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Page-Turners

Colonial Williamsburg publishes a wide variety of books, from history to historic trades, from art to archaeology, from scholarly books to children’s books. These books let you take the Historic Area home with you.

Bookstore Favorites

Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg Way: 18th-century Methods for Today’s Organic Gardeners

In 18th-century gardens, the broccoli was purple and cucumbers grew to 3 feet long, a simple tile trapped slugs in the lettuce beds and you could improve melon seeds just by walking about with them in your pockets. In Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg Way, historic gardener Wesley Greene shares history and folklore along with practical advice on growing vegetables and herbs, garden tools, and cultivation techniques. This is the ultimate organic gardening book — from a time when organic was the only way to garden.

Early Seating Upholstery: Reading the Evidence

Collectors and museums long ignored or discarded historic upholstery. It is now getting the respect it deserves and that is due in large part to the groundbreaking contributions made by Colonial Williamsburg conservator Leroy Graves. In Early Seating Upholstery, Graves illuminates the aesthetics and methods of early upholsterers and illustrates his pioneering method of conservation. He examines the structure and components of furniture frames and upholstery materials, chronicles the evolution of upholstery fashions and techniques, and presents detailed case studies of side chairs, back stools, armchairs, easy chairs, settees, sofas and couches.

Recipes From the Raleigh Tavern Bakery

Favorite baked goods for sale at the Raleigh Tavern Bakery were developed from recipes in rare 18th-century cookbooks. In this booklet, the original recipe and its modern adapted version are printed side by side. Included among the 13 tasty treats are queen’s cake, gingerbread cookies, plum tarts and pear pie.

Four Centuries of Quilts

Quilts are among the most utilitarian of art objects, yet their beauty can rival anything on canvas. This landmark book, drawn from the world-renowned collection of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, highlights the splendor and craft of quilts. Essays by two noted scholars trace the evolution of quilting styles and trends as they relate to the social, political and economic issues of their time.

Colonial Williamsburg Hauntings

Here are ghost stories — as shared by Colonial Williamsburg employees, residents and guests — featuring lost love, betrayal and things that go bump in the night!

Ghosts Amongst Us: Scary Tales From Colonial Williamsburg

Based on Colonial Williamsburg’s popular evening programs, here are the stories that amused and frightened Virginians two hundred years ago. This is an expanded edition of the book originally titled Witches and Ghosts, Pirates and Thieves, Murder and Mayhem

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