Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

The following records (given chronologically) describing Palace Green and Palace Street seem to offer more evidence for the central portion of this two hundred and ten foot area being an unbroken green than for it being a third avenue by which traffic approached the Palace.

On the basis of the majority of these records it seems to the Research Department that if ever there was a road up the center of the Green it disappeared before the end of the 18th century. It certainly never was there in the 19th century. The market, the court house, and the early churchyard were all surrounded by greens; doubtless there was foot traffic across all of them, and doubtless people also rode horses or may have driven vehicles over them occasionally. However., unless all the greens were cut up with defined roads and- paths--definitely laid out and definitely kept in repair---there would seem to us no justification for selecting the Palace Green for such treatment in the face of the following evidence, which exhausts all descriptions of the Palace Green in our files.

By consulting these extracts, I think you will find as follows:—

That numbers 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 13, and 15, seem to show that the word "Green" was interchangeable with the word "street" and "avenue". This would indicate that when they used the word "street" or '"avenue'* (or "court" as they do in #13) they (particularly #6) mean an open space which could be called a "mall" rather than a definite roadway.

That numbers 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 all seem to indicate in varying degrees and for various reasons that the surface of the middle part of the green was unbroken, or at least not broken to the extent that continued traffic would break it into i.e. ruts or wheel tracks that would show. Numbers 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 seem to be quite specific on this point.

That number 4 shows that there was a marl pit handy—and habitually used—for repairing the Palace walks. Had there been a road down the middle of the Green it undoubtedly would have needed repairs. In this case marl. from the nearby marl pit would have been the logical material. In this case several trenches cut across the Green would show this marl on this center axis. If no such mail is found I should believe that there had been no roadway here.

Finally that there are three allusions to the area as a street, two to it as an avenue, five to it as a green, two to it as a square, and one to it as a lawn. Roughly eight to five as green vs. street.

Palace Green

• (1)

  Jones, Hugh
  Present State of Virginia (Pub. London: 1724)"From the Church runs a Street Northward called Palace Street at the other end of which stands the Palace or Governor's House, a magnificent structure." …

• (2)

  Executive Journals of the Council. 1721-1739.1737- "That there be paid to *. Philip French the Sum of ten pounds for laying and planting the Avenue to the Governor's House."(Palace Book — page 125.)

• (3)

  Virginia Gazette — Wm. Hunter, Ed.
  Nov. 17, 1752."… anniversary of his Majesty's Birth Day, in the Evening the whole City was illuminated … several beautiful fireworks were exhibited in Palace Street by Mr. Hallam…"

• (4)

  Feilde, F. Letter to Dr. McKenzie — 1771
  Mss. [describing marl pits.]"The above are all fossile collected by myself, all or most of them out of the Governor's Park in Williamsburg … In the Governor's Park a Pit is opened purposely for getting this matter which is used for making Walks instead of gravel…

• (5)Lewis, General Andrew— Orderly Book, April 8, 1776.

  "Every Corps not on duty or Fatigue to be under arms tomorrow on the Green before the Palace…"

• (6)1779. [Note on drawing by Jefferson of Governor's House. 1779]

  "Palace street is 200 f. wide. The rows of Trees 100 f. apart, ranging with inner fronts of offices. The windows above stairs 2 f. 3 i. from the floor, below 2 f. 9 i. The oval grass plot is 47 ½ f. long and 33 f. wide."(Palace Book page 273.)

• (7)

  Preudhomme de Borre. Journal — Nov, to Dec. 1781."Toward the Center of the city (and about the height of the second street), is the Governor's Palace very well built, very spacious, with a big lawn extending to the second street which forms a pretty avenue…"

• (8)Lauberdiere, General de— Journal. July 1782.

  "The Governor of Virginia also had in Williamsburg a very fine Palace, built at the extremity of a handsome street planted with catalpas, which joined the main street perpendicularly…"

• (9)

  Winterbotham, W. A History of the American U. S. (Pub. N. Y. 1796.)"Near the center of the town there is a pleasant square of about ten acres, which is generally covered with a delightful verdure, not far from this at the extremity of a small plain stretching to the north stood the Governor's House or palace…"

• (10)

  Maxwell, W. Letters from Virginia. (Pub. Baltimore, 1816.)"As to the public buildings, the palace, or residence of the royal governor which formerly stood on a handsome green or place is burnt down…"

• (11)

  Martin, Joseph "A New and Comprehensive Gazetteer of Virginia". (Pub. Charlottesville: 1835)"There is also a beautiful green square fronting the Old Palace which was formerly the residence of the Colonial Governor."

• (12)

  Vandegrift, Mrs. Martha. Williamsburg in 1848.Question: "How were the roads in Williamsburg? Was there a road down the middle of Palace Green?
  Answer: "No, roads were on the sides. There was never one down the middle. There was no road across the Court Green."

• (13)

  Lossing, Benson, "Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution." (Pub. N. Y.: 1855.)"A little eastward of Palace Street, or Coat, is the public square…"

• (14)

  Charles, John S. "Recollections of Williamsburg in 1865.""The Palace Green had then somewhat its present appearance. There was nothing to obstruct the view of the old Palace grounds…The only other house in this block facing the Palace Green was…"

• (15)

  Lee, Mrs. Victoria. Memoirs."The George Wythe House facing Palace Green…"