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<br /> <br />'I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />cc:m;mJ~ <br /> <br />A Historical Interpreter <br /> <br />Bill Barker has spent 17 years living as Thomas Jefferson in Virginia's <br />Colonial Wifliamsburg-tricornered hats, television appearances, and all. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />BEST DESTINATION <br />.'fro.;".;:"'r.rJI FOR A FAMILY VACATION <br /> <br />.1 <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />t'M THOMAS JEFFSR:>ON. V....lL <br />I first r~.1)iz~d I W,1S ~ good fit for the role in <br />1983. when a friend who was moonlighting <br />as William Penn noted my physical <br />resemblance to Jefferson. And slipping into <br />his Southern accent is e.1s)' for me: My father <br />was a 10th-generation tobacco farmer, and I <br />grew up listening to him speak. Sometimes <br />I find myself talldng with the accent off duty. <br />THE TOWN'S BEST DHmER THEATER <br />You see Colonial WiIIi,unsburg employees <br />all around town -buying groceries, running <br />errands-and we're doing it in costume. One <br />of my f;avorite loul restaurants is an Asian <br />spot on Waller Mill Ro.1<1 called Peking. That <br />place gets flooded with colonial folks around <br />lunch time. It has.1 great Imffet. <br />KIDS KNOW WHAT'S UP <br />When I ask children if they know who I am, <br />they'll usually say one of two things: "You <br />wrote the IJecbr.ltion of Independence,' <br />or, "You were the third president."Their <br />questions are considered and pertinent,lt's <br />not always the same for the parents. They'll <br />ask, "Is th.1t fire hot?" when they see the <br />b1.lcksmith's furnace, or, . Me you hot in <br />tho~e cluthes?" a$l'm dripping with swe.'l. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />. <br />. <br />2 <br />~ <br />z <br />!1 <br />~ <br />~ <br />. <br />~ <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br />~ <br />o <br />u <br />Ii <br />. <br />o <br />I <br />-' <br />.. <br />i <br />i <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />~ <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />TH! ART OF AD.!.ISSING <br />Of the nearly 1,\00 costumed employees here, <br />only about 40 .He professional actors-and we <br />don't just follow a script. We have to be true <br />scholars. If I'm not sure how Jefferson would <br />have .1nswered a '~sitor's question, I study up <br />in our library in case it surfaces again. <br />WE S'....E.'\T TO THE OLDIES <br />[jving on the property is like living in a <br />museum. You can't have any modern <br />equipmentth,ll's '~sible from the street-not <br />even an air conditioner-and )'011 can't pl.1nt <br />any flowers in your garden tbat wouldn't <br />h,we been there 200 years ago. <br />ONE JOa t'LL NEVER 00 <br />People ask me to make appearances all the <br />time-at the opening of a shopping mall, or <br />in;an ad for a used.car dealership-especially <br />around Presidents' Day. I've never s.lid yes. <br />OUR BIGGEST CELEBRrry FAN <br />One offer' did accept was to go on Tnt Cdbtrt <br />Rrport (Stephen Colbert loves Colonial <br />WiIli.lmsburg). The producers also called in <br />two other Jeffersons, and we competed in an <br />on-air Q&A, an arm-wrestling m.1tm, aud.l <br />race to make h,lts out of newspaper. In the <br />end,l W,1S eliminated in a coin toss. <br />Colonial WiUiall1sbu'!I Visitor Crnl<r, 10lA Visitor <br />Cmttt lJr.. Willi~msbur9, Va.,history.org, aclalts $16. <br />chil.lrfll SlS. -Interview by Jourdan Crooch <br /> <br />~.. <br /> <br />.:;..-::....-'...,-..-.. -_:. ..~ <br /> <br />C!l: fIi. numb.;:;) <br /> <br />Preferred <br /> <br />Properties ~ <br /> <br />Well-known hotel chaini <br />take first place for having <br />the most reliable rooms:: <br /> <br />. Big-name AIJ-Incluslve <br /> hotel resort <br /> 29% 21% <br /> , <br /> Boutique . Vacation <br /> hotel rental <br /> 20% 11% <br /> i <br />. B&B . All others <br /> 9% 10% <br /> <br /> <br />LJ <br /> <br />Octol,., 2010 Budg.' T'lvol 21 <br />