Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site [KY]

Description

The Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site preserves the site of a Mississippian village and burial mounds. The Mississippians inhabited the village between 1100 and 1350. Exhibit topics include Mississippian artifacts, architecture, and burial practices. The village no longer exists, but the mounds are accessible. The Mississippians are also referred to as the Mound Builders.

The site offers exhibits, hands-on activities, museum tours, walking trails, educational programs, and a picnic site. The website offers pre-visit activities and guide sheets.

Nevada County Historical Society and Museums [CA]

Description

The Nevada County Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Nevada County, California. To this end, the society operates the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum, North Star Mine Powerhouse and Pelton Wheel Museum, Firehouse Museum, and Searls Library. The railroad museum presents local transportation history. Collection highlights include seven historic railroad cars, dating from 1889 to circa 1940. The mining museum's collection highlights include a working Cornish pump; working stamp mill; and the largest Pelton wheel, a mechanism for supplying air to power the mines, ever made. The Firehouse Museum, housed in an 1861 structure, presents exhibits on the Maidu people, the Donner Party, Chinese-American daily life and religion between 1877 and 1938, and vernacular items dating from circa 1850 to present.

The society offers monthly speakers and both library and archive access. Research assistance is available for a fee. The railroad museum and firehouse museum offer exhibits. The mining museum offers self-guided tours, period dioramas, and exhibits. The website offers digital historical and genealogical databases.

Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust [IL]

Description

The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust works to chronicle the life and work of Frank Lloyd Wright, widely regarded as America's most influential architect. The trust maintains Wright's first home and studio, which is located in Oak Park, Illinois, and the Robie House, a masterpiece designed by Wright for his client Frederick Robie.

The trust offers a variety of guided and self guided tours of these landmark buildings. In addition, the trust offers the Wright Plus architectural housewalk, youth architecture workshops, field trip programs, and professional development programs for teachers. The website offers visitor information, a brief biography of Wright, information regarding the two homes maintained by the trust, and information regarding all of the trust's programs.

Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum [OK]

Description

The Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum preserves the heritage of firefighters throughout the state of Oklahoma, and also works to help preserve the memory of firefighters who suffered in the Oklahoma City bombing tragedy.

The museum offers guided and self guided tours, exhibits, several pieces of vintage firefighting equipment, and a collection of firefighting memorabilia. The website offers visitor information.

Historic Houston [TX]

Description

Historic Houston is dedicated to the preservation of Houston's historic and architectural heritage. In addition, Historic Houston is a leader is sustainable design, and has won several awards such as the "Outstanding Environmental Leadership Award."

Historic Houston offers an educational series of workshops, lectures, and classes that are open to the public and to school groups. The website offers general information about Historic Houston as well as information regarding the educational series.

Historic Cold Spring Village [NJ]

Description

Historic Cold Spring Village presents daily life in South Jersey between 1790 and 1840. The site includes gardens, heritage crops, a farm, and 26 restored buildings. These buildings include an inn, a schoolhouse, a print shop, a pottery shop, a blacksmith shop, a bookbindery, and several residences.

The village offers history exhibits, a 7-minute introductory film, period rooms, costumed living history interpreters, a children's activity area, outreach presentations, a junior trade apprenticeship program, and multiple concession and meal sites. Reservations are appreciated. Please notify the village if you feel that you or your group require handicapped accommodations. The website offers games, craft ideas, and recipes.

Hammond Castle Museum [MA]

Description

The Hammond Castle Museum serves as both a historic home museum and a museum to the life and inventions of John Hays Hammond, Junior (1888-1965), inventor of radio wave remote control and possessor of 400 patents. The structure, completed in 1929, was designed to emulate Medieval castles, as Hammond was an avid collector of Roman, Medieval, and Renaissance artifacts and felt that architecture, above all else, gives one the sense of the existence of history and lives past.

The museum offers exhibits, period rooms, self-guided tours, guided tours, and educational programs. As the structure is historic, it was built prior to the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and, unfortunately, is not handicapped accessible. Reservations with at least two weeks advance notice are required for all school groups. Food is not permitted on the grounds.

LaGrange Plantation [MD]

Description

LaGrange Plantation is home to the Dorchester County Historical Society, which seeks to preserve and share the history of Dorchester County, Maryland. To this end, the society operates several museums and an archive. The circa 1760 Georgian Meredith House displays decorative arts pieces and artifacts pertaining to the seven Maryland governors from Dorchester County. The Nelid Museum presents local agricultural life from colonial times onward. The Goldsborough Stable presents transportation and trade artifacts. The workshop of Ron Rue, noted huntng decoy maker; a historic food storage structure and smokehouse; and a colonial-style herb garden are also on site.

The plantation offers exhibits, period rooms, and a historically styled garden. The website offers a video tour of the Nelid Museum.