240 years ago, a Williamsburg wigmaker named Richard Charlton operated a popular coffeehouse, just a few steps from the colonial Capitol. Over cups of coffee, chocolate, and tea, Williamsburg’s gentlemen and politicians gathered to make deals, discuss business, learn the news from England, and exchange the latest gossip. Built on the original foundation, the reconstructed R. Charlton's Coffeehouse will be the only authentic 18th-century coffeehouse in the United States.
The project was funded by a generous gift from Forrest and Deborah Mars, who have been prominent supporters of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for nearly 25 years. Funding the project was just the first step. To make a project of this magnitude possible required a true Foundation-wide effort! As with all our interpretive sites, a tremendous amount of research and planning went into making sure that the coffeehouse was as historically accurate as possible. From the building itself, created with period techniques and incorporating the original foundations, to the opportunity to meet Mr. or Mrs. Charlton and enjoy a coffee, chocolate, or tea in an 18th-century setting, everything about the new coffeehouse reflects the very best of what Colonial Williamsburg has to offer.
Guests far and near have had the opportunity to experience the reconstruction every step of the way through the Coffeehouse blog, the Coffeehouse webcam, Coffeehouse videos, podcasts and slideshows. And now that we are just days away from the opening ceremony the R. Charlton's Coffeehouse "buzz" is at an all-time high. A cursory search will produce numerous blogs, Flicker albums, Facebook posts, and Twitter tweets about the significance of this reconstruction. Colonial Williamsburg lovers' interests have spanned topics as far reaching as the type of coffeepots used to how the bricks were made to the hand-printed wallpaper on the walls.
On Friday at 4 p.m. the opening will begin with a debut of a new Revolutionary City scene, the re-enactment of the memorable event of 1765 when an angry crowd threatened Virginia's appointed administrator of The Stamp Act until he was rescued and escorted to safety by the royal governor. Following the opening ceremony, a walk-through open house of the building is available. Then, the celebration continues with an evening event, A Celebration of Chocolate, Coffee, and Cognac which will feature chocolate martini tastings, Viennese pastries, cognac sampling, gourmet coffees, and more! The open house will continue 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 21-22.
We are proud and excited about the opening of R. Charlton's Coffeehouse. This new exhibition site will reflect its 18th-century role as a gathering place for the politically connected as well as for the socially ambitious in addition to providing an exciting new venue for Historic Area programming.
More information can be found here.
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