Lake Perris State Recreational Area and Ya'i Heki' Regional Indian Museum [CA]

Description

Two hundred years ago, when the first overland immigrants from Mexico passed through this area under the leadership of Captain Juan Bautista de Anza, they saw a fertile valley, well watered by springs and even a small river that ran into San Jacinto Lake. Now, the river has been diverted and several of the springs have disappeared. The Regional Indian Museum, located in the park, offers a look into the lives of the native peoples who lived in the area before the Spanish habitation.

The museum offers tours and exhibits.

Clear Lake State Park [CA]

Description

Clear Lake State Park is on the shores of California's largest freshwater lake. The area is popular for all kinds of water recreation, including swimming, fishing, boating, and water-skiing. Hikers enjoy the Indian Nature Trail, a self-guided trail that shows how the Pomo people, who lived in the area for centuries, utilized the area's resources. The trail passes through the site of what was once a Pomo village. The park visitor center features displays about the area's natural and cultural history.

The park offers exhibits and tours.

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park [CA]

Description

Located in the heart of the Napa Valley wine country, the Park offers camping, picnicking, swimming, and hiking trails that go through stands of coastal redwoods as well as forests of Douglas-fir, tanoak, and madrone. Next to the park's visitor center is the Native American Garden which displays some of the plants important to the first people of this area. Today, many of the same plants are used by the Wappo people. A guide for the garden is available by mail or in the visitor center to broaden one's understanding of the first people. Near the day use/picnic area is the Pioneer Cemetery, resting-place of some of the original settlers of the Napa Valley. The cemetery is currently under restoration to return it to its original, mid-1800s appearance.

The site offers exhibits and occasional recreational and educational programs.

Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park [CA]

Description

Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park is California's State Regional Indian Museum representing Great Basin Indian cultures. The exhibits and interpretive emphasis are on American Indian groups (both aboriginal and contemporary) of the Southwest, Great Basin, and California culture regions, since Antelope Valley was a major prehistoric trade corridor linking all three of these culture regions. The museum contains the combined collections of founder Howard Arden Edwards and subsequent owner Grace Oliver. A number of the cultural materials on display are rare or one-of-a-kind objects.

PLEASE NOTE: At present, the museum is closed indefinitely for stabilization. During the interim, a small collection and information can be found nearby at the Saddleback Butte State Park visitor center, located 4 miles north at 170th Street East and East Avenue J.

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

Angel Island State Park [CA]

Description

In the middle of San Francisco Bay sits Angel Island State Park. Three thousand years ago, the island was a fishing and hunting site for Coastal Miwok Indians. It was later a haven for Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala, a cattle ranch, and a U.S. Army post. From 1910 to 1940, the island processed hundreds of thousands of immigrants, the majority from China. During World War II, Japanese and German POWs were held on the island, which was also used as a jumping-off point for American soldiers returning from the Pacific. In the '50s and '60s, the island was home to a Nike missile base.

The site offers tours, exhibits, and educational and recreational programs and events, and works in coordination with the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, listed above, for educational programs focusing on the immigration history of the island.

Scarborough Historical Society

Description

"The Scarborough Historical Society was established in 1961 to protect the rich history, heritage, and traditions of Scarborough. Pieces of that heritage were rapidly being taken out of state by those who were willing to pay the price. The mission of our society is to inform the community of this history by collecting, preserving, and displaying materials associated with our past."

Boulder Historical Society [CO]

Description

"The Boulder Historical Society and Museum was founded in 1944 by A.A. 'Gov' Paddock, then publisher of the Boulder Daily Camera. The organization, now called the Boulder History Museum, is located in the historic landmark Harbeck-Bergheim House on University Hill in Boulder, Colorado. A private-not-for-profit organization, it is governed by a board of trustees of 18 community leaders and has a staff of five. Its mission is to foster understanding and appreciation for the unique history of the Boulder region and the resourceful, innovative people who have chosen to live here - a living history that grows with each new generation."

Culberson County Historical Museum

Description

"The museum building is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Van Horn. When Culberson County was first created (it broke off from El Paso County), the Museum site served as the first courthouse while one was being constructed. It subsequently served as a hotel for more than four decades. It was purchased in 1979 by the Museum Association and has been in the process of restoration since that time.

The Museum contains a large quantity of artifacts reflecting the history of Van Horn and the surrounding area. It features an old western style saloon with bar and mirrored back bar which have been in the same room since the early 1900’s. There are displays showing the history of mining, ranching, the railroad, and other early activities, as well as personal items which belonged to members of early pioneer families who first settled here."