W.A.R. Goodwin and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. stand in back of the George Wythe House prior to the Williamsburg’s restoration.
In Colonial Williamsburg’s Goodwin Building, there’s a little booth lined with soundproof tiles next to a Foundation board room.
The booth, as it looks today. It’s cozy — there’s really only room for one person.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who funded the restoration of the colonial capital, used the room to conduct stock trades during the 1930s and 1940s.
As Colonial Williamsburg President Mitchell Reiss recently told Forbes magazine, the room harkens back to another time-during America’s fight for independence-when secrecy and discretion were priceless commodities.
“Mr. Rockefeller, our benefactor, was a thoroughly modern man. He had the ability to move markets and he understood the need to act with extreme care,” Reiss told the magazine. “This little room is a testament to that discretion.”
And, as Reiss tells Forbes, there ‘s more to discover. Read the article to learn more.
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