E. D. White Historic Site [LA] Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/30/2009 - 16:13
Description

This National Historic Landmark was the residence of two of Louisiana's foremost political figures, Edward Douglas White, who was governor from 1835 to 1839, and his son, Edward Douglass White, who was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1894 and served as chief justice from 1910 to 1921.

Today, an exhibit tells the story of the Bayou Lafourche area, with sections on the Chitimacha Indians, Acadian settlers, sugarcane plantations, slavery, and the White family.

1850 House [LA]

Description

The Upper and Lower Pontalba Buildings, which make up the 1850 House, were built by the Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba, the daughter of Don Andres Almonester y Roxas, the Spanish colonial landowner associated with the neighboring Cabildo, Cathedral, and Presbytere. Inspired by the imposing Parisian architecture the Baroness favored, the rowhouses were intended to serve as both elegant residences and fine retail establishments.

To illustrate the landmark's historical significance, the State Museum has recreated what one of the residences would have looked like during the Antebellum era when the Baroness Pontalba first opened her doors. Furnished with domestic goods, decorative arts, and art of the period, the 1850 House depicts middle-class family life during the most prosperous period in New Orleans's history. Limited docent- and curator-led tours are available, as is self-directed viewing.

Presbytere [LA]

Description

The Presbytere, originally called the Casa Curial (Ecclesiastical House), derives its name from the fact that it was built on the site of the residence, or presbytere, of the Capuchin monks. It was designed in 1791 to match the Cabildo, or Town Hall, on the other side of St. Louis Cathedral. The building initially was used for commercial purposes until 1834 when it became a courthouse.

Today, the Presbytere offers exhibits on New Orleans history and culture.

Arsenal [LA]

Description

Built in 1839, the Arsenal was designed by noted architect James Dakin and is associated with an infamous battle that happened after the Civil War. During the period of Reconstruction several clashes occurred throughout the state between integrated and white supremacist groups. In 1874, the Battle of Liberty Place, wherein the Metropolitan Police of New Orleans were pitted against the Crescent City White League, occurred. The White League prevailed, forcing the Metropolitan Police into the Customhouse and the Cabildo. From the adjacent Arsenal, the Police fought back by shooting cannonballs toward Chartres Street.

Today, the Arsenal offers exhibits and occasional recreational and educational events.

Santa Fe Trail Center Museum and Research Library [KS] Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/27/2009 - 16:24
Description

The Santa Fe Trail Center interprets the historic transportation route known as the Santa Fe Trail. This regional museum and library preserves artifacts and manuscripts related to the blending of the major cultures along the Trail and enhances understanding of the continued development of the Trail. The center presents interrelated interpretive exhibits, learning programs, and resource materials to engage the public in learning about its past.

The center offers exhibits, school tours, and research library access.

Hill-Stead Museum [CT]

Description

Renowned French Impressionist paintings—four by Claude Monet, three by Edgar Dega—and notable works by Édouard Manet, Mary Cassatt, and James McNeill Whistler are highlights of the Museum's in situ exhibition. The 152-acre property features an Arts and Crafts carriage barn and theater, stone garages, woodland trails, a pond and dairy complex, and a Sunken Garden designed by Beatrix Farrand c. 1920.

The museum offers exhibits, tours, research library access, educational programs, and recreational and educational events.

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center [CT]

Description

The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center preserves and interprets Stowe's Hartford home and the Center's historic collections, promotes vibrant discussion of her life and work, and inspires commitment to social justice and positive change. A visit to the Center includes the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, a Victorian Gothic Revival home (1871) which includes Victorian-style gardens; the Katharine Seymour Day House (1884), a mansion adjacent to the Stowe House; and the Stowe Visitor Center (1873), with changing exhibitions.

The center offers exhibits, tours, reference library access, and occasional recreational and educational events.

Littleton Historical Museum [CO]

Description

The Museum serves as the primary repository for the history, art, and culture of Littleton. It consists of two living history farms (one from the 1860s and one from the 1890s), a small lake, a collections center, and a main exhibition and administration building. Interpreters work the farm sites, run the blacksmith shop, and teach in the schoolhouse, offering a "living history" perspective to the museum visitor.

The museum offers exhibits, research library access, and recreational and educational events (including living history events).

Woodside Store [CA]

Description

D.O. Tripp and Mathias Parkhurst built the Woodside Store in 1854. Early customers included loggers chopping down the redwoods. Dr. Tripp sold them everything from work boots and ax handles to flour and ham. When farmers settled in the area, the Woodside Store served as their county store, post office, and community center until 1909. Today, visitors can browse the shelves of the Woodside Store, restored to its 1880s appearance, and see the goods available in the mid-to-late 1800s—from canned fruit and frying pans to nails and sewing machines.

The store offers exhibits, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).