My First Pillory

Colonial Williamsburg, April 2004: My first experience with the famous tourist shot people get when they walk by the Old Courthouse. I haven't begun my hobby as a historic re-enactor yet. I'm getting there, though.

I remember going to Williamsburg that year on a whim. I was re-tracing some family vacations I enjoyed, just to go back and experience a piece of them again. The previous year took me back to Disney World in Florida. Now I was visiting the historic triangle.

Photos from my past and the tales they tell.

Something about that trip spoke to your servant deeply, even though the start didn't look promising. When I arrived on a Saturday night, the hotel was half-empty. The vibe of the place felt dead. But that was until I discovered Chowning's tavern (which is pronounced "CHEW-nings") and a pint of authentic Williamsburg beer with a newly-made drinking friend. I was glad I was walking back to the hotel. I was glad I was walking, period.

The best vacations are the ones you experience on a deeper level. Over the next few days I would get a hint of what my next few years of re-enacting life would be like as I toured the historic town, learned about the colonial militia and George Washington's soldiers, got more than a taste of what early American life was like -- and learned how to dance like a patriot. That tricorn was the only piece of historic garb I had to wear. For then, it was enough -- until it wasn't.

Eventually came a point where I wanted to live history, not just learn it. Less than two years later, I would meet up with We Make History in Phoenix, and the journey began in earnest. I would return to Williamsburg in 2008, this time in full Continental Army uniform. And I had to get another Pillory Shot....