Tualatin Historical Society and Heritage Center [OR]

Description

The Tualatin Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Tualatin, Oregon, settled circa 1850. To this end, the society operates the Tualtin Heritage Center, located within a 1926 Craftsmen-style church. Collection highlights include mastodon tusks and molars, Native American artifacts, an 1879 ox yoke, and Missoula flood objects. The center grounds include heritage gardens. The land was originally inhabited by the Atfalati tribe of the Kalapuya people.

The society offers exhibits, heritage gardens, and a family archive for genealogical research.

Mission San Luis [FL]

Description

The Mission San Luis recreates life at the time of Spanish settlement. The site depicts the ways of life of 17th-century Spanish settlers and the Apalachee people. Sights include the visitor's center, Apalachee council house, the Spanish Deputy Governor's home, and a Franciscan church and friary. Costumed living history interpreters show how the people interacted with each other, their material cultures, and the land.

The mission offers an introductory film, audio tours, exhibits, demonstrations, costumed living history interpreters, one- through three-hour interactive curriculum-based school tours, four curriculum-based school outreach programs, day camps, and workshops for adults. The film is captioned, audio tours are t-coil compatible, and arrangements can be made for a descriptive orientation for visually impaired visitors. Publications are available in Braille, and one exhibit was designed with the assistance of the Florida Division of Blind Services. Wheelchairs are available on request. The website offers pre- and post-visit lessons, vocabulary, and a teacher's guide

Buffalo Bill Historical Center [WY] Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/08/2008 - 13:37
Description

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center contains several museums devoted to Buffalo Bill, Western art, the Plains peoples, and Greater Yellowstone. The Buffalo Bill Museum presents the life of W.F. Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill, and his historical context in the American West. Cody (1846-1917) operated a Wild West show between 1883 and 1913, which helped to shape popular understandings of the Western frontier. The Whitney Gallery of Western Art displays major works of Western art. Artists represented in the collection include William Ranney, T.D. Kelsey (born 1946), Edgar S. Paxson (1852-1919), and Fritz Scholder (1937-2005). The Plains Indian Museum presents the history and culture of the people of the Plains. Collection strengths include the early reservation period (circa 1880-1930), the Lakota, Crow, Arapaho, Shoshone, and Cheyenne. The Cody Firearms Museum presents the world's most comprehensive collection of U.S. firearms. The Draper Museum of Natural History presents the natural history of the Greater Yellowstone area.

All sites offer exhibits. The Draper Museum of Natural History offers interactive exhibits, audio-visual elements, monthly lectures, and an interactive elementary school educational program. The center also offers research library access and research assistance. Center educational opportunities include themed guided tours for students, traveling trunks, resource kits, videos, and teacher workshops. The website offers a Plains Indian Museum virtual exhibit and Cody Firearms Museum firearms glossary and idiom listing.

The Whitney Gallery of Western Art is closed, as the site adds interpretation, situating artworks in context.

State Indian Museum State Historic Park [CA]

Description

The California State Indian Museum displays exhibits and artifacts illustrating the cultures of the state's first inhabitants. California's prehistoric population, one of the largest and most diverse in the Western hemisphere, was made up of over 150 distinct tribal groups who spoke at least 64 different languages. California Indian population estimates, before the arrival of the first Europeans, were at least 500,000 people. California Indian cultural artifacts in the museum include basketry, beadwork, clothing, and exhibits about the ongoing traditions of various California Indian tribes. Descendents of the first Californians, tens of thousands of them, still live in California and still cherish and carry on their unique cultural heritage. Indigenous people have donated many photographs of family, friends, and memorable times for use in the museum. A section of the museum features a hands-on area, where visitors can try their hand at using Indian tools, such as the pump drill, used for making holes in shell beads and other materials and the mortar and pestle and soap root brush, made from the soap root plant, all used for grinding acorns.

The museum offers exhibits and tours.

Cumberland County Historical Society and Museums [NJ]

Description

The Cumberland County Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Cumberland County, NJ. To this end, the society operates the Gibbon House Museum, John DuBois Maritime Museum, Reba and Warren Lummis Genealogical and Historical Research Library, and Cumberland County Prehistorical Museum. The John DuBois Maritime Museum presents Southern Jersey 19th- and 20th-century maritime history. Collections include caulking tools, rigging apparatus, shipwrights' tools, and builders' models. The Cumberland County Prehistorical Museum presents local ancient history, as well as more recent Native American history. Collections include Native American artifacts and fossils. Native American groups discussed include the Clovis, Lenape, Little Siconese, Sewapose, and Alloway.

The society offers exhibits, group tours, fourth and fifth grade educational programs, student tours, research library access, research assistance, hearthside cooking classes, and monthly continuing education classes. The John DuBois Maritime Museum is open by appointment only. A fee is charged for research assistance. At least two weeks notice is required for all school visits. The website offers pre- and post-visit activity suggestions.

Goodhue County Historical Society and History Center [MN]

Description

The Goodhue County Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Goodhue County, Minnesota. To this end, the society operates the History Center. Collections include more than 150,000 artifacts, ranging back to prehistoric times. Permanent displays address Native American life, military history, geology, natural history, sports, leisure, costume, agriculture, archaeology, business, and immigration.

The society offers exhibits, customizable one-hour guided tours of the History Center, student educational programs, traveling trunks, traveling exhibits, films for rental, artifacts available for classroom use, research library access, and research assistance. Two weeks advance notice is required for all guided tours. Traveling trunk topics include women in history, rural schools, archaeology, and immigration. A fee is charged for library use and for research assistance. The website offers historic photographs.

North Lake Tahoe Historical Society and Museums [CA]

Description

The North Lake Tahoe Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of the Lake Tahoe area, California. To this end, the society operates the Gatekeeper's Museum, Marion Steinbach Indian Basket Museum, and 1909 Watson Cabin. The Gatekeeper's Museums functions as a museum of local history. Highlights include historic court ledgers and oral histories. The Marion Steinbach Indian Basket Museum presents baskets, costumes, dolls, pottery and other artifacts from 85 Native American tribes. The Watson Cabin is a living history museum of local pioneer life.

The society offers exhibits, period rooms, and living history demonstrations. Please call ahead if severe weather is forecasted, as the museums may not be open.

Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site [ND]

Description

The Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site preserves the 1840s home and trading post of Métis legislator and businessman Antoine Blanc Gingras. Métis, meaning "mixed blood" or "mixed race," is a term used by people of combined Indian and European ancestry to describe themselves. Gingras's hand-hewn oak log store and home are among the few tangible remains of the fur trade in the Red River Valley. Both buildings on Gingras State Historic Site have been restored to their original appearance. Interpretive panels and exhibits about Gingras, Métis heritage, and the fur trade are located in the restored house.

The site offers exhibits.

Island County Historic Society and Museum [WA]

Description

The Island County Historic Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Island County, Washington from the Ice Age through the mid-20th century. Topics given particular emphasis include maritime history, Pacific Northwest Native American cultures, military history, and the settlers of 1853. Collections and archives number more than 19,000 items. The society operates a museum of local history, located on the former site of the 1870 Mother Fay’s Hotel.

The society offers exhibits, one-hour to 90-minute guided tours for students, library access, and research assistance. Research assistance requires payment of a fee. Two weeks advance notice is required for all visits by more than five individuals. Some student tours include pre-visit curriculum materials.

Hubbard County Historical Museum [MN]

Description

The Hubbard County Historical Museum presents the history of Hubbard County, Minnesota. Permanent exhibits include Native American life, farming, logging, quilts, and rooms depicting a pioneer cabin and a one-room schoolhouse. Collection strengths include Civil War artifacts and textiles.

The museum offers exhibits, period rooms, group programs, and tours.