Williamsburg
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AI overview
Williamsburg is an independent city in Virginia that served as the colonial capital of Virginia from 1699 to 1780 and is now a major historical site preserving early American history. It matters because it contains well-preserved and reconstructed buildings and artifacts from the colonial period, making it an important destination for understanding early American life and government.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Country
- United States
- State
- Virginia
- Named after
- William III of England
- Mayor
- Doug Pons
- Vice mayor
- Pat Dent
- Total
- 9.10 sq mi (23.57 km )
- Land
- 8.94 sq mi (23.15 km )
- Water
- 0.16 sq mi (0.42 km )
- Elevation
- 49 ft (15 m)
- Estimate 2025
- 15,861
- Density
- 1,726/sq mi (666.3/km )
- Time zone
- UTC−5 ( EST )
- Summer dst
- UTC−4 ( EDT )
Article
Williamsburg is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 15,425 at the 2020 census. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. It is bordered by James City County on the west and south and York County on the east.
In 1632, English settlers founded Middle Plantation as a fortified settlement on high ground between the James and York rivers and farther inland than their headquarters at Jamestown. The city of Williamsburg was established at the site of Middle Plantation in 1699. It functioned as the capital of the Colony and Commonwealth of Virginia from 1699 to 1780 and became the center of political events in Virginia leading to the American Revolution. The College of William & Mary, established in Middle Plantation in 1693, is the second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. Of the nine colonial colleges in the U.S., it is the only one located in the American South. Its alumni include three U.S. presidents as well as many other important figures in the nation's early history.