 years.
Generations of guests consider the hotel their beloved “second home,” with time-honored traditions and unchanged style. Hand-plastered ceilings and restored ornamental moldings re-created by master craftsmen from as far away as Vermont reflect the strict adherence to Rockefeller’s vision. Inn guest rooms are spectacularly appointed with the focus on providing the most luxurious guest experience possible.
The Inn’s guest register is sprinkled with the names of royalty, heads of state, military leaders and celebrities from all over the world.
However through World War II, the Williamsburg Inn was reserved for a different clientele.
The Inn was dedicated solely for the use of military officers and their families at special rates — a single room with bath at $2.50 per day and a twin-bedded room with bath for $3.50 per day. “Williamsburg in war time offers exceptional facilities for rest, recreation and inspiration,” Kenneth Chorley, then President of Colonial Williamsburg, said in a June 4, 1942, statement to the press. Colonial Williamsburg offered the Williamsburg Inn accommodations “in accordance with a desire to be of effective service during the war.”
Learn more about the Williamsburg Inn
View more Throwback Thursday posts
[brightcove videoID=3738019619001 playerID=2893748186001 height=315 width=560]
Watch Williamsburg Before and After
