Governor's Accession Soggy but Historic

Thousands Brave Downpour to See First Ceremony in Williamsburg Since 1779

WILLIAMSBURG, Jan. 14 -- Inaugural organizers had hoped as many as 40,000 people would come to Colonial Williamsburg on Saturday to watch history made once again in the old Virginia capital.

But for well over an hour before the noon inauguration of Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and throughout the parade that followed, a heavy, cold rain pounded the reconstructed buildings of the living history project. The rain turned the gravel streets into a rust-colored mess and created a game of see and stay dry for spectators.

The 4,000-seat, invitation-only grandstand across from the platform where Kaine delivered his inaugural address was full. But down Duke of Gloucester Street, where tourists without tickets could watch Kaine and his family ride by in a horse-drawn carriage after the ceremony, crowds were thin.

Some of the spectators were history buffs from across the state who traveled to experience the first inauguration in Williamsburg since Thomas Jefferson took the oath in 1779. But many were locals taking in the pageantry of what was likely a once-in-a-lifetime event in their back yard.

"This hasn't happened for 200 years. I'm not going to be here in another 200 years, so I figured I might as well come," said Cheryl Johnson, 61, a Williamsburg resident since 1974. "You know, if you live here, you come out in the snow for fireworks, you come out in the heat for July Fourth."

Spectators huddled under umbrellas, the orange and blue of the University of Virginia competing with the green and yellow of the College of William and Mary. They clung to ponchos of all hues as they whipped in the wind.

Patricia Albert of Williamsburg wore a yellow poncho and carried a purple umbrella. She said she attended several of the weekend's events, including the Beach Boys concert Friday night. "It's been a wonderful experience," she said. "We sure hope everyone has a wonderful time here, despite the weather."

Many curled their hands around hot chocolate and apple cider, adding layers of clothes and rain gear as they waited. They cheered and hollered as Kaine, with his wife, Anne Holton, and their three children, came by in the carriage, leading the parade.

Ann Polter of Charlottesville, who came to Williamsburg with her husband and two sons, said she was moved by the inaugural address and the parade because of what she called the "effort to include different cultures and people who live in Virginia."

She noted the throngs of children in the parade, many of whom held up signs and flags that represented their native Latin American or Caribbean countries. She also said she was pleased to hear Kaine address the crowd in Spanish during his inaugural speech.

"Virginia is a rich place, full of new and different peoples," Polter said. "This parade and his speech really reflected that."

Organizers had promised those who fanned out across the town that they would be able to listen to the ceremony on speakers strung in trees every few hundred feet.