WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — From the heart of the birth of a nation, residents — and the late John D. Rockefeller, Jr. — have joined to show tourist life in the 18th century.
Here, where tobacco, lumber and textiles are principal industries, $70 million has been expended to landmarks.
Once called Middle Plantation, the community of almost 7,000 works daily to promote tourism.
As you enter Williamsburg, you will see two signs along highways: "Colonial Williamsburg" and "Williamsburg."
Colonial Williamsburg is a part of the town, but is as separate as John Brown's Cave to Nebraska City. It is an incorporated industry.
The organization started in 1926 when Mr. Rockefeller sought to revitalize history.
A Board of Trustees — Winthrop Rockefeller is chairman — runs the tourist attraction, which, by the way, draws an estimated one million people each year.
We stopped at Waldorf, Md., for a meal and our daughters wanted to know what was meant by a sign over the door which read, "Whites Only."
It semed strange to them, but they and we acepted it and were enjoying our meal until a family was seated next to us with a dog.
The animal was quickly removed from the dining area.
We are visiting Mr. and Mrs. Ray Carrig here at Williamsburg. Formerly of Columbus, Nebr., the Carrigs and Beaumonts first met umpteen years ago at Alameda, Calif., and then met again at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
After two telephone calls, one to the Carrigs' old address, three to Nebraska and one to Washington, D.C., we finally located them. Many gracious thanks to Rep. Ralph Beermann for his assistance. It turned out our friends had only moved 15 miles from the address we had. My friend, Ray, is in the Navy. He will retire in two years at 36 years of age and at a fat retirement pay.
He'll have it "made" and hopes to return to his old home area with his lovely wife, three daughters and a son, to work in the community and become active just like ole' sea hoss George Rivett.