Eudora Welty House [MS]

Description

The Eudora Welty House served as the residence of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty (1909-2001) for 76 years. The Welty home retains the author's own belongings, set as she lived among them. Welty authored short stories, novels, and her memoir. She is best known for her novel The Optimist's Daughter, a story of family and loss. Her stories and novels depict life in the South.

The house offers period rooms, gardens, tours, and archive access. Reservations are required for both tours and archive access.

C.M. Russell Museum [MT]

Description

The C.M. Russell Museum is dedicated to the art of C.M. Russell, an artist who painted landscapes of the American West during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The museum offers five permanent exhibits of Russell's work spanning his entire lifetime as well as galleries devoted to other artists who also portrayed the West. Visiting exhibits include information on Native Americans, bison, and the culture of the West.

The Museum offers field trips free of charge to school groups and homeschoolers. Themes for school tours include C.M. Russell, Montana history, Native American life, current exhibits, and a special 5th grade tour. Special school tours and activities are available during Native American Awareness Day (the 4th Friday in September). All field trips include a hand-on activity.

Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum [WI]

Description

The Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum claims to be the only museum focusing solely on the creation of wooden type and the printing process involving said type. Collections include more than 1.5 million individual pieces of wooden type. In the 19th century, pieces such as those in the collection were a necessity for mass communication. Aside from type, the museum displays printing tools, type specimen catalogs, hot metal type production, and hand operated printing presses.

The site offers exhibits and demonstrations. Field trips are welcome.

Cayuga Museum of History and Art and the Case Research Lab [NY]

Description

The Cayuga Museum of History and Art presents the history and culture of the Auburn, New York area. The museum is located within the 1836 Willard-Case Mansion, with the permanent exhibit addressing the history of the Auburn Correctional Facility. The Case Research Lab preserves the site where the first commercially successful talking film technology was developed. The site includes the darkroom, chemistry lab, recording studio, exhibits on talking film ventures, recording equipment, and the first sound camera.

The museum offers exhibits, guided tours, and thematic slide presentations. Reservations are required for guided tours.

Lower Sioux Agency Historic Site [MN]

Description

The Lower Sioux Agency, founded in 1853, served as the administrative center of the Dakota reservation. The site presents Dakota life and culture prior to European contact, during the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War, and during the reservation period. Gardens and farming plots offer comparison of traditional and reservation farming techniques.

The site offers exhibits, a film, period gardens, period crops, children's programs, guided tours, trails, and interpretive signs. Reservations are required for field trips.

Bennington Museum [VT]

Description

The Bennington Museum presents southern Vermont history through vernacular artifacts, fine arts, artifacts from the 1777 Battle of Bennington, and the decorative arts. Collection highlights include 19th-century glass, portraits by Ammi Phillips (1788-1865), and the largest number of publicly accessible paintings by Grandma Moses (1860-1961).

The museum offers exhibits, summer history camps, 90-minute curriculum-based thematic tours, one-hour curriculum-based outreach programs, traveling trunks, nature trails, and research library access.

Historic Jefferson College [MS]

Description

In 1817, Historic Jefferson College became the first institute of higher education in Mississipii, although it had served as a preparatory school since 1811. Jefferson Davis, future President of the Confederacy, attended class at this institution. In 1864, the school was temporarily closed as a result of the Civil War. After reopening in 1866, it would once again serve as a preparatory school, rather than a college. Sights include a restored dormitory room, kitchen buildings, and the student dining room.

The college offers period rooms, exhibits, self-guided tours, summer camps, and a nature trail.

Woodlawn Plantation [VA]

Description

Woodlawn Plantation was once home to George Washington's nephew Lawrence Lewis and Lewis' wife "Nelly." The Federal main residence was completed in 1805 according to the design of William Thornton, architect of the national Capitol. During the Lewis' residence at least 90 slaves lived on site. In 1846, the property passed on to two Quaker families, the Troths and Gillinghams, who wished to prove that abolition of slavery would not destroy the Southern economy. To this end, they hired Caucasian and free African American farmers to work their land, rather than relying on slave labor. Their actions were unique and highly controversial during their day.

The plantation offers period rooms, guided tours of the residence, group tours, and private teas. Groups of 10 or more are required to call at least one day in advance for reservations and confirmation of availability. The second floor is not wheelchair accessible. Tea programs are available to groups of 12 or more in April through December.

Stranahan House [FL]

Description

The Stranahan House was originally built in 1901 as a trading post for the Seminole and area settlers. Shortly thereafter, the structure was used as a post office, town hall, and community center. Between 1906 and 1971, the site served as the residence of Frank and Ivy Stranahan. Frank was postmaster and a banker and businessman, while Ivy taught. The home has been restored to a 1913 through 1915 appearance, and is furnished accordingly.

The house offers period rooms, one-hour guided tours, educational programs for students, an outreach program for students, guided group tours, and guided Scout tours. Group tours are by advance notice. The website offers student activities.