From the days of the Powhatan Indians to the establishment of Middle Plantation nearly 400 years ago, from its rise to power for a hundred years as the capital of England's largest North American colony to its decline into as many years of obscurity, Williamsburg has been shaped by the forces of history. Beneath the remarkable surface of today's restored colonial city lies an even more fascinating glimpse into the life of a community that has weathered the full sweep of American history.