Does your state have an equivalent to Colonial Williamsburg?

When I was a kid, we went to a place called Champoeg Park where we spent the day as pioneer children. Did the schoolhouse thing and everything. That’s the closest thing we have, I think.

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1201_alarm@reddit

We also have Fort Clatsop up in Astoria. That was where Lewis and Clark spent the winter before they went back to St Louis.

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cowgrly@reddit

Same here in WA, we went to some "Pioneer Farm" but nothing colonial because that's not historically relevant for our area.

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PlainTrain@reddit

I looked that place up recently in Google Maps and was startled to realize that the place is basically surrounded by suburbia now. Much different from the 70s.

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The-disgracist@reddit

Couldn’t remember the name for the life of me

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Prinessbeca@reddit

Spring Mill does (or used to do, in my 1980s childhood) some cool reenactment things at times. I learned about carding and spinning wool there and saw blacksmiths and candle makers.

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The-disgracist@reddit

Oh ya! I remember them running the mill for us

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nomadschomad@reddit

Person that comes to mind in my current state of Texas would be the Alamo.

In the native California, ones, I’ve actually been to:

- La Purisima mission: pretty much all missions are measured state historic sites with rangers, docents and many are active churches. But this one stands out for having costumed reenactors going about the agricultural/craft/Homestead chores of the mission and offering demonstrations which you can participate in

-for Tom, places are around the country, does regular Civil War reenactments

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Kaurifish@reddit

Yup, in California we send our kids on field trips to the missions and pretend very hard they weren’t death camps.

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rylnalyevo@reddit

I think Washington on the Brazos SP is probably closer to what OP is talking about.

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Big_Aloysius@reddit

California has Columbia.

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kbmoregirl@reddit

Maryland has Historic St. Mary's City, but it's small

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JimDixon@reddit

Not my state but—

Fort William Historical Park, in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Canada.

It’s a reconstruction—and a very accurate one—of an actual fur trading post from 1815. And it’s HUGE—much bigger than I expected a fur trading post to be. Lots of reenactors.

From Duluth, Minnesota, its about 150 miles along a scenic route that follows the shore of Lake Superior to the Canadian border, and then about 35 miles further into Canada.

I went there for the first time last September. You should go in summer: that is, June, July, or August. I was a little outside the main tourist season, therefore they had minimal staff and a lot of the buildings were closed, but what I saw was impressive.

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Duque_de_Osuna@reddit

Parts of Philadelphia.

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IrritatedMouse@reddit

It was interesting in Philadelphia last year when I went. I’d be walking and all of a sudden graves from the Revolution era with super thin, warped headstones. The city really just grew up around its history.

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Duque_de_Osuna@reddit

It did. If you went to independence hall you would have seen these huge buildings around a few older ones that had been there for 250 years and when they were built were the center of the entire colony.

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spring13@reddit

NY has Genesee Country Village upstate, Historic Richmond Town in Staten Island, Museum Village in Rockland county, and the Tenement Museum in Manhattan (smaller but unique and really worth a visit).

NJ has a bunch of small living history museums but they're more like local historical sites, not on the immersive level of a whole village.

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AncientFloor5924@reddit

Oklahoma has Pawnee Bill’s but the reenactment is for only one weekend in June. https://www.okhistory.org/sites/pawneebill

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Catrina_woman@reddit

California’s missions.

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theniwokesoftly@reddit

Colonial Williamsburg 😅

Also Mount Vernon.

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urnbabyurn@reddit

Why would someone want to live at the Department of Motor Vehicles?

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krendyB@reddit

I guess they edited it out of their comment but DMV is DC/Maryland/Virginia. I lived there for years & I still read it as Division of Motor Vehicles first, every time. 😂

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theniwokesoftly@reddit

I never had DMV in my comment.

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urnbabyurn@reddit

I know. I was kidding. Kinda funny that Maryland doesn’t even have a DMV. It’s the MVA.

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metrawhat@reddit

Avoids confusion

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AncientFloor5924@reddit

New Mexico has Taos Pueblo https://taospueblo.com/visiting-taos-pueblo/

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gabrielsburg@reddit

There is also Las Golondrinas.

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AncientFloor5924@reddit

I didn’t know about this one, it’s on my list now. https://golondrinas.org/

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gabrielsburg@reddit

Yeah and there are other pueblos you can visit like Acoma.

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RiverRedhead@reddit (OP)

Very cool to see an indigenous managed site. Is it popular in NM?

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PitchSavings2060@reddit

Northeast Ohio; Hale Farm and Village.

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Outrageous-Pin-4664@reddit

St Augustine, maybe?

I've never been to Colonial Williamsburg, so I don't know how it compares. St Augustine has its old town area that has a mix of historic buildings with reenactors and more touristy venues. There's also the fort, Castillo de San Marcos, which has reenactors and regular events.

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Bigbadbrindledog@reddit

That was my answer too, I haven't been to St Augustine in years but Williamsburg is definitely more immersive

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BoomerSooner-SEC@reddit

Colonial Williamsburg is essentially a largely reconstructed revolutionary village. There are actual restored 18th century buildings but the majority are rebuilt or reconstructed based on historical/archeological evidence.

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FLHobbit@reddit

I agree. My favorite city.

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UncleOdious@reddit

Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI.

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musical_dragon_cat@reddit

Las Golondrinas, just outside of Santa Fe. This one's cool because it's based on Spanish colonials and discusses stuff like how New Mexican food became so calorie dense and how tin was a precious resource.

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notaskindoctor@reddit

Never heard of it. Midwest.

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DOMSdeluise@reddit

seriously...?

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notaskindoctor@reddit

Very serious. Why would I know about some random attraction in another state?

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Nexant@reddit

I'm in the deep south and I learned about Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg in my US History class. Along with the other old one St Augustine, Boston, Philly, New Amsterdam/York.

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notaskindoctor@reddit

I did not. I’m in my 40s, grew up in the Midwest and think I also still have no use for this information about a checks notes living history museum.

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herehaveaname2@reddit

I can understand not hearing of it, but I can't understand writing it off immediately. It's a living history museum of the country you live in and the people of the time - Washington, Jefferson, Monroe, etc.

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notaskindoctor@reddit

It sounds boring to me and I could not care less about what was going on in the 1700s. If you are from the east coast or have had family here since the founding days, your experience as an American is probably pretty different than those of us whose families came here and to the midwest in the early 1900s.

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dr_stre@reddit

I think it’s worth parsing the difference between historical Williamsburg and present day “Colonial Williamsburg”. We learned history, including that of all of the places you mentioned. I’d bet the other midwestern commenter actually did as well, despite her protestations. But at no point in time was it ever mentioned that there’s a “living history museum” in one of these places, because that information is completely irrelevant to a high schooler who lives 1000 miles away or whatever it is. It’s like asking if you know that the California Living History museum exists? No? Well how is it possible that you not know this when people in California all know this!? Or, I didn’t think it was possible that someone wouldn’t know about “Old World Wisconsin”! Why would anyone share that information with you, a resident of Louisiana?

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DOMSdeluise@reddit

I learned about Colonial Williamsburg in elementary school lol, it's one of the oldest settled (by English colonists anyway) areas in the country. living history museum. it's famous.

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notaskindoctor@reddit

I certainly did not ever learn about this and am in my 40s. It also sounds boring.

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DOMSdeluise@reddit

one of those things I didn't know it was possible not to know

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notaskindoctor@reddit

Having had children go to school in Texas for a short time, I think you have a lot more history education than in other parts of the US, for better or worse (often worse depending on the textbook used).

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dr_stre@reddit

Seriously.

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notaskindoctor@reddit

Imagine posting “does your state have an equivalent to Ole and Lena?” and thinking everyone knows what you’re talking about.

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onegirlarmy1899@reddit

New Salem, IL, has a living history museum.

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DrywallAnchor@reddit

And Pella, Iowa has a historical village.

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OldPolishProverb@reddit

How about the Amish town of Shipshewana Indiana or The Amish Village in Lancaster Pennsylvania count?

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notaskindoctor@reddit

Since when is Pennsylvania the Midwest?

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notaskindoctor@reddit

After googling, I think anything we’d have in the Midwest is likely quite different since most of our states weren’t a thing until much later.

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TheFoolTruffaldino@reddit

Historic St. Mary’s City! Marylands first capital and settlement!

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General_Ad_6617@reddit

Not really that I know about.

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GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit

Mackinac Island.

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Hoopajoops@reddit

The pronunciation of Mackinac still gets me. Same with Sault Ste Marie

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Wessssss21@reddit

Once you learn what names have french origin pronouncations make more sense.

Like a simplified rule for French is to not make the sound of the last letter of the word.

So Mackinac becomes Mackina(h)

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Hoopajoops@reddit

Yeah. I have just lived in areas that really don't have many French names. Except the Teton mountain range.

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hiketheworld2@reddit

Greenfield Village

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Yggdrasil-@reddit

Also Frankenmuth sorta

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GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit

Also that. Yes.

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Voodoo330@reddit

Fort Michilimackinac was the colonial trading post fort on the mainland during the 1700s. It was overtaken by the Ojibwe and most of the British inhabitants were killed. The British regained control and it was intentionally abandoned and burned when the more secure limestone fort was built on Mackinac Island. There is a replica of the original fort that does tours.

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Background-Slide-545@reddit

Colonial Michilimackinac on the LP mainland also fits this description

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shammy_dammy@reddit

Pendarvis, Mineral Point Wisconsin.

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embarrassedalien@reddit

Old Alabama Town in Montgomery

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ShoddyCobbler@reddit

Yeah it's called Colonial Williamsburg

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The_Lawn_Ninja@reddit

Pennsylvania has a bunch of places like this. We even have an entire centuries-old subculture who still live largely the same lifestyle as people in the colonial era.

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allflanneleverything@reddit

Finally went to Lancaster county for the first time last year. It’s amazing

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Pretty_Little_Mind@reddit

Considering a trip here this summer - any tips?

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q0vneob@reddit

Theres a scooter tour in Strasburg thats pretty fun, especially for kids. You stop at a couple farms and shops to get snacks and stuff.

Lititz has a nice main street with some interesting stores and a few bars/restaurants.

If you want a fancy dinner The Log Cabin in Leola is really nice. Bunch of different themed rooms and they sometimes have live music in the lounge.

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TranslatorBoring2419@reddit

We also have actual one that was used in a movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eckley_Miners%27_Village

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streetcar-cin@reddit

Amish live 19th century lifestyle not earlier

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kodex1717@reddit

I think you are seriously overestimating the amount of technological innovation that happened between the 19th century and 1000 BC...

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mtcwby@reddit

Just had a conversation with my 88 year old mom. They didn't have indoor plumbing at the house they lived in until she was ten. And that only happened because her dad parents saved enough money to build on additions to make it more than a single room.

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streetcar-cin@reddit

You are underestimating the technology of early 1800, industrial revolution in full swing. Amish near me live similar to start of 20th century

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Meowmeowmeow31@reddit

And even then, almost all orders use washing machines.

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TomorrowAble979@reddit

Several spots in Old City Philadelphia, especially Betsy Ross House Do colonial recreations. For a farm equivalent, you can tour Landis Valley Village and Farm in Lancaster.

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ForbiddenButtStuff@reddit

We have multiple! Amish, Mennonite, and until recently the Monastic Cloister in Ephrata. I believe the last members of that group died within the last 20 years and the entire property is now a museum run by the state

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RubiksCub3d@reddit

Same with Ohio!

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Hoopajoops@reddit

NM. Closest thing we have is Roswell with all of their 1950s alien shit. Not really a museum, though. Just a tourist trap with little green people

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Prinessbeca@reddit

Your state literally has ancient cliff dwellings what the actual heck! You have way more history, pre-colonial! Bandalier is circa 1150 ad!!! Pesos Pueblo is 600-1600 ad! Taos Pueblo! Petroglyphs!

You have UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU MY KIND SIR HAVE SOME STATE PRIDE PLEASE NEW MEXICO IS AMAZING!

I also love Roswell. I'm big on kitzch, though I can't spell it. And sledding in White Sands is great fun. But daaaang.

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Hoopajoops@reddit

Well yeah! But the ancient cliff dwellings don't have people walking around pretending to be the ancient people that built those dwellings! That would be.. controversial. Although if they had people dressed as dinosaurs pretending to be the ones who made the footprints in the mud 200 million years ago that would be kinda fun

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TranslatorBoring2419@reddit

Pennsylvania has Eckley miner's village

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therealdrewder@reddit

Yes, it's called Colonial Williamsburg

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MyUsername2459@reddit

The closest would be Fort Boonesborough, a colonial era fort that was rebuilt and is a state park where there are reenactments occasionally.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

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pjnlove@reddit

I used to live in MT, which I would say is Virginia City. Now I’m in PA, which could be Gettysburg

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caserock@reddit

Yes, it's called "Jamestown," and it's actually just a few miles from Colonial Williamsburg

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seidinove@reddit

Yeah, they’re so close to each other that in my mind they’re one big historic site.

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RiverRedhead@reddit (OP)

I recently did the three; Jamestown and Yorktown are managed by the same foundation, Williamsburg has its own. Even though chronologically Williamsburg is much closer to Yorktown, the presentation style at J and Y made them feel much more a set.

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tkdxe@reddit

Did you visit the Settlement or the Island? The Island is where all the historic stuff is

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caserock@reddit

Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown form what's called "The Historic Triangle" because they're all close to each other. There are several tours that all three with various amounts of time spent!

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LeMeowLePurrr@reddit

Hollywood

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superkt3@reddit

Massachusetts, so yes, basically the whole thing.

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Ok_Mention143@reddit

I've never been so quickly convinced to move to a state.

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splubby_apricorn@reddit

If I had to choose something as a Williamsburg equivalent, I’d probably say Plimoth Plantation or Old Sturbridge Village. But yeah take a ride through most roads around here and you’ll see colonial stuff lol

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CurrencyCapital8882@reddit

Don’t forget the west. Old Deerfield in Deerfield. Hancock Shaker Village near Pittsfield.

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beek7425@reddit

Yup. Salem too, in its own niche.

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la-anah@reddit

Salem Pioneer Village has... sporadic hours. Unless they are having a special event, it doesn't get many visitors. It is scheduled to be moved and rebuilt by the Willows (the area it will be moved to is currently getting cleared), so it might get more popular then.

Is it the first living history museum in the US? Purportedly, yes. Is is the best? Oh heck no.

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beek7425@reddit

I’m talking about the town of Salem as a whole, not just one village or museum. It’s not the same as plimoth or Sturbridge but as a historical place for people who are interested in the witch trials, it’s unparalleled historically. But specifically for people interested in those trials and that era, which is why I said it was niche.

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Bahnrokt-AK@reddit

100%, I was thinking Salem.

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allflanneleverything@reddit

It’s not just “where is there old stuff” though, it’s “where is there a town that’s designed to be preserved in the past.”

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LABELyourPHOTOS@reddit

We have about 20 place like that. None quite as commercial as Colonial WIlliamsburg though. Majority of their buildings are reconstructions.

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splubby_apricorn@reddit

Plimoth Plantation and Old Sturbridge Village fit this.

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allflanneleverything@reddit

Then that’s the answer lol

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superkt3@reddit

Yes, and we have them all over the place. Parts of Salem, Ma, Lexington, Concord, Plimouth Plantation, Old Sturbridge Village, many many Shaker Villages, Newburyport is largely not modernized, and that's just what I can come up with off the top of my head, mostly along the coast. The further from Boston you get, the more there are.

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twowrist@reddit

I’d say the Town of Concord, especially around the Minuteman National Historical Park, simply because it matches the era of Colonial Williamsburg, even though it’s not nearly as large as the other attractions. It’s not a single entity like Colonial Williamsburg, but there are a number of historical homes in Concord, both 18th and 19th centuries, that can be toured.

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baddspellar@reddit

Same. Williamsburg is decidedly touristy, as are both Plimouth Plantation and Old Sturbridge Village.

I live close to Battle Road, and there are private homes in my town and all neighboring towns that predate the American Revolution, including the home of the officer who led the initial charge at the Battle of Concord. These are decidedly not touristy.

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CarmelaSopranoNo1fan@reddit

Hancock Shaker Village has to be on this list, too, right?

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RiverRedhead@reddit (OP)

I recently got an ad for the OSV (probably because I had visited / had been researching CW) and that's what sparked the question!

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peerdata@reddit

For living history museum specifically we have old Sturbridge village

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superkt3@reddit

And Plimouth Plantation for those of us who are on the coast, but in general, there are so many towns that still feel colonial, especially as you get further from Boston.

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fried_clams@reddit

Now named the "Plimoth Patuxet Museums".

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Leelze@reddit

The standard elementary school field trip experience in Massachusetts lol

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beek7425@reddit

Yup. Salem too, in its own niche.

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CaptainHunt@reddit

In Oregon we have Fort Clatsop, a replica of the fort where the Lewis and Clark expedition spent the winter of 1805 when they reached the Pacific coast. They host tours of the fort and various demonstrations of what the Expedition would have been like.

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Prinessbeca@reddit

Colonial era, of course not, because we weren't part of the 🎵 thirteen original col-o-nies 🎵

But historically preserved or recreated villages? Yes.

I almost said no, because I was sitting in Nebraska reading it. They have Harold Warp's Pioneer Village, and it has a little walk-through village with reinactors during the busy season, but mostly it's a giant museum across many acres.

Then I remembered I live in Iowa now!

Iowa has the Amana Colonies. They're not Amish, they were communal living folks.

Iowa also has Living History Farms, in Des Moines. It's purpose built for education, not a preserved actual village.

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ThrowRA-Old-Earth-76@reddit

Kansas has Dodge city

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Frenchitwist@reddit

Columbia, CA has a section that has been reverted back to its gold-mining days, but it’s not a living museum like Williamsburg.

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RsonW@reddit

Coloma is more of a living museum.

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ismellbacon@reddit

I was thinking this or Fort Ross near Jenner, CA

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DrywallAnchor@reddit

Old Salem

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VictorianPeorian@reddit

Lol I came here to say New Salem.

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Yggdrasil-@reddit

Illinois has Cahokia Mounds. The OG

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thewayshesaidLA@reddit

That was a 3rd or 4th grade field trip for me.

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Xyzzydude@reddit

Beat me to it

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Senior-Tip-21@reddit

History New Bern.

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JohnFlip@reddit

New Jersey we have Batso village.

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mtcwby@reddit

We have Columbia in California as the one that comes to mind and I'd guess that are others. Different era but similar idea, just not as well executed.

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OtherCommission8227@reddit

Living History Farms in Iowa

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CurrencyCapital8882@reddit

Massachusetts, so yes.

Olde Plymouth Plantation

Old Sturbridge Village

Hancock Shaker Village

old Deerfield Village

Lexington green

Concord and the Concord battle site

Salem

And so much more

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AresValerous@reddit

In Washington State, Tacoma specifically, we have Fort Nisqually (https://www.parkstacoma.gov/place/fort-nisqually-living-history-museum/) which is fun.

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actuarius81@reddit

St. Mary’s City, MD

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Bookishly_o_O@reddit

On a smaller scale, but Kentucky has the Homeplace Working Farm and Living History Museum in the Land Between the Lakes Nat’l Recreation area, and also Boonesborough State Park (sometimes they have re-enactments but also an interesting walk-through). Oh, and Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.

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No-Celebration6014@reddit

Beverly Hills, CA is a living museum of the 1980s

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Prinessbeca@reddit

Top comment 🏆🏅🎖🥇🥈🥉

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Responsible-Chest-26@reddit

Mystic Sea port. 19th century shipyard and whaling port village that has several old restored ships such as 19th century whaling vessel and even a reproduction Amistad. They are currently in the middle of a complete restorarion of a 1921 schooner right down to the ribs that you can walk through and see the progress.

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Important-Trifle-411@reddit

Yes, at least two. Plymouth Pawtuxet Museam (formerly Plimoth Plantation)
And Old Sturbridge village

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Prinessbeca@reddit

Didn't know it was renamed, I love that!

My history club from Nebraska visited during a Boston trip in 2000. Great place! (Though being 18 I did enjoy the Old Port Festival in Portland, ME quite a bit also, along with our day in Provincetown, and everything we saw in Boston itself!)

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ilPrezidente@reddit

Genesee Country Village in western NY

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iowanaquarist@reddit

What is Colonial Williamsburg? Is that similar to a Living History Farm?

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Narrow-Psychology909@reddit

For Maryland, Historic London Town and Gardens in Edgewater and historic St. Mary’s City are pre-1776 in the United States.

There are a couple of others scattered around the state like Jerusalem Mill NE of Baltimore, but they are post revolutionary war. I think there’s a plantation life one that follows Harriet Tubman in Montgomery county and a seafaring one near Annapolis that are mid-1800’s.

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NatsFan8447@reddit

Annapolis, Maryland. very historic capital city of Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. Colonial Williamsburg is wonderful, but most of it is a 20th century recreation of the old capital of Virginia. Annapolis has many original 18th century buildings and the Capitol Building is the oldest active capitol in the US.

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BigDamBeavers@reddit

Not quite the same thing, but we have a few living history museums, most set around settlers in our State. They're just smaller, less theatrical presentations.

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No_Profession1935@reddit

Bannack Ghost Town? Maybe? It was our territorial capital

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Vorpal_Bunny19@reddit

We have the Genesee Country Village and Museum here in Western NY. I grew up going to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown (grew up in the area, s/o Newport News!), and GCV scratches a similar itch. They do some War of 1812 reenactments there, in addition to showing what every day life was like.

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caffeineaddict03@reddit

MD here. I guess Annapolis or St Mary's City. Obviously it was colonized about the same time.

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Utterlybored@reddit

Roanoke Island, aka “The Lost Colony.”

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SenseNo635@reddit

We have Ft. McHenry and Antietam. Some other minor civil war battlefields, but Antietam is obviously the big one.

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breaker_bad@reddit

Jonesborough is the oldest town in Tennessee and its history brings in some tourism for the Storytelling Festival and similar things

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Der_Blaue_Engel@reddit

I think Tennessee’s equivalent is Dollywood.

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Saurrow@reddit

Dollywood is a theme park, not a historical town.

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breaker_bad@reddit

See I figured we were discussing the historical significance of Williamsburg, not the entertainment side. But hey Dolly is also quite the historical figure around here!

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SmokedPumpkin@reddit

Santa Fe. Also Old Mesilla, and Old Town Albuquerque, etc. New Mexicans mostly don’t like change, so a lot of our downtown plazas and small towns are fairly unchanged from centuries ago. There’s some badass old western or adobe hotels you can stay in, too. You can also make your own Billy the Kid trail and see a lot of stuff that way.

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Ana_Na_Moose@reddit

In the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania, we have the French Azilum, where French nobility sought asylum in the US following the French Revolution. Supposedly Marie Antoinette was thinking about resetting here.

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Mistletokes@reddit

Plimoth Plantation

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Itsworth-gold4tome@reddit

Yes. Gettysburg and Strasburg

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Familiar-Ad-1965@reddit

St Augustine

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msflagship@reddit

Yes

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AdamOnFirst@reddit

Well if you’re not on the east coast you don’t have anything nearly as old. Closest we have in MN is probably Fort Snelling, a fort built on a trading post site in 1825. It has a visitors center and they do a little bit of historical reenactment type stuff.

The shorter answer, though, is no, nothing to remotely that extent.

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TheTaoThatIsSpoken@reddit

Columbia state park which is kept like a gold rush mining town.

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Slab8002@reddit

Tryon Palace in New Bern. Much smaller, but downtown New Bern is kind of nice just in and of itself.

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Blahkbustuh@reddit

Wisconsin has Old World Wisconsin, they relocated log cabins and various old buildings from across the state to a park.

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montrevux@reddit

savannah, i guess.

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ticklethycatastrophe@reddit

Georgia has a colonial-era living history village. It’s called Westville near Columbus. I haven’t been since elementary school in the 90s, but a cursory glance at Google shows it’s still operating.

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_banana_phone@reddit

I’d say Helen with its Bavarian town for a themed town experience, but for legit historical homes, I agree with you on Savannah.

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JimBeam823@reddit

Helen is a tourist trap.

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SayethWeAll@reddit

Kentucky has Fort Boonesboro State Park and Shaker Village.

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bradmajors69@reddit

Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village

Formerly known as the Agirama.

It's tiny compared to Colonial Williamsburg but if you're in the area and jonesing for a taste of costumed living history, you can get a fix there.

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Bahnrokt-AK@reddit

In NY, not really. We have lots of historic sites and well preserved old buildings. Saratoga Battle Field, Fort Niagara, Fort Ticonderoga. The farmers museum in Cooperstown is excellent. Old mansions on the Hudson such as Boscobel, Lyndhurst, Vanderbilt, etc.

But it’s spread out and not centralized the way Williamsburg is that makes it a destination for tourism. NYs historic attractions are largely stuff you do while in the area. Not things you travel specifically to see.

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Travelingman0@reddit

Genesee Country Village

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boomzgoesthedynamite@reddit

You missed Historical Richmondtown, which fits this bill on a smaller scale.

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Bahnrokt-AK@reddit

I missed a lot of places. But I think my point stands. You don’t need more than a day to take in everything Richmondtown or other NY attractions. Where as Williamsburg has a lot more to offer.

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BigRedBK@reddit

This was my first thought too. But yeah, it’s 30 buildings instead of 600.

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yellowdaisycoffee@reddit

I'm from Virginia, so that's it right there. Jamestown is also neat.

I wish I could live in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg, frankly. (I know employees can live there, but I am not an employee, lol).

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ratrodder49@reddit

Fort Scott, Kansas

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RikkiLostMyNumber@reddit

We have actual neighborhoods dating to the 18th century, and some houses that are even older. New England is an old place by New World standards.

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Ok-Concert-6475@reddit

I live on the West coast, and we don't have anything like that around here.

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Lance-Boyle-666@reddit

Maybe Leavenworth with its German theme?

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Ok-Concert-6475@reddit

While Leavenworth has the Bavarian theme, I wouldn't say thats its trying to recreate what life in Germany was like 150 years ago.

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ScatterTheReeds@reddit

I think this would count as one.

https://www.heritagesquare.org/about

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YeshuaSnow@reddit

Old Town in San Diego is kind of like it, just smaller

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metrawhat@reddit

St Mary's City was the first capital of Maryland, founded in 1634. There's several preserved structures and reenactments for visitors to see.

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Legitimate-Height574@reddit

We have a Fort.

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famousanonamos@reddit

We have things like old mining towns (Coloma is a popular one) and Spanish missions that are preserved or reconstructed for tourism and educational purposes. I don't know much about Williamsburg, but Sutter's Fort in Sacramento might be more like what you mean.

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blondechick80@reddit

Historic Deerfield, Plimouth Plantation, Old Sturbridge Village

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BelligerentWyvern@reddit

In Pennsylvania we have a few that are super preserved and some that are a little more touristy but still historical.

The biggest one is probably Gettysburg, where almost all of the battlefields is now a giant walkable museum and monumental valley, there are some old buildings in town from the era too but it is a normal functioning town too.

Colonial Germantown is pretty preserved. Jim Thorpe is touristy. York City has a historical quarter. Doylestown is well preserved and is a hub for classical mechanic arts like tile making etc. Lititz is a historical town like Gettysburg but without the giant battlefield museum.

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bmiller218@reddit

In eastern ND, there's Bonanzaville which has late 1800's early 1900's stuff. I don't think there's cosplay, and if there is it's for events.

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Forsaken_Election708@reddit

There’s also Medora, Ft. Abraham Lincoln and Ft. Union. Medora doesn’t have the level of cosplay as Colonial Williamsburg though.

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ScienceJamie76@reddit

Old Town in San Diego has old buildings and houses and people dress in period costumes

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brizia@reddit

NJ has Waterloo Village. And there are just a lot of old towns and historic sites you can visit like Princeton and New Brunswick.

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RaleighNatitude@reddit

What historical significance does Williamsburg have? I learned about Roanoke and Jamestown in school. Nothing about Williamsburg. Couldn’t tell you one notable thing about it outside of Busch Gardens.

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RiverRedhead@reddit (OP)

It was the colonial and state capital for a hot minute (1699 to 1780) and better preserved than Jamestown.

When they started building the colonial / reenactment part in the 1920s, there was more left to work with (buildings, roads, some records) relative to the Jamestown site (which is more archeological).

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makestuff24-7@reddit

Oklahoma? Yeah, it's Oklahoma.

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OmightyOmo@reddit

I’m racking my brains to think of something.

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makestuff24-7@reddit

The closest things we really have are visitor centers on reservations. Some will have specific reenactment days, but most of the time there are just too few people here to make keeping a functioning pre-industrial civilization running for touristy purposes. I was really just joking about how most of the state looks immune to modernization.

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daneato@reddit

Woolaroc used to have a little pioneer reenactment area with “the mountain man”. Fire a musket etc.

That’s the closest I can think of for OK.

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makestuff24-7@reddit

Every single town has some kind of "heritage days" festival that includes outdoor cooking, games, rides, music, etc. Most of them are just mini carnivals with locals doing karaoke between announcements for the winners of the chili cookout and the raffle. When I was a kid my then had demonstrations for leather tanning, craft booths (mostly crochet, but some beadwork and jewelry), and just straight junk and food. Not a complaint, just expanding. Almost nothing of Oklahoma's "heritage" as a massive internment camp for Natives makes its way into those festivals lol.

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Roadshell@reddit

Fort Snelling

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no_clever_name_yet@reddit

There's also The Landing in Shakopee.

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Impulse2915@reddit

Not always open, but there is also the Big Island Rendezvous

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seaburno@reddit

Probably the closest is Virginia City, NV.

But it’s likely the founders would go / “Woah. Dial back the racism, buddy”

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Fangsong_37@reddit

Connor Prairie

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Ad-hocProcrastinator@reddit

We have a Gettysburg. And Valley Forge. Half of the Washington Crossing site. Independence Hall and the bell. And the Amish…they still live like it’s Williamsburg or Gettysburg or Valley Forge.

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Upstairs-Storm1006@reddit

Yes in Michigan we have Mackinac Island. Very cool spot to visit. Greenfield Village too which is right by Detroit.

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hiketheworld2@reddit

I think Greenfield Village is the “town that is strictly historical buildings and used for reenactments and acts as a museum.”

Mackinac Island has the fort, but it is a cute island town with no cars and a lot of fudge and saltwater taffy. It doesn’t have the educational or preservation component that Williamsburg and Greenfield Village have.

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IKnowAllSeven@reddit

Greenfield Village also now has the Jackson House where MLK Jr and other civil rights leaders planned the Selma marches.

Opens mid June, opening weekend is going to have lots of great stuff going on.

https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/venues/greenfield-village/porches-parlors/the-jackson-home

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hiketheworld2@reddit

I’m so excited for it to open! The last time I was this excited about an exhibit opening was Rosa Parks’s bus. Then my little kid couldn’t understand how I was so excited about sitting on a bus that didn’t go anywhere.

For other, just a few of the treasures at Greenfield Village include -

Thomas Edison’s laboratory and the entire Menlo Park compound
The house the Wright Brothers grew up in and a replica of their bicycle shop
The chair President Lincoln was sitting in when he was assassinated
A letter from Clyde Barrow telling Henry Ford he makes the best getaway cars
Chances to ride on Model T’s, Steam engines, horse and buggy …
Chance to do soooo many hands on things
Lunch in a coaching station

Henry Ford likes history and had buildings and objects that interested him transported to his property - so the village spans a lot of geography and many time frame - but there is so much to see and do.

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Guy_Incognito1013@reddit

Between the Henry Ford and Greenfield Village we spent 3 days there and STILL didn't see everything......

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hiketheworld2@reddit

I have spent a lifetime going there and still find something new every single time.

And I’ve still never even taken the Ford plant tour because I’d prefer to go back to the Village/Museum - but I hear the plant tour is very good

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Guy_Incognito1013@reddit

We did the plant, it was a neat experience.

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Budget-Raygun@reddit

This is the answer. Having been to colonial Williamsburg and Greenfield Village and Mackinac Island, I Would put Greenfield Village at the top. Then Mackinac for its amazing beauty and then colonial Williamsburg.

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Kevincelt@reddit

I guess one similar place would be Nauvoo. I’ve never been out there but it’s really popular for Mormon tourists since it was an early center of Mormonism before they moved out to Utah.

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likesblackcoffeebest@reddit

The Ft Worth Stockyards

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stratusmonkey@reddit

As close as Illinois gets is New Salem for Abraham Lincoln and the pioneer era. When I was a kid, there were living history interpreters there, but not nearly on the same scale as Colonial Williamsburg. And I think they cut that out of the budget 20 or 30 years ago.

Or, if you're LDS, there's Nauvoo!

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ShookMyHeadAndSmiled@reddit

No, but there are a lot of Texans still fighting the Civil War.

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xampl9@reddit

Like Williamsburg, Tryon Palace in North Carolina was rebuilt in modern times to the same plan as the 18th century original.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryon_Palace

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CommanderKrieger@reddit

Old Salem Museum and Gardens, Winston-Salem.

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ChessieChesapeake@reddit

Annapolis

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bibliophile222@reddit

The Shelburne Museum. Very cool place, tons of buildings, even an old ferry boat.

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z44212@reddit

Hale Farm & Village

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Manatee369@reddit

St. Augustine. Predates Jamestown.

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ScarletDarkstar@reddit

The Acoma Pueblo has been consistently occupied since at least the 1600s. It is definitely different than Williamsburg but the first equivalent that came to mind. Parts of Santa Fe are very old as well.

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Illustrious-Jump-398@reddit

Old World Wisconsin

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borisdidnothingwrong@reddit

Utah has the This Is The Place Heritage Park to commemorate the spot where Brigham Young decided to halt the Mormon wagon train, thereby earning the eternal gratitude of both Colorado and California.

My neice worked there when she was 14-15, as one of the "costumed interpreters." She was forced to wear a mangy wig to hide her dyed hair, and everybody commented on it. She made up a bunch of jokes about her husband and sister wives doing their best to help hide the lice, but made the joke in front of one of our State legislators who complained, and had to stop.

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dweaver987@reddit

In California is Columbia State Park. It is an old gold rush town with 29th century buildings and exhibits and activities. But it is much smaller than Colonial Williamsburg.

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El-Mas-Vetado@reddit

This Is The Place Monument, dedicated in 1947, honors the diverse peoples and cultures intrinsic to Utah’s founding and identity.

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Kitchen_Clock7971@reddit

For California:

Colombia, preserved and partially reenacted gold rush town; maybe the closest functional equivalent to Colonial Williamsburg although not the oldest history in California. Dates to 1850.

El Presidio Real de Santa Bárbara, dating to 1782. Well preserved, but not reenacted.

Mission San Diego de Alcalá, dating to 1769. Preserved but not reenacted.

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SufficientComedian6@reddit

Missions, western/ gold rush “towns”, Victorian areas. (California)

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New-Confusion945@reddit

Yes!

A small town in Northern Arizona called Camp Verde has an old school civil war fort! It also has a castle!

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ocvagabond@reddit

California: We don’t give two fucks about the colonial era.

It’s the equivalent of looking back at your elementary school years fondly

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DOMSdeluise@reddit

what about all the missions?

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ocvagabond@reddit

We learn how they suppressed and oppressed the local indigenous populations. We’re calling a spade a spade and renaming things right now.

Missions are not glorified here. They stand as monuments to a brutal past.

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notaskindoctor@reddit

Midwest also don’t give a fuck about colonial era. My ancestors weren’t even here yet for a hundred years.

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GreenNeonCactus@reddit

Pensacola and St. Augustine both have preserved historic districts.

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JimBeam823@reddit

Charleston, but there’s a modern city mixed in with the history.

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Poster_Nutbag207@reddit

We have Mystic Seaport like fifteen minutes away from me. Very cool spot to visit

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BatmanBrandon@reddit

I live 10 minutes from Colonial Williamsburg, so I’m a bit biased, but Mystic Seaport is one of my favorite historic sites to visit.

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SonuvaGunderson@reddit

In Connecticut there’s the Mystic Seaport which is a re-creation of a 17th century whaling village.

Any kid growing up in CT gets a field trip there at some point.

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msabeln@reddit

In Missouri, there is St. Charles, Ste. Genevieve, Hermann, and Arrow Rock.

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Pretty_Little_Mind@reddit

Not in the US, but hands down the best I’ve been to is Heritage Park in Calgary. It was amazing!

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SummerFlowers09@reddit

California... there are several gold rush towns and some have people in costume (Columbia). Or historical areas like the gas light district in San Diego or Old Sacramento which sometimes have museums or shops. But not on the scale of Colonial Williamsburg. And obviously the architecture is different.

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mittychix@reddit

In upstate NY we have Ganondagan historic site (Native American village).

https://www.ganondagan.org/

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ShastHacol@reddit

Indiana has Connor Prairie

Ohio has Adena Mansion. Also the largest Amish community in the world (but not as popular as Lancaster PA) ,

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SargonTheAkkadian@reddit

Genesee Country Village & Museum is right down the street.

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Connect_Eagle8564@reddit

Old Salem in North Carolina

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rikki-tikki-tavi-oh@reddit

Annapolis, Maryland

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EcstaticYoghurt7467@reddit

Missouri has Ste. Genevieve. Several old buildings from the 1700s that can be toured.

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BrainFartTheFirst@reddit

Sort of?

We have the old California missions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_missions_in_California

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boomzgoesthedynamite@reddit

NYC has Historical Richmondtown in Staten Island. A bunch of homes from the 1600s and they do re-enactments and county fairs. There’s even a tavern. The museum is interesting too. I don’t think a lot of people know but me and my friends do the ghost tour around Halloween.

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Kennaham@reddit

In New Mexico we have El Rancho de Las Golondrinas, which has preserved colonial Spanish buildings, some of which go back to 1710! It’s a 200 acre plot of land where they put on reenactments and have all sorts of festivals and events

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Low_Influence_7886@reddit

Woolaroc has something similar but they only have the mountain man encampment every once in a while. Down south okthe Great Plains museum has a good setup b

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Inevitable_Nail_2215@reddit

NH has the Fort at No 4 in Charlestown. Very cool.

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Senior-Tip-21@reddit

These are collections of historic buildings with some interpretation, and can be done in an afternoon or day.

Lafayette LA has Acadian Historical

https://villagehistoriqueacadien.com/en/site/

Also in Massachusetts

OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE

https://www.osv.org/

&

Historic Deerfield

https://www.historic-deerfield.org/

&

Staunton, VA
https://www.frontiermuseum.org/

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