Williamsburg - Virginia - History

The City of Williamsburg, formerly known as Middle Plantation, was named in honour of King William III, and home to the College of William and Mary. In 1699, the General Assembly of Virginia established the City of Williamsburg as the colony's capital. In 1722, George I granted a royal charter incorporating the City of Williamsburg after the fashion of the English municipal borough.

During the 1700s, Williamsburg developed into a bustling capital city and played a singularly historic role in events leading to American Independence. Then in 1780, the capital moved to Richmond, and Williamsburg reverted to a quiet college town and rural county seat. In retrospect, Williamsburg's loss of capital city status was its salvation. Many 18th century buildings survived into the early 20th century when John D. Rockefeller Jr. supported a massive restoration effort. City Government was overhauled in 1932 with the adoption of the Council-Manager form of government.

On October 17, 1976, the Coat of Arms was presented to the City. The impressive design reflects the history of the city and and its hope for and commitment to the future. The motto in Latin, translates to: States flourish through virtue and toil.

For 300 Hundred Years Williamsburg has been at the `center' of monumental clashes of minds, ideas, wills and armed warfare.

But it was from the Historic Area of Williamsburg centered around the Duke of Gloucester Street that the ideals about democracy were formulated. The same ideals and ideas that subsequently changed modern history in the `four corners of the earth'.

It was at the Capitol Building that the colonists (and their `legislators' who were permitted to make recommendations to the King) began to understand that they did not have to be ruled by a foreign power but could manage their own country under rules which they themselves developed by community consensus.

The second oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, William & Mary, began the Honour Society that was based on individual Responsibility as well as the Phi Beta Kappa Society which recognized and acknowledged individual Excellence.