Colonial Williamsburg may soon have a new attraction geared for those with an ax to grind — literally.
Last month, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation submitted a proposal to the city’s zoning board to construct a “tomahawk/axe throwing range” in the Historic Area at the old military encampment site at 311 East Nicholson Street.
“Everything we do here is about creating that authentic 18th century experience,” said Peter Siebert, Executive Director of the Historic Area. “Here is an opportunity to have an experience that’s not unlike what soldiers did to amuse themselves in that period.”
According to the application, as many as eight guests at a time “will receive safety instructions and historical interpretations about the construction, use and history of tomahawk throwing in the 18th century.”
The lesson will end with the chance to throw an ax at “poplar tree round targets,” which will have a 10-foot safety net behind them.
On Tuesday afternoon, the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals will hold a public hearing on the proposal. The board will evaluate the range on its safety, authenticity and potential impact on nearby properties.
“While group throwing may not have occurred, ample evidence exists of the importance of these tools/weapons,” read the city’s analysis of the application. “The proposal is consistent with the intent of the district.”
Primary source material included in the proposal cites references to tomahawks made by the Virginia General Assembly in 1775 and 1777. The proposal also references notes from the 5th Virginia Regiment orderly book, which calls for posting three “centenels” to regulate the throwing of tomahawks into Williamsburg trees.
“The regiment was warning soldiers to stop throwing tomahawks and messing people’s trees up,” Siebert said. “This was something they did for amusement, something they did for sport.”
As for the term “tomahawk,” Siebert explained it was the word used by soldiers at that time.
“It’s not about us trying to recreate the Native American experience,” Siebert said. “This was what soldiers did.”
He said he hopes the range will provide another window into what daily life was like during the Colonial Era.
“We know that this was done here and a part of everyday life,” Siebert said. “In today’s world, when people are turning on the TV or their computer, we forget that these kinds of pastimes were very popular in the 18th century.”
