Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park

Description

Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park contains a museum which interprets southwestern Virginia's pioneer and 1890s coal boom history. The museum is housed in the 1880s mansion of Rufus Ayers, a past Virginia attorney general; and boasts a collection of over 20,000 artifacts.

The museum offers exhibits, children's activities, workshops, educational programs, Scout programs, and picnic shelters. The grounds are largely wheelchair accessible, while the museum is not.

Gropius House

Description

Walter Gropius, founder of the German design school known as the Bauhaus, was one of the most influential architects of the 20th century. He designed this house as his family home in 1937, when he came to teach at Harvard's Graduate School of Design. Modest in scale, the house was revolutionary in impact. It combined the traditional elements of New England architecture—wood, brick, and fieldstone—with innovative materials rarely used in domestic settings at that time—glass block, acoustical plaster, and chrome banisters, along with the latest technology in fixtures. In keeping with Bauhaus philosophy, every aspect of the house and its surrounding landscape was planned for maximum efficiency and simplicity of design. The house contains an important collection of furniture designed by Marcel Breuer and made for the Gropiuses in the Bauhaus workshops.

The house offers tours and educational and recreational programs.

Lake Erie Islands Historical Society Museum [OH]

Description

The Lake Erie Islands Historical Society Museum presents information on the history of the Lake Erie Islands area in Ohio. The museum includes a boat building and information on Oliver H. Perry (1785–1819), victor of the War of 1812's Battle of Lake Erie; Jordan Freeman, one of Perry's crewmen; the Native Americans of the area; and everyday life circa 1900. Collections include an extensive variety of model ships and one of two remaining Francis Metallic Lifeboats in the United States.

The museum offers a 15–minute introductory film, exhibits, children's programs, tours, lectures, seasonal events, a research library, and archives. Reservations are required for school groups.

California Citrus State Historic Park

Description

This park preserves some of the rapidly vanishing cultural landscape of the citrus industry and tells the story of this industry's role in the history and development of California. The park recaptures the time when "Citrus was King" in California, recognizing the importance of the citrus industry in southern California. In the early 1900s, an effort to promote citrus ranching in the state brought hundreds of would-be citrus barons to California for the "second Gold Rush." The design of the park is reminiscent of a 1900s city park, complete with an activity center, interpretive structure, amphitheater, picnic area, and demonstration groves. The land contained within the park still continues to produce high-quality fruits.

The park offers exhibits, tours, demonstrations, educational programs, and recreational and educational events.

Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park [CA]

Description

Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park is a three-story, 26-room Victorian house museum that stands as a memorial to John and Annie Bidwell. John Bidwell was known throughout California and across the nation as an important pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician, and philanthropist. Annie Ellicott Kennedy Bidwell, the daughter of a socially prominent, high-ranking Washington official, was deeply religious, and committed to a number of moral and social causes. Annie was very active in the suffrage and prohibition movements.

The park offers a short film, exhibits, and tours.

Governor's Mansion State Historic Park [CA]

Description

California's executive mansion, popularly known as the Governor's Mansion, was built in 1877 for Albert and Clemenza Gallatin. Albert was a partner in the Sacramento hardware store of Huntington & Hopkins. The State of California purchased the house from Joseph and Louisa Steffens to use as a home for California's first families in 1903 for $32,500. Victorian architecture was somewhat out of style by then, but the house was suitably impressive, conveniently located, and comfortable. Today's guests see marble fireplaces from Italy, gold-framed mirrors from France, and exquisitely handcrafted hinges and doorknobs, all of which are reminders of the Gallatins and the Victorian era. Outside some of the Mansion's abundant vegetation includes flowers, shrubs, and trees dating back to 1877. When visitors look behind the grape-stake fence and see Governor Brown's swimming pool built in 1959, they are reminded that the Governor's Mansion State Historic Park is really a walk through time.

The park offers tours and occasional recreational and educational events.

Historic Pullman Foundation [IL]

Description

The Historic Pullman Foundation supports visitation, preservation, and restoration of the historic town of Pullman, Illinois. Founded in 1880 by George M. Pullman, president of Pullman's Palace Car Company, as a model industrial community, Pullman was situated for easy access to the big city markets of the day via rail. Buildings of note include the 1881 Hotel Florence; the 1880 rail car construction facility; the 1893 Market Hall, and the 1887 Greenstone Church, which contains one of the few manual tracker organs in the U.S. today. Artifacts on view include furniture from the Pullman Mansion and Hotel Florence, as well as a model train collection of Pullman manufactured rail cars.

Historic Pullman offers exhibits, an educational video, self-guided tours, walking tours, and tours specifically for schools and/or large groups.

Boldt Castle [NY]

Description

At the turn-of-the-century, George C. Boldt (1851–1916), millionaire proprietor of the world famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, set out to build a full size Rhineland castle in Alexandria Bay, on picturesque Heart Island. The grandiose structure was to be a display of his love for his wife, Louise. On the death of his wife in 1904, construction was ceased. The site tells of the Boldts' lifestyle and the history of the 1000 Islands region. There are a total of six structures: the Castle; the Power House, which was inspired by Medieval architecture and contains a period steam engine; the Alster Tower, used for entertainment purposes; the Hennery, containing a water tank and pigeon house; the Arch, modeled after Roman monuments, and a stone Gazebo.

Boldt Castle offers a 15 minute film, exhibits, and self-guided tours.

Senator George Norris State Historic Site [NE]

Description

George Norris spent over 40 years representing Nebraskans in the United States Congress, but he always returned to his humble house in McCook, which served as his home base from 1902 to 1944. At the Norris House, visitors will discover the fascinating story of the father of the Rural Electrification Act, the Tennessee Valley Authority Act, and Nebraska's one-house legislature. Exhibits located in the basement of the house trace the senator's life and career.

The site offers tours, exhibits, and occasional recreational and educational events.

Milford Historical Society and Museum [MI]

Description

The Milford Historical Society seeks to spread knowledge of the history of Milford, Michigan and the community thereof. To this end, they have established a museum and a research and archives room. The museum is housed in an 1853 Greek revival home, originally erected by a local cabinet maker. The building has previously been a home to local merchants and the offices for Milford Village, Milford Township, and the local police department. The upper floor is furnished in a late Victorian style, and contains locally made furniture. In contrast, the lower floor recreates 1830s cabin life.

The society offers museum exhibits and a research room.