Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site [MO]

Description

The Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site commemorates the lives of Ulysses S Grant (1822-1885), general-in-chief of the Union army and 18th President of the United States, and his wife Julia Dent. Dent's family home, White Haven, is the centerpiece of the park. Other structures include an interpretive museum housed in the historic Grant stable and a visitors' center.

The site offers a 16-minute introductory film, guided tours of White Haven, Junior Ranger activities, and a history reading program compliant with state educational standards.

Cane River Creole National Historical Park [LA]

Description

The Cane River Creole National Park contains Oakland and Magnolia Plantations. Oakland Plantation, dating to circa 1821, was the home of Jean Pierre Emmanuel Prud'homme. The structure is French Colonial in style with bousillage construction. Magnolia Plantation was built in the 1830s for Ambrose LeComte. Styles include Greek Revival and Italianate. Collection highlights include the last U.S. cotton gin with a wooden screw press located on its original site.

Both plantations offer ranger-led tours, self-guided tours, painting workshops, musicians, storytellers, craftsmen, Junior Ranger activities, and picnic sites. The website offers videos and historic photographs.

Capitol Hill Parks [DC]

Description

Capitol Hill Parks includes all parkland between the 2nd streets NE and SE and the Anacostia River. The four major parks in this space are the Folger Park, which contains numerous examples of historic architecture; Lincoln Park, which contains memorials to Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th President of the United States, and Civil Rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955); Marion Park; and Stanton Park, which houses a statue of General Nathanael Greene (1742-1786), the Revolutionary War leader who drove the British out of Georgia and the Carolinas in 1782.

The site offers tours upon request.

Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site [MT]

Description

Once the headquarters of a 10-million-acre cattle empire, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site is a working cattle ranch that commemorates the role of cattlemen in American history. Among the original buildings on the site are the historic ranch house, the bunkhouse, the blacksmith shop, horse barns, and cattle sheds. The main ranch house was built by Johnny Grant (1831–1907) in 1862. It was a trading post downstairs and a residence upstairs. In 1866 he sold the ranch to Conrad Kohrs (1835–1920) who became known as the "Cattle King" in Montana. Site collections number 23,000-plus artifacts, consisting of everyday objects once used by the people who lived and worked at this ranch from the 1860s to the 1960s. Highlights include historic wagons and buggies.

The site offers exhibits, walking trails, self-guided tours, guided wagon and house tours, a variety of themed talks, period rooms, ranger-led in-classroom presentations, a traveling trunk, archives accessible by appointment, and an annual teacher workshop. The website offers lesson plans geared towards Montana educational standards, photo galleries, and a video on the use of a beaverslide hay stacker.

Rock Creek Park [DC]

Description

The Park includes the Peirce Barn and Mill and Old Stone House. Peirce Barn and Mill were built in the 1820s, and operated commercially until 1897. The U.S. Government acquired the mill as part of Rock Creek Park in 1892. The Old Stone House, one of the oldest known structures remaining in the nation's capital, is a simple 18th-century dwelling built and inhabited by common people.

NOTE: The Peirce Mill is currently closed for restoration.

The site offers tours, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational events; the Old Stone House offers tours; the Peirce Barn offers tours.

General Grant National Memorial [NY]

Description

General Grant National Memorial, or Grant's Tomb, is not only the final resting place of Union General Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885), but a memorial to his life and accomplishments. It is also the largest tomb in North America. Grant served in both the Mexican and Civil Wars, and was the first full General of the Armies. His leadership confirmed victories in the Battles of Vicksburg and Chattanooga, as well as Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox. A grateful nation twice elected Grant to serve as President of the United States, from 1869 to 1877. Grant's accomplishments include signing the act establishing the first national park, Yellowstone, on March 1, 1872.

The memorial offers daily interpretive programs, guided tours, an introductory talk, curriculum materials, and a variety of standards-based educational programs for specific grade levels.

Cape Lookout National Seashore [NC]

Description

The Cape Lookout National Seashore is primarily a site for water recreation and nature viewing. However, the park does house the 1859 Cape Lookout Lighthouse, around which the staff organizes a number of interpretive programs.

The site offers a 26-minute film, a 16-minute version of the same film, talks, guided tours, and traveling trunks.

Fort Moultrie National Monument [SC]

Description

Fort Moultrie was one of the four major forts lining the entrance to Charleston Harbor. The fort was abandoned at the start of the Civil War by Union Troops in favor of Fort Sumter, which led to the first major action of the Civil War. Today, the fort has been restored to portray the major periods in its history, and visitors to the fort move steadily backwards from Fort Moultrie during World Wary II to the Palmetto-log fort of 1776.

The fort offers guided tours, interpretive activities, and field trip programs. The website offers basic visitor information, online historical documents, and a history of the fort. In order to contact the fort via email, use the "contact us" link located on the left side of the webpage.

Fort Sumter National Monument [SC]

Description

The Fort Sumter National Monument commemorates the official initiation of fire of the Civil War. April 12, 1861, the Confederates directed the first shot at the Union's Fort Sumter, located in the Charleston Harbor. Exhibits discuss the growing tensions between the North and the South and their eventual turn to civil war, as well as the physical and social history of the fort itself. Also on location is the site of the first U.S. victory over the British Navy, which occurred at Fort Moultrie in 1776.

The monument offerings differ at each fort. Fort Moultrie offers a 22–minute introductory video at the visitor center, exhibits, self–guided tours, limited ranger–led programming, and Junior Ranger activities. Fort Sumter offers 10–minute talks by park rangers aboard the ferry, exhibits, self–guided tours, and Junior Ranger activities. Reservations are required for school groups at both sites. The website offers lists of relevant state education standards, lesson plans, activities, a teacher's guide, photo galleries, and a webcam.