&*&s£lfe AGuide to the Buildings of Historical Interest TA CENTURY OF PROGRESS'CHICAGO 1Q34 IUJNOIS HISroaiCAL SURVEY «ffl & THE COLONIAL VILLAGE cA '^Reproduction of Early ^American Life in the thirteen Qolonies A Guide to the Buildings of Historical Interest BY THOMAS E. TALLMADGE ARCHITECT OF THE VILLAGE Snap QjtorM Vil- <£\t £K (Century of Progress, Qhicago 1934 ¥ 3 ra pq ea ^ '& ^ & to. J> '"O'. ~ w~ — ' ■ % ul ReveresHoiise THE COLONIAL VILLAGE HE COLONIAL VIL- LAGE ATTEMPTS TO REPRODUCE THE FORM AND THE SPIRIT OF A TYPICAL AMERI- CAN COMMUNITY as it might have been found at about the end of the Revolutionary War. To add to the historic and architectural interest it has assem- bled about its Village Green and placed along its principal street some of the most famous buildings of Colonial days. In order that the whole may be harmonious many of the buildings have been reduced in size and some changed in form, but in each case it is hoped that the character has been main- tained. With only a few exceptions it is the exterior only which imitates the ancient buildings; the interiors are arranged to suit the needs of the different concessionaires who, - Jb however, have filled their spaces with enter- tainment and goods appropriate to Colonial days. To those particularly interested in architecture it should be noted that "Colonial Style" is divided into two progressive divi- sions — first, Early American from 1630 to 1700, represented by the Pilgrim settlement, Paul Revere House, and House of Seven Gables; and second, the Georgian 1700-1800, which includes all the rest. Entering the village from Lief Erikson Drive into High Street we pass between great gates surmounted with eagles modeled by Samuel Mclntire in Salem. Proceeding and keeping to the left we find: 1. SIGN OF THE BLUE ANCHOR. Late Georgian about 1800 in the style of Mc- lntire. In the second story is the office of the village. Turn left into Meeting Street. 2. PAUL REVERE HOUSE. Early Amer- ican — 1650. Note projecting second story, leaded glass casements, absence of ornament. Occupied by Paul Revere, patriot and silver- smith, between 1700-1800. Through its doors he went forth for his famous midnight ride. 3. TURN LEFT INTO MILK STREET with its booths and we face i ft «s , J «--w«. i p \ Old State House Boston ( 4. OLD STATE HOUSE. This is a much reduced reproduction of the famous Boston State House built in 1713 and designed in England — note the Royal Lion and Unicorn. At the left are The VILLAGE P I LL ORY 5. STOCKS AND PILLORY, a favorite method in Colonial days of advertising the fact that misbehavior didn't pay. 6. PIRATE'S GAOL. The sort of building that might have stood in the port of New York and housed Captain Kidd and other unwilling guests. 7. COCK LOFT LANE, named from an old locality in Knickerbocker New York, contains shops of various kinds including a Grog Shop, over which is a figure of "Uncle Toby" in the Staffordshire manner. "Wooden Indians" were not popular until nearly the Civil War period. Returning to Milk Street we find on the left 8. THE HOUSE OF SEVEN GABLES, a reproduction, with liberties, of the Early American House built in 1668 in Salem and made famous by Hawthorne's novel. Note its similarity in style to its neighbor, The House of Paul Revere. 9. THE SIGN OF THE SUN DIAL— it is not based on any particular building but represents the vigorous style of Sir Christo- pher Wren, whose influence in the Colonies as architect and scientist was very great. / V / 10. BEN FRANKLIN'S PRESS— This is not a reproduction of any building that Frank- lin occupied, but is typical of buildings in Southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. COLONIAL ilUV.Il 1 fie Ben Franklin Print Sho. IS Village Somthy T At A Century of Pro ± South End liVilla TuhUc Telephone Ft Old North Tower Betsy Ross Colonial K -v: House of Seven Gables^/ >rkf^ f|p ^-Sify^ 4 OUI State House ifiM? ]K 5 Pirates Gaoi^^Jlp§fc^ £ Paul Severe House 1 Blue Anchor ♦ 21 Virginia Taver >&* i c 2a Vil Hie Minstrek Band ^SBS^ ^Tlic Organ VILLAGE Jhejlcd Man ress+In Chicago+b&cmMN M, yil5£ May Pole Donee :hen i Settlement as!iin£tons Birthplace overnors Mansion Old Glory ■■ sQnformation Booth TheWavside Inn i8 7 *■ w TkcP.llory SB. ^ ^A /& ^ ^ : *li6C%£t It.Ver 21, >9 J£<-s/' & Green p * a- ?1 Colonial Gard en © Artist s Colony 2£f The Old Weil § . The ViiiageV/i'tch Alfce Th£ Drum Corps 11. VILLAGE SMITHY — "Beneath the spreading chestnut tree the village smithy stands." Longfellow immortally described an institution of romance and necessity — present in every Colonial village. Tower of old "North Church I i . m / * .—■-■ * 12. TOWER OF OLD NORTH (CHRIST'S) CHURCH— Boston. Built in 1723 (reduced). As every one knows, the original has no portico. This was added for convenience and beauty and is typical of churches in the latter part of the century. From the belfry were hung the signal lan- terns. "One if by land and two if by sea" that spurred Paul Revere forth in his immortal ride on April 1 8, 1775. - n I, . -■ _ .. ' 7-s-t: Beistj HossHoMse 13. BETSY ROSS SHOP, built about 1700. A copy of the famous house in Philadelphia where Betsy Ross designed and made for General Washington the American flag. We turn left into ' 33Qt ■ £ School house. Pilgrim Settlement » 14. PILGRIM SETTLEMENT— 1620. These little houses are highly conjectural. We know from accounts that the colonists everywhere built rough shelters of logs and rough hewn timber until more finished houses could be constructed, but none has survived. W." Wakefield. Va. .Birthplace of Washington r.e.T* 15. WAKEFIELD — Virginia, the birth- place of Washington, reduced. The original of this building is a conjectural restoration recently completed. The interior is based on the living room only. The Virginia building is of red brick, but brick houses were often white-washed in Colonial days. 16. THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION. The royal Governors before the Revolution lived in considerable magnificence, especially in the South. In Williamsburg, Virginia, now nearly completed, is a splendid restoration of a similar building on much larger scale, with out-buildings and gardens. Governor* Mansion til 1 fBfti : wi.i&ftfi jfcs? P" 17. THE LIBERTY POLE AND OLD GLORY. 18. THE WAYSIDE INN. This and the Virginia Tavern opposite, owing to the prac- tical exigencies of feeding many people, sug- gest rather than imitate their models, the Wayside Inn at Sudbury, Mass., built in 1685, immortalized by Longfellow in his "Tales of a Wayside Inn" and recently restored by Henry Ford, and the Raleigh Tavern in Wil- liamsburg, redolent with Colonial history, restored by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. We now arrive at the Village Green ; at its head crown- ing the village is the nation's most precious shrine. f Mount Vernon £ Ji* *** ' v 19. MOUNT VERNON. The original building is closely copied at eight-ninths of its size. Here the interior is finished, as well, and except for the absence of the staircase carries out the original arrangement. The building is presided over by the Daughters of the American Revolution, who with the aid of friends have beautifully furnished it, in the style of the period. Most of the fur- nishings are antiques. The central part of Mount Vernon was built by Lawrence Wash- ington in 1743. George Washington, his half- brother, inherited it and during the Revolu- tionary War continued its rebuilding. Here the Father of his Country died in 1799. Back of Mount Vernon are flower gardens laid out in Colonial manner, and from there one can depart from the 18th Century through the 20. ARTISTS' COLONY. Where pictures are made and portraits painted in the styles of the past and present. VjXE must not get from this guide the impression that the pleasures or even the importance of the Colonial Village lie soely in its architecture. Com- plimenting the architecture and reflecting the spirit of its age is an elaborate entertainment which reflects, as far as possible, the lighter aspects of life in Colonial days. Mount Vernon doesn't really live until the Spirit of 76 marches forth from its portals or until the minuet is danced on the Village Green. The frailties of Colonial life, for they were as human as we, are set forth in Cockloft lane. Here is a little Colonial theatre where at frequent intervals, a very amusing and authentic playlet on the subject of "bundling" is produced. It is curious that the idea of "bundling'', so shocking to the Victorians, was approved by the stern moralists of Puritan days. Reverting finally to the more decorous vicinity of Meet- ing Street, one will find in the two inns, previously mentioned, excellent cooking done in the Colonial manner. Here on the terraces with the stately facade of Mount Vernon on one side and the vista of the Village street on the other is the best place, perhaps, to digest the contents of this little guide.