William Howard Taft National Historic Site [OH]

Description

The William Howard Taft National Historic Site contains the house in which Taft (1857-1930), 27th President of the United States and 10th Chief Justice, was born and raised. Taft's term (1908-1912) is remembered for trust-busting, promotion of the 16th Amendment, and global economic development efforts. The first floor of the Greek Revival structure houses period rooms, while the second floor is devoted to exhibits. Topics include both Taft himself and his family.

The site offers guided tours of the William Howard Taft Birth Home, exhibits, period rooms, ranger-led field trips, and Junior Ranger activities. The website offers lesson plans.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park [KY]

Description

The 20,000-acre Cumberland Gap National Historical Park preserves the site of the original "gateway to the west" used by settlers and pioneers. Native American populations had used this gap to cross the mountains for centuries prior to the arrival of European Americans. However, Daniel Boone (1734-1820) opened the Wilderness Road through Cumberland Gap to these settlers in 1775. Sites of historical note include a historical iron furnace, the 1904 Hensley Settlement, and fortifications dating to the Civil War.

The park offers two introductory films, interactive exhibits, an educational activity area for children, Appalachian craft demonstrations, two-hour cave tours, three-and-a-half- or four-hour settlement tours, Junior Ranger activities, and picnic sites. Please note that if you are interested in the cave tour, the National Park Service requests that you do not wear clothing that you have worn to another cave. This is an effort to avoid spreading White-Nose Syndrome, a condition which has caused the death of countless bats. Even if you personally fear or dislike these creatures, please remember that they are an important part of their (and our) ecosystems.

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument [FL]

Description

The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument contains the original Castillo de San Marcos, a fortification built by the Spanish to defend their position in America. It is the only remaining 17th-century fort in North America. The star-shaped "bastion system" of the architecture was an adaptation to cannon warfare. The monument presents the story of several groups involved in the fort's history, including the Timucuan, the Seminole, the Apache, Spaniards, African Americans, Englishmen, Frenchmen, Minorcans, and U.S. citizens. Interpreters in period dress discuss life in the fort.

The monument offers a 25-minute introductory film, exhibits, self-guided fortification tours, interpretive talks, re-enactors, weaponry demonstrations, Junior Ranger programs, and a green suitable for picnics. The upper gun deck is not wheelchair accessible. Tour brochures are available in English, Spanish, German, Japanese, French, Italian, Dutch, and Russian. The website offers historical photographs, vocabulary, a map study, and other educational materials.

Sitka National Historical Park [AK]

Description

The 113-acre Sitka National Historical Park commemorates the 1804 Battle of Sitka, the last major clash between the Tlingit and Russians. The site offers information on Tlingit culture, the Russian legacy within the United States, the battle, and the local environment. Key sights include a visitor's center and the 1843 Russian Bishop's House, one of a handful of remaining Russian colonial structures. Collections consist of more than 154,000 artifacts.

The park offers a 12-minute introductory film, exhibits, period rooms, demonstrations, Junior Ranger activities, beach exploration packs, curriculum-based education programs, and outreach programs. During the summer, ranger-led programs are also offered. The Russian Bishop's House is not wheelchair accessible. Visitors unable to enter the home can view an audiovisual program. The website offers historic photographs, an electronic field trip, a virtual tours of the Russian Bishop's House and totem pole trail, a teacher's guide, a salmon coloring book, interactive wildlife activities, a salmon jigsaw puzzle, and Web Ranger activities.

Scotts Bluff National Monument [NE]

Description

Scotts Bluff National Monument encompasses 3,000 acres of natural bluff formations that once served as landmarks for pioneers on the Oregon, California, Mormon, and Pony Express Trails. The park's four-room Oregon Trail Museum and Visitor Center houses displays on natural history, westward expansion, and the artwork of William Henry Jackson (1843-1942).

The site offers a slide presentation, exhibits, historic and nature trails (including remnants of the Oregon Trail), living history demonstrations (in the summer months), guided hikes, and other recreational and educational events.

Fort Larned National Historic Site [KS]

Description

The Fort Larned National Historic Site presents nine restored structures, including barracks, squad room, commissary, food stores, school house, and mess hall. The circa 1859 fort once offered protection to travelers along the Santa Fe Trail and maintained relations with the Plains Indians, as one of several Indian Agencies.

The site offers an introductory slide presentation, exhibits, and a research library. The site is only partially wheelchair accessible. The website offers a lesson plan.

Touro Synagogue National Historic Site [RI]

Description

The Touro Synagogue was dedicated in 1762, and serves an active congregation today. The congregation was founded in 1658 by Sephardim who fled the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal and were searching for a haven from religious persecution in the Caribbean. Today, the synagogue celebrates not only their story, but serves to honor all who came to this shore seeking to worship freely.

A second website for the synagogue can be found here.

The site offers tours.

Hot Springs National Park [AR]

Description

The Hot Springs National Park preserves the history surrounding Hot Springs, Arkansas. The area has been a destination for individuals of all classes seeking relaxation and revitalization of health for more than 200 years. Sights include the historic Fordyce Bathhouse, in operation between 1915 and 1962, and the springs themselves.

The park offers a 15-minute introductory film, guided tours, guided tours for students, self-guided tours, traveling trunks, Junior Ranger activities, scenic mountain roads, a 9-minute film depicting the traditional bath routine, the opportunity to take a bath in the hot springs, 26 miles of trails, and picnic sites. The NPS warns that many sites in the area claim to be the Hot Springs National Park but are not. When hiking, visitors are asked to remain on the trails. Group tours require at least two weeks advance notice. Architectural models are available for visually impaired visitors. An American Sign Language interpreter can be on site for tours if requested at the time tour reservations are made. The website offers lesson plans.

Golden Spike National Historic Site [UT] Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/08/2008 - 13:38
Description

The Golden Spike National Historic Site commemorates the 1869 joining of the Union and Central Pacific railway companies to create the nation's first transcontinental railroad. The Golden Spike itself was ceremonial, and was not embedded in the tracks.

The site offers five films, two auto tours, a 1.5 mile walking trail, and Junior Ranger activities. During the summer, the site also offers steam demonstrations and re-enactments of the May 10, 1869 Last Spike Ceremony.

El Morro National Monument [NM]

Description

The El Morro National Monument preserves a campsite which has been used by Ancestral Puebloans, the Spanish, and U.S. immigrants, leaving 2,000 years of petroglyphs, signatures, and other carvings. The site's popularity for early travelers is derived from the fact that a waterhole could be reliably located near the base of the bluffs. These bluffs provided natural defense for Atsinna, an Ancestral Pueblo dwelling site which was inhabited between 1275 and 1350.

The monument offers a 15-minute introductory video, exhibits, a 1/2 mile trail which passes the pool and numerous inscriptions, a 2 mile trail which reaches Atsinna, Junior Ranger activities, a children's corner, and a picnic area. The 1/2 mile trail is wheelchair accessible with assistance. School groups may reserve the picnic area. Visitors are asked to remain on the trails for their own safety.