Wisconsin Historical Society

Description

The Wisconsin Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of the state of Wisconsin. To this end, the society operates the Wisconsin Historical Museum. Permanent exhibits include frontier and immigration history, as well as Native American life. The Native American exhibit includes an Aztalan-style house, which visitors are welcome to enter. Collections consist of more than 110,000 objects and 400,000 artifacts.

The museum offers exhibits, films, interactive audio-visual presentations, full-scale dioramas, workshops, storytelling, lectures, demonstrations, an activity-based self-guided tour, guided tours, hands-on activities, and educational programs in compliance with state educational standards. Reservations are required for school groups and for use of the lunchroom. The society also offers archaeology traveling trunks and outreach presentations for second through fourth grade students. The website offers an extensive state historical database, lesson plans, information on National History Day programming, virtual exhibits, an educational framework on historical thinking, educational games, a fourth-grade textbook, and exhibit-related teachers' guides.

Farmers' Museum [NY]

Description

The Farmer's Museum is an outdoor historical museum which presents the rural heritage of the U.S. Key features include an 1840s village, heritage gardens, and the Lippitt Farmstead. The farm site includes heritage breeds of sheep, turkeys, and cattle, as well as a farmhouse, barns, a granary, a hop house, a smokehouse, and a poultry house. An interactive 1910 county fair is on the grounds on a seasonal basis. Collections consist of over 23,000 artifacts including wallpaper, textiles, and a particularly strong showing of historical woodworking tools.

The museum offers period rooms, gardens, hands-on activities, demonstrations, historic skill workshops, lectures, educational children's programs, a children's interpretation program, and guided tours for groups. Two weeks advance notice is required for group tours. The website offers a museum blog.

J.E.B. Stuart Birthplace [VA]

Description

The J.E.B. Stuart Birthplace commemorates the site where J.E.B. Stuart (1833-1864), future Confederate commander, was born. Best known for his mastery of both cavalry and reconnaissance, Stuart treasured his family lands, but was unable to retire to them due to his death on May 12th, 1864, following a wound received at the Battle of Yellow Tavern. The site presents information on his family home, destroyed by fire, and his role in the Civil War.

The site offers a self-guided walking tour with interpretive signage.

Frank Lloyd Wright's The Westcott House [OH]

Description

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) built The Westcott House in 1908 as a Prairie Style residence. Wright pioneered the Prairie Style (1893-circa 1917) as a means of connecting architecture with the natural landscape. Features include bands of windows, open floor plans, and emphasis on horizontal line—the horizontal echoing the Midwestern horizon and considered to be symbolic of freedom and domesticity. Wright is known for designing the totality of his works—from the architecture to the interior finishes and furnishings—in order to create a designed immersion environment. The Westcott House is the only Prairie Style dwelling in Ohio.

The house offers an 8-minute introductory video and a 45-minute guided tour. Reservations are highly recommended; and are necessary for tours in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, French, Polish, Swedish and ASL. The second floor is not accessible by wheelchair.

Woodlawn Museum [ME]

Description

Woodlawn Museum is a historic home, containing its original furnishings. Collections include both European and American art, furniture, carriages, and sleighs. Completed in 1827, Woodlawn housed a major area timber and land dealing family.

The museum offers guided tours, period rooms, free croquet lessons, an annual lecture series, a hands-on historic game library, and gardens. All special events include children's activities. Reservations are required for school tours. Picnic lunches are welcome on grounds. The website offers children's activities.

Vincennes State Historic Sites [IN]

Description

The Vincennes State Historic Sites commemorate Indiana's early state history—with the city itself founded in 1732. Structures include the 1805 Indiana Territory capital building; a historic print shop; the birthplace of the author Maurice Thompson; an 1838 bank; Fort Knox II, hospital to the wounded of the Battle of Tippecanoe; the 1801 Jefferson Academy; and a prehistoric burial mound. Maurice Thompson (1844-1901) authored 1900's bestselling romance novel, Alice of Old Vincennes. Topics covered include slavery, military life, domestic life, historical sciences, the fur trade.

The sites offer period rooms, educational outreach programs, group tours, educational presentations, interpretive signage, educational programs, lesson plans, and summer camps.

History Center of Stamford [CT]

Description

The History Center of Stamford presents the history of Stamford, Connecticut. To this end, the society operates a research library, archives, an exhibition gallery, and the circa 1765 Hoyt Barnum House. This residence was home to the children or grandchildren of Stamford's founders. Furnishings date to the 17th and 18th centuries.

The center offers exhibits, library access, and period rooms. The Hoyt Barnum House is open by appointment. The website offers a selection of historical images and a virtual tour of the Hoyt Barnum House.

Novo Restoration [CO]

Description

Novo Restoration seeks to prevent the demolition of and determine a new function for Loveland, Colorado's historic feed and grain building. As of yet, the proposed re-purposing is development of artist housing.

This organization offers monthly tours.

Michigan Firehouse Museum

Description

The Michigan Firehouse Museum, located within Ypsilanti's 1898 firehouse and a 12,000 square foot exhibit area, presents state fire fighting history and modern fire safety. The firehouse bunk room has been restored to period appearance. Collections include 20 historical fire rigs and other fire fighting apparatus.

The museum offers a period room, exhibits, and group tours. Please call in advance for group visits.

Huntington Historical Society and Historic Structures [NY]

Description

The Huntington Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Huntington, New York. To that end, the society operates four historical structures: the 1795 Dr. Daniel Kissam House Museum, 1750 David Conklin Farmhouse, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building, and the Huntington Sewing and Trade School. The trade school building, which housed one of the United States' earliest vocational schools, now holds the society's library.

The Dr. Daniel Kissam House Museum offers period rooms and exhibits, while the David Conklin Farmhouse offers guided tours and period rooms in Colonial, Federal, and Victorian styles. The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building offers exhibits. The society also offers interactive educational outreach programs with slide presentations, interactive educational programs led by costumed interpreters and aligned with state educational standards, day camps, lectures, after-school programs, and outreach lectures. The Dr. Daniel Kissam House Museum is open by appointment only, and reservations are required for group tours of the David Conklin Farmhouse. Students may use the archives free of charge.