Railtown 1897 State Historic Park [CA]

Description

Located in Jamestown, in the heart of California's Gold Country about 100 miles southeast of Sacramento, Railtown 1897 State Historic Park is home to the Historic Jamestown Shops and Roundhouse—an intact and still-functioning steam locomotive repair and maintenance facility, portions of which date back to 1897. This one-of-a-kind attraction combines industrial heritage and railroad history with the lore of Hollywood’s film industry. The Railtown 1897 Interpretive Center and the authentic roundhouse are among the Park's unique year-round offerings.

A second, individual website for the park can be found here.

The park offers train rides, exhibits, tours, and educational and recreational events.

Santa Barbara County Historic Courthouse

Description

For almost 160 years, this site has been the home of local government and a place of civic pride and celebration. The County Board of Supervisors caused the construction of the now-historic courthouse in 1926, after the smaller Greek-Revival courthouse was damaged in an earthquake the previous year. Visitors from around the world come to see the courthouse, mural room, and grounds.

The courthouse offers tours.

Historic Salisbury Foundation and Historic Structures [NC]

Description

The Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is preserving, protecting, and enhancing the special historic character of Salisbury and Rowan County through education, neighborhood revitalization, advocacy, and the preservation of historic landmarks. It also maintains and operates the Josephus W. Hall House, the Salisbury Station and the Grimes Mill. The 1820 Hall House contains the silver, china, and furniture of the Hall family, which owned the house beginning in 1859; the 1908 Salisbury Station has been restored and is tourable by appointment; and the 1896 Victorian roller mill, Grimes Mill, contains five floors of early mill machinery, and is tourable by appointment.

The foundation offers tours and occasional recreational and educational programs; the historic sites offer tours.

Virginia Air and Space Center

Description

The Virginia Air and Space Center serves as the visitor center for NASA Langley Research Center and Langley Air Force Base. Visitors' imaginations will soar as they launch a rocket, pilot a space shuttle, and come face-to-face with the Apollo 12 Command Module and a DC-9 passenger jet. They can also experience a 3D IMAX film in the Riverside IMAX Theater.

The museum offers exhibits, tours, IMAX film screenings, lectures, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational events.

Victorian Preservation Center and Cohen-Bray House [CA]

Description

The mission of the Center is to interpret the East Bay in the later 19th century. The Center seeks to accomplish this goal by promoting the study of material culture of the era and the social and economic life of Oakland, the East Bay, and the San Francisco Bay Area as represented by the Cohen Bray House. The uniqueness of this house is that it is still lived in by members of the original family. With the help of the friends and the professionals on the board, they have made the effort to preserve and protect the original interiors. Visitors will find the furniture; wallpaper; pictures; rugs; and personal items such as diaries, shopping lists and wedding presents are still in their places. Tours also include family stories of the neighborhood and what life was like since the house was built in 1884.

The house offers tours and educational programs.

National Automobile Museum [NV]

Description

The Museum presents displays recreating four authentic street scenes, representing each quarter of the 20th century, with autos, artifacts, and sounds from each era. Street scenes also display building facades and a timeline of events chronicling the history of the automobile. The Museum also presents changing exhibits.

The museum offers exhibits, tours, film screenings, symposiums, workshops, and educational and recreational events.

Louisville Fire History and Learning Center

Description

The center exists to educate the Louisville community in fire and home safety while preserving the city's rich history. The center's collection includes a rare 1892 Hale Water Tower, one of 12 chemically-raised water towers built in the United States by Hale; a working vintage communications system featuring the "Joker"; a photo collection illustrating the history of the nation's third oldest professional fire department; and memorabilia, including uniforms, helmets, badges, and tools of the profession.

The center offers exhibits.