Historical Research

Bringing the Past to Life

Colonial Williamsburg's historians examine documentary evidence and collaborate with our architectural, archaeological, and trades experts to discover more about the lives of Williamsburg's colonial and Revolutionary residents.

• What Our Historians Do - Historical research begins with documentary evidence. The information we find reveals not only what 18th-century people did, but how they thought and why they made the choices they did. This material shapes our depictions of the Revolutionary City and other projects that educate the broader public.
• The Development of Historical Research at Colonial Williamsburg - The work of historians has gone hand-in-hand with that of archaeologists and architectural historians since Colonial Williamsburg was founded. Historical research has allowed us to populate the Revolutionary City and suggest what life was like for those who lived here.

Learn more:

• The Revolutionary City: visit 18th-century Williamsburg and meet its people
• The American Revolution: causes and consequences of the American Revolution