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RARE BREEDS Williamsburg is educating visitors about Colonial animals and saving endangered species, too GETTING THERE

December 8, 2007 12:35 am

FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR

AHUGE WALL of blue water rises, then the wave crests and comes crashing down, engulfing a small vessel in the midst of the Atlantic Ocean. The screams of passengers can be heard from all over the ship. Their cries are drowned out by the shout of the first mate as the coral reefs come into view, dead ahead: "Abandon ship!"

Crawling to shore after an exhausting swim, the captain, crew, colonists and even the ship's dog find themselves on an island off the coast of Georgia. The next day, as they huddle around their campfire, a large black hog wanders into camp. The men and women stare in wide-eyed wonder.

These Ossabaw Island black pigs are thought to have come from Spain in the 16th century, and arrived much in the same way the English colonists did in the 17th century. In the aftermath of a shipwreck, the pigs swam to safety while the Spaniards transporting them perished. If one of their hardy descendants hadn't wandered into the camp when it did in 1609, the English ship's party might have starved.

Rare Breeds Program

The Coach, Livery and Livestock program was initiated by the board of trustees when the first phase of Colonial Williamsburg's restoration was complete. By 1937, carriages were available for visitors to ride around the historic area; in 1950, a consultant was hired to advise the board as to the type of carriages to use.

In those days, cows and sheep were rented for the historic area by Roy Dobbins, who ably managed the Coach, Livery and Livestock program for 22 years. At some point, a question arose about the authenticity of these animals and their place in historic Williamsburg.

Enter Richard Nicoll.

Originally from Somerset, England, Nicoll, a member of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and an internationally renowned equestrian, was hired in 1985 to run the program.

When Nicoll arrived in Williamsburg, he immediately recognized the need for animals of "more of an historic nature" in the historic area "so it would look more like the 18th century."

The Coach and Livery Department, as it is now called, is responsible for carriages, wagons, carts, harnesses and, of course, horses: "Keeping them all repaired and running," explains Nicoll. The department works closely with the wheelwright and blacksmith operation. The horses put in a full day's work.

Nicoll founded the Rare Breeds Program in 1986 and has made it highly successful. Its purpose is twofold: to add to the ambience, authenticity and education of Colonial Williamsburg while, through selective crossbreeding, preserving the "slender genetic base" of these animals, says Nicoll.

Raised by George Washington on his farm at Mount Vernon during the 18th century, Ossabaw Island pigs are bred there to this day, then transported to Williamsburg, where they are raised. Founded to enhance Colonial Williamsburg's overall mission, Great Hopes Plantation, where the Ossabaw Island pigs live, gives visitors real insight into how the settlers farmed their land and went about their daily routines.

And though it is not considered a rare breed today, the Ossabaw Island pig plays a vital role in Colonial Williamsburg's Kitchen Program at Christmastime, just as it played a critical role in the lives of early settlers. Pigs were not as expensive as beef, and being the meat lovers that they were, the colonists depended heavily on this little black pig for their daily nutrition.

Here are the stories of some other animals in the Rare Breeds Program:

Leicester Longwool Sheep--The Glamour Guys

Robert Bakewell was always looking for ways to improve his agricultural production. Born in 1725 at Dishley, a farm in Leicestershire, England, he carried on the family tradition of sheep farming, but he was an innovator.

He applied his new ideas to a process of careful selection by breeding and crossbreeding with other sheep in the region. His goal was to produce a breed that would yield greater amounts of meat and finer wool.

In the 1700s, Bakewell's methods were considered revolutionary, but his pioneering methods were not missed by George Washington. Washington was the first farmer to bring the Leicester Longwool sheep to America, in the mid-18th century.

Bakewell made the most of his international fame, and began to take one of his prized sheep, Two Pounder, for country tours, charging admission. Bakewell even had his own portrait painted, securing a place for himself in American history.

Based on Washington's account, Coach and Livery in the mid-1980s decided these sheep (referred to in Colonial days "as barrels on four legs") would be appropriate for inclusion in the Rare Breeds Program.

Nicoll undertook an all-out search for a Leicester Longwool sheep, which ended at an animal auction in New Jersey with the purchase of a Canadian ram named Willoughby.

Willoughby's temperament and docility made him a perfect fit. For several years he was successfully crossbred with Dorset ewes, who in turn "produced beautiful lambs," according to "Rare Breeds," a Colonial Williamsburg booklet by Laura Arnold.

Then one night in 1988 tragedy struck. Willoughby was found brutally murdered, apparently at the hands of a gang of vandals traveling through Williamsburg. The sheep's death aroused such a community outcry that expressions of sympathy and donations poured in. The result was that the Rare Breeds Program was able to fulfill a vision and import Leicester Longwools from Australia.

When Willoughby arrived, Leicester Longwools were critically endangered. There were fewer than 200 at the time. Today, there are 250 registered in the United States.

With the able assistance of a third-generation sheep breeder, Ivan Heazlewood of Tasmania (an island off the southernmost tip of Australia), a flock was organized. After two years of selective breeding, a health inspection in Australia and a quarantine in Canada, eight Leicester Longwool ewes, six lambs and one ram arrived in Williamsburg.

"I love the lambs. They are a lot of fun and have lots of energy," says Elaine Shirley, who is in charge of animal husbandry at Colonial Williamsburg.

When the sheep are sheared in May, visitors are invited to watch, and when the ewes give birth, people (including children) are invited to see that, too. The event has drawn big crowds.

Small amounts of Leicester Longwool wool are available at the Greenhow Store on Duke of Gloucester Street.

Thanks to their gentle temperament, educational value and contribution to the mission of Colonial Williamsburg, the future looks bright for the Leicester Longwool sheep.

American Milking Red Devon--The Cornerstone of Cattle

American Milking Red Devon cattle, once known as "the red cows" or "town cows," came to Colonial America almost simultaneously with the earliest settlers, arriving in the coastal area of Massachusetts Bay in 1623.

Originally from Devonshire, England, the cattle were superior in all ways, supplying excellent beef and dairy products and possessing a level of intelligence that made them easy to train in the hands of the right individual. Most importantly, they were the top of the line as draft animals. This was significant in New England with its hilly, rocky terrain.

Shirley describes the cattle as "wonderful" and "warm to snuggle up to."

Before the Rare Breeds Program, the Red Devons' future wasn't rosy. Specialization and mechanization almost led to their extinction. By the 1970s, fewer than 100 Red Devons existed in the United States. By then, the breed was virtually extinct in England.

Due to the efforts of New England dairy farmers and ox teamsters, the breed was rescued from that fate. The cattle are still used as draft animals in Williamsburg, where they can be observed doing fieldwork, hauling logs, plowing fields, giving milking demonstrations or just resting or grazing in one of Williamsburg's Colonial pastures along Francis Street, Nassau Street and near the Governor's Palace.

The first American Milking Red Devon that came to Williamsburg as part of the Rare Breeds Program was a cow from Maine named Nora. Her calf Hannah was the first Red Devon born in Williamsburg. Both are gone now, but are remembered fondly. Some 500 Red Devons are registered in the country today.

The American Cream Draft Horse--All American

In a stable on a farm in Iowa in 1900, a lantern light burns brightly in the middle of the night. A gentle, strong, cream-colored draft mare named Old Granny gives birth to her first cream-colored foal. She whinnies softly, nuzzling her baby. Little does she know that, with the birth of this handsome horse and others like him, the light that hangs from the stable rafters will become a beacon for generations to come.

Old Granny's great-grandson Silver Lace, "an impressive, cream-colored stallion," according to "Rare Breeds," got the attention of Iowa breeders, intrigued by his consistently cream-colored bloodline.

One farmer, Clarence T. Rierson, bought all of the offspring sired by Silver Lace, carefully researching the ancestry of each one and keeping records. By 1944, he and several others had obtained a charter and founded the American Cream Draft Horse Association.

When Rierson died in 1957, 200 cream-colored horses were recognized as a distinct breed registered in the United States.

Just coming into its own, the breed hit a snag. One of its best qualities was draft work, and with the agricultural revolution, it, too, was almost pushed out. The association remained inactive for 14 years, but a few wise breeders held on and crossbred their American Creams, thus keeping the bloodline pure.

By 1989, the Rare Breeds Program was in full swing, and a type of horse was needed that possessed the temperament, strength and work ethic to represent the type of horse that might have been used in Colonial times and widely owned. The choice was the American Cream draft horse, perfect for carriage, wagon, cart and field work throughout the historic area and Carter's Grove.

Colonial Williamsburg's first American Cream broodmare was named Mary. To prevent inbreeding, Sir Thomas was brought in 1999 from Iowa as a stud for Mary and her daughter, Sarah.

So now the American Cream draft horse grazes in the pastures of Bassett Hall, performs draft work, sometimes participates in the "Revolutionary City" program or hauls Colonial items. It is of a medium build, stands 15 to 16.3 hands high, weighs in at approximately 1,500 pounds and has a rich, cream-colored coat, pink skin, amber eyes and cream- to white-colored mane and tail.

One of Colonial Williamsburg's American Cream draft horses was recently sold, but the historic area has a new animal, 20-month-old Cavalier. He has a mentor at present, Jolly Roger. Jolly Roger is a chestnut Morgan-quarter-horse mix with one eye. He has lived in the historic area since 1989. He is invaluable as a mentor, and does a magnificent job with all the "new kids on the block," says Nicoll.

The Canadian Horse-- A Mighty Warrior

Although originally brought to Acadia and New France as early as 1616, the foundation stock of the Canadian horse was removed to Quebec by order of Louis XIV. There it remained until 1800. The Canadian horse was first known in the fledging United States because of its prowess and agility, especially along difficult stagecoach routes.

Isolated in Quebec, the horses evolved through inbreeding and hardships into strong, unusually courageous animals. They earned the nickname "the little Iron Horse."

The Canadian horses were used extensively by the cavalry during the American Civil War. Many were exported to work on sugar plantations in the West Indies. Eventually they became nearly extinct.

As with the American Cream draft horse 77 years later, concerned breeders started a stud book in 1886. Efforts by the federal government of Canada and the provincial government of Quebec to raise the number of Canadian horses met with limited success.

Ninety years later, in 1976, only 400 Canadian horses were registered. Although their numbers have increased, they are still considered "critically endangered" by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

In 1997, Juliette and Gizelle arrived in Williamsburg, the first Canadian horses to become part of the Rare Breeds Program. The horses' impressive physical characteristics and strong work ethic influenced their selection, but their calm, docile disposition made them a perfect fit for the historic area.

The horses' role was to pull 18th-century carriages and to be used for pleasure riding and re-enactments in "Revolutionary City," an educational program founded in 2006 to make the connection between what took place during the American Revolution and the founding of a nation and what is taking place today.

The Canadian horse has a medium build and is usually black, sometimes with a white star on its forehead. Its distinguishing traits include a full mane and long, wavy tail. Canadian horses may be seen grazing in the pastures along York Street in the historic area.

Cry Fowl! Anywhere Else but Here

Roosters and hens were present from the earliest days in the city of Williamsburg, which was founded in 1699. The role of the rooster in Williamsburg is twofold: "to get fertile eggs, and to show there is a male and female," says Nicoll. The four types of poultry include the Dorking, Dominique, dung fowl and Nankin Bantam.

The Dominique hens are the most adaptable to cold weather due to their "hardy constitution" and thick, beautiful plumage, according to "Rare Breeds." Their small size, non-stop egg laying during winter months, tender meat and fashionable feathers made them the favorite among Colonial women.

The only actual rare breed in Williamsburg among the poultry is the Nankin Bantam rooster, whose tail feathers are elegant.

The dung fowl was the least valued in Colonial days; it was left to forage in the fields and was "used for cockfighting in Virginia when it was actually legal, the sport of both slaves and gentlemen," says Nicoll.

The real thing

With the urbanization of America, fewer children than ever are growing up in rural areas.

"There is a real disconnect between what they see in the grocery store or movies and what is reality," says Nicoll. "So that by being able to have a horse right next to them, or lean over a fence and study a sheep, people can have a very new experience, and make the connection, imagining more accurately what life was really like in the 18th century."

Marianne Martin of the Rockefeller Library in Williamsburg assisted with research for this story.