Top 10 Posts in 2015 from Colonial Williamsburg Blog ~ Making History Now

#10 You went Banaaaanas Over Our Lamp Triplets 

We asked you to help us name the three adorable additions to our Rare Breeds Program. After sifting through thousands of entries, we decided on Jamie, Yorkie, and Willie-abbreviated versions of the Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg.

#9 Colonial Williamsburg’s TURN to be in the Spotlight  

#8 They’re Baaaack!

After an almost 30-year hiatus, the Raleigh Tavern Bakery fired up its brick oven to start serving fresh gingerbread cookies daily. Our team got to go behind the scenes to see all the hard work it took to get it up and running and we even got to sample some of the first treats baked in the oven since the 80s. #lovemyjob

#7 Huzzah to the Return of an 18th-century Alehouse!

Our carpenters, blacksmiths, tinsmiths, curators, archaeologists, historians, tavern managers, chefs, maintenance staff (shewwww) all worked together to transform Chowning’s into an authentic alehouse just in time for spring break tourists. Guests can now enjoy a new menu, new decor, and new policy of no reservations!

#6 We Opened Our New Kid-Friendly DIG Site!

In June, our archaeologists opened a brand new hands-on site and invited young guests to try digging for themselves to see how we use the evidence—from artifacts and documents to dirt colors—to piece together a picture of colonial life, and to help us understand work done by archaeologists in the past.

#5 The Unveiling of Governor’s Gunpowder! Oh, yeah. April Fools!

On April 1st, we decided to have a little fun with our readers. We didn’t expect some of you to actually fall for our antics. I mean, unicorns added to the Rare Breeds Program? A girl can only wish…

#4 Our Chefs Fired Up the Grill for “Chefs on Deck” Series

For every Friday in June, leading up to the Fourth of July—we shared cooking videos from our talented Chefs who showed you how to grill everything from flank steak (in the link above) to pork BBQ. What a delicious assignment!

#3 Liberty, Our Beloved Briard Arrived in Williamsburg
At the end of August, we announced there was a new dog on DoG Street. George Washington was given another loyal recruit only this one drools a lot and until her training is completed, runs from the sound of cannons and gunfire. Liberty is an 18th-century Briard who is working to become a service dog. You can find her out and about in the Historic Area mingling with guests and by the general’s side during special events.

#2 Happy Founding Fathers Day

In honor of Father’s Day, we put together a short list of questions ranging from your favorite food to how you’d most like to be remembered. Once you answered them, you found out which founding father (or two) you had the most in common with. This was a big hit with many of you and a fun way to tie in a little history trivia.

#1 Mythbusting: Five Misconceptions About Thomas JeffersonWith almost 75k page views, this was by far our most popular post in 2015. So was TJ a good public speaker? Did he enjoy wine as much as enthusiasts claim? Make sure you check out the blog to find out!

And there you have it. That’s our list of the Top 10 blog posts. We want to thank each and every one of you for your continued support and encouragement. We love being able to bring you all the behind-the-scenes stories taking place across Colonial Williamsburg and we’re looking forward to sharing even more exciting changes and updates in the New Year.

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