Prescott Farm [RI]

Description

Prescott Farm presents Revolutionary War era rural life in Aquidneck Island, Rhode Island. The site consists of public access areas, as well as several historic structures rented to tenant stewards. Historically, General Richard Prescott, commander of the 4,000-strong British occupying force on Aquidneck Island, took the house owned by Loyalist John Overing (the circa 1730 Nichols-Overing House) as his rural headquarters. On July 10, 1777, American Colonel William Barton, under cover of darkness, led a party of 30 or more men in longboats to the farm, where they absconded with Prescott and his aid. Structures on site include the 1812 Robert Sherman Windmill; the Hicks House, built circa 1715 and now called The Country Store; the mid–1700's guard house; and the Sweet-Anthony House, built circa 1730. Prescott Farm’s kitchen and herb gardens are living laboratories that showcase period horticulture as well as contemporary gardening practices. The plant varieties grown in the gardens represent what many Aquidneck Islanders may have used for food, medicine and other utilitarian purposes in the colonial era.

The farm offers exhibits, guided tours, and educational programming.

Blair County Historical Society [PA]

Description

The Blair County Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Blair County, Pennsylvania. The society operates a museum with period rooms and exhibits on the early iron industry, transportation, medicine, military history, toys, geology, and education. The museum is housed in the Baker Mansion. This home was occupied by iron master Elias Baker and his family beginning circa 1836. Other sites operated by the society include the Royer Mansion, previously owned by another iron master; the Dick Schoolhouse; and Etna Furnace. The Blair County Historical Society holds a collection approaching 100,000 artifacts. The major period covered is 1850 through the 1920's. The collection includes a wide variety of items depicting everyday life, including clothing and accessories, furniture, household appliances, toys, china, ceramics and glassware, lighting devices, and tools. Other categories include firearms and military relics, medical tools and equipment, transportation artifacts, rocks and minerals, and material from local schools and businesses.

The society offers a traveling trunk focused on mid–19th–century daily life; Royer Mansion tours; Baker Mansion tours; a museum exhibits; research library; and archives.

Agecroft Hall [VA]

Description

Agecroft Hall is a Tudor–style mansion built in Lancashire, England in the late 15th century. The mansion was relocated to Virginia circa 1925. The structure is furnished with authentic artifacts dating from 1485 to 1660, including a rare 17th–century painted wood bedstead. The site also includes a garden based on period (late Tudor and Stuart) English gardens.

The hall offers period rooms and several educational programs designed to meet state education standards.

Portland Museum [KY]

Description

The Portland Museum shares the history of Portland, a riverside community in Louisville, Kentucky, and its history as an independent town. Portland was home to Captain Mary Millicent Miller, the first woman licensed as a steamboat master in the United States. Collections include costumes, artwork, photographs, documents, oral histories, and vernacular objects.

The museum offers exhibits, an automated sound track, films, hands-on antique letterpress equipment, walking tours, games, readers and classroom materials for purchase, and educational materials in accordance with Kentucky educational standards. The website offers information on education transportation grants.

Cincinnati Fire Museum [OH]

Description

The Cincinnatti Fire Museum exhibits Greater Cincinnati's firefighting artifacts while honoring firefighters, past and present. The collection covers 200 years; and highlights include early leather fire buckets; an 1808 fire drum; and the oldest surviving fire engine in Cincinnati, an Hunneman hand pumper. Guests can also enter a modern Emergency–One fire engine cab. The museum is located in a 1907 firehouse.

The museum offers exhibits, field trip programming, a short film, computer interactives, hands–on activities, and safety demonstrations.

Museum of the City of New York [NY]

Description

The Museum of the City of New York presents the history of New York City and its people. Permanent exhibits offer artifacts and information relevant to New York's theatrical history, interior design, firefighting, maritime commerce, and toys made or used in the city. The collection consists of 1.5 million items in the following categories: decorative arts; prints, photographs, paintings, sculptures, and drawings of the city and/or its people; theater and Broadway; toys; and costumes and textiles.

The museum offers a 25-minute introductory multimedia presentation, exhibits, lectures, performances, guided school tours, educational programs, self-guided tours, summer programs, educator workshops, an after school architecture and urban planning program, and Saturday American history classes. Reservations are required for all school groups, guided or self-guided. Headsets and neck loops are available for hard-of-hearing visitors, and all films are captioned. The website offers materials for self-guided school groups.

Due to ongoing renovations, the fire engines are in storage; and the halls containing the exhibit New York Interiors (1690-1906) is currently closed.

Hingham Historical Society and Old Ordinary [MA]

Description

The Hingham Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Hingham, Massachusetts, founded circa 1633. To this end, the society now operates a historic tavern museum, Old Ordinary. The 17th-century structure was originally erected as a residence, but later served as a tavern. The site also boasts a period garden.

The museum offers period rooms and a garden.

Sherman Historical Society and Museums [CT]

Description

The Sherman Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Sherman, Connecticut, founded in 1802. To this end, the society operates two museums. The 1829 Federal-style Northrop House presents exhibits of local historical interest, while the circa 1810 Old Store presents both local history and the contents of a general store circa 1867.

The Northrop House Museum and The Old Store offer exhibits. The Old Store also offers period rooms.