A Southern Palace

By Sam Burnham
​@C_SamBurnham

The Governor's Palace

The recent trip to Virginia gave me many ideas for stories to share here. I think there are many ideas that go with our small town theory we've been discussing and we'll get to that soon. But Before we do, I'd like to focus on one of the more beautiful sites I encountered along the way. 

In the South, the great houses are a thing of legend. In all likelihood, this particular home was the first among them. Completed in 1722. the Governor's Palace in Williamsburg served as the the seat of power and the home of the king's designated colonial governor of Virginia. The governor that is discussed the most in the Revolutionary City was the final royal governor, John Murray, fourth Earl of Dunmore typically called Lord Dunmore. 

The original structure was destroyed by fire in 1781, just months after the capital was moved to Richmond. John D. Rockefeller made the commitment to restore the city as a historic landmark and the Governor's Palace was reconstructed using plans discovered at Monticello. Thomas Jefferson had drawn up detailed plans on the structure while planning some renovations during his tenure as governor. While the plans were not used by Jefferson himself, they proved invaluable to the reconstruction effort. 

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The foyer would have been a public space. Anyone have official business involving the colonial government, anything from businesses licenses, issue with deeds, anything that required paperwork or permission, would be handled in the lobby or adjacent parlor by an agent of the governor. This being the case, the foyer was decorated to project power.

The black walnut walls are covered with hundreds of muskets, pistols,  swords, pikes, and the like. The weapons in Lord Dunmore's time would have been used in the French & Indian War and would have been a source of pride to the colonists. These were the weapons that had kept them safe and free. The marble floor is the only one of it's kind in Virginia, if not the American colonies in general. 

The center of the governor's social interactions would be the ballroom. The room displays the portraits of George III, the reigning monarch at the time portrayed, and Charles II who reestablished the monarchy after the rule of Cromwell. Charles II is reported to have affectionately called Virginia his "loyal old dominion" and, the legend continues, the name stuck. 

Should you think the harpsichord provided for music would make for a boring night, the room is equipped with an adjacent powder room,,,for the gentlemen. The powder room was provided for the men to freshen up their powdered wigs. A docent informed me the wigs had to be freshened more or less frequently based on the dancing ability of the gentleman. Good dancers needed more attention more often. And the governor kept three master wig makers on duty to tend to the needs of his guests.  

​A man such as Lord Dunmore would have had many guests and the rich and powerful in Virginia and even beyond would have been entertained in this ballroom. 

The Portrait of Charles II

The Portrait of George III

The Crest of the King Overlooks the Gardens

The Boxwood Maze Makes for a Fun Challenge

As most houses of this prominence, the palace has a compliment of ornamental gardens. Shrubbery, trees, and flowers all combine to make a peaceful respite from the challenges of ruling a colony. Pathways connect the various garden areas. There is a boxwood maze, a bowling green, terraces. All are overlooked by the crest of the king, with his seemingly ubiquitous "Dieu et Mon Droit" the motto translated into English as "God and My Right" referring to the claimed Divine Right of the king to rule. It was this kingly right that enabled the governor himself to preside over Virginia as the king's designee. 

There is no doubt that over the years these gardens would have been visited by Thomas Jefferson, Peyton Randolph, George Wythe, Patrick Henry, and, of course, the seven royal governors of Virginia. 

There is a great view of the maze from the mount, a manmade hill that conceals the old ice vault. The vault stored ice cut from frozen ponds and kept ice available for special treats throughout the summer.

The color in the gardens is beautiful even during the onset of fall. There's a resident cat, "Sir Thomas Grey" who roams the gardens much like his predecessors would have. Among the other life are squirrels and more than a few birds. 

While such rooms and gardens are not practical in most of our homes today, this was not an ordinary home. This is a gem from yet another bygone era. An fitting reproduction of an elegant home of yesteryear and a recommended stop for anyone finding themselves in the area. 

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