Williamsburg is located in
James City County, of which it is the county seat, 44 miles NW of
Norfolk along Highway 60 off I64 near the
James River in the
Eastern Region of the state. Through extensive research, the Colonial area of the city, a mile long and nearly half-mile wide, has been restored as nearly as possible to its 18th-century appearance. Within this historic area are 88 buildings that have survived; scores of buildings that had disappeared have been faithfully rebuilt on the sites of the original structures. Stately public buildings and a variety of Colonial homes, shops, taverns, and gardens are on or just off historic Duke of Gloucester Street, the city's main thoroughfare. Interpreters dressed in 18th-century attire complement the historic buildings on the main street. Parades by the Fife and Drum Corps march here April through October.
