Dauphin County Historical Society and John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion [PA]

Description

The Dauphin County Historical Society maintains the home of John Harris, the founder of Harrisburg, PA. The site, the history of which dates back to the early 1700s, contains collections from the early colonial period through the Civil War era when Senator Simon Cameron owned the house.

The Dauphin County Historical Society offers three distinct educational programs for Pennsylvania elementary school students free of charge. All three programs adhere to Pennsylvania education standards and cover a variety of topics and time periods. All programs include a tour of the mansion and a hands-on activity, as well as a Dauphin County history lecture.

Carl Sandburg State Historic Site

Description

The Carl Sandburg State Historic Site is the birthplace of Carl Sandburg (1878-–1967), a Pulitzer-Prize-winning poet and Lincoln biographer, a children's author, and folk song collector. The small frame home, architecturally significant as a "workingman’s cottage," contains three rooms—parlor, bedroom, and kitchen. Carl Sandburg was born here January 6, 1878. Several original family items are on display, along with other simple, utilitarian furnishings typical of the era. Also on the site is a two-story Greek Revival frame house built in 1858. The house currently serves as the site visitor center. On the main floor are a small video theater, the site office, and small exhibit gallery.

The site offers exhibits, tours, a short film, and educational and recreational events.

Delaware County Historical Society [OH]

Description

The Delaware County Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the historical heritage of Delaware, Ohio, and the surrounding area. The society is located in downtown Delaware, and is home to a research library.

The society offers periodic walking tours of Delaware as well as frequent presentations in the society's headquarters. The website offers an events calendar and historical information regarding Delaware County.

Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site [SC]

Description

The Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site preserves one of South Carolina's most important archaeological treasures, the remains of Colonial Dorchester. Dorchester was a trading post that flourished between 1697 through the Revolutionary War, when the town was abandoned. Some of the town remains standing and visible, such as the church bell tower and a long warf, but most of the town lies just out of sight underground.

The historic site offers guided tours, workshops, and field trip programs. The website offers brief historical and visitor information regarding the historic site.

National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame [OK]

Description

The National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame is the brainchild of Daryll Starbird, famed custom car designer. The hall of fame serves as both a museum of custom car construction and style as well as a hall of fame for the leaders of the custom car construction and design industry.

The museum offers exhibits and guided tours. The website offers visitor information, a virtual tour of the museum, and a brief biography of Darryl Starbird.

Dinsmore Homestead [KY]

Description

The Dinsmore Homestead is dedicated to teaching visitors what rural life was like in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The homestead is open to the public year round.

The homestead offers guided tours, educational outreach programs, workshops, and field trip programs. The website offers a history of the home, a brief biography of the Dinsmores, a virtual tour, and visitor information.

Cragfont [TN]

Description

Cragfont was the home of General James Winchester, a protagonist of the American Revolution, a pioneer in the Middle Tennessee wilderness, a soldier against indigenous Americans, a brigadier general in the War of 1812, and co-founder of the City of Memphis. The construction of Cragfont was started in 1798 and finished in 1802. It was the finest mansion on the Tennessee frontier and typified the grandeur and style of the best architecture of the late Georgian period. Named Cragfont because it stood on a rocky bluff with a spring at its base, the house is furnished with Federal antiques, some of which are original to the Winchester family. The basement holds an authentic weaving room.

A second website for the site can be found here.

The house offers tours and occasional recreational and educational events.

Beverly Historical Society and Museums [MA]

Description

The Beverly Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the socio-cultural, artistic, and transportation history of Beverly, Massachusetts and Massachusetts' North Shore. To this end, the society operates a museum of local history, the 17th-century Balch House, the Reverend John Hale Farm, and the Charles W. Galloupe Sr. Memorial Library. Collections consist of more than 750,000 artifacts. Highlights include a fire bucket, military artifacts, local maritime artifacts, paintings from the 18th through early 20th centuries, documents signed by U.S. Presidents, children's artifacts, and genealogical resources. The society also boasts an extensive collection of photographs and pamphlets of all manner of transportation technologies. The 1781 John Cabot House Museum holds both the library and exhibits. Permanent exhibits address the Revolutionary War and the Beverly Bank, established 1802. The Balch House is furnished to period. The Hale Farm is furnished to depict changing trends in Beverly's history.

The society offers exhibits, tours of the Cabot House, Balch House tours, Hale Farm tours, research library access, research assistance, curriculum-based programs, a one-hour Balch House tour for students, a two-hour historic Beverly bus tour for students, an outreach living history program for students, and teacher workshops. Fees are required for both non-member library access and research assistance. Non-member library access is limited. The living history program depicts author and poet Lucy Larcom (1824-1893).

Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture [SC]

Description

The Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture presents the history of African Americans in the South Carolina Lowcountry and in Charleston, South Carolina. Topics include slavery, emancipation, segregation, large-scale relocations, civil rights, and modern issues. The center includes a museum space and a research library, which boasts nearly 4,000 artifacts. Permanent exhibits address 19th-century social studies education, Gullah culture, and the work of master blacksmith Phillip Simmons. Approximately 40 percent of all Africans brought to the United States as slaves were brought ashore in the Charleston area.

The center offers exhibits, a period room, tours, research library access, research assistance, and oral histories. Reservations are required for all tour groups with five or more people.