Mount Airy Museum of Regional History [NC]

Description

The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History is dedicated to preserving the history of Mount Airy and the surrounding area. The museum houses a variety of permanent and temporary exhibits, and also is home to a research library.

The museum offers guided tours, field trip programs, exhibits, and special events. The website offers an events calendar, a brief history of the Mount Airy region, and visitor information.

State Historical Society of North Dakota and North Dakota Heritage Center

Description

The State Historical Society of North Dakota preserves and presents the history of the state of North Dakota. To this end, the society operates extensive archives and a heritage center. The Main Gallery offers an overview of North Dakota history from the Late Cretaceous (circa 65 million years ago) to the 1930s. A number of temporary exhibits are also on view at any given time.

The society offers exhibits, a children's area, school tours, archival and genealogical library access, and research assistance. A fee is charged for research assistance. The website offers online archival materials, lesson plans, and virtual exhibits.

Los Encinos State Historic Park [CA]

Description

Los Encinos State Historic Park was the hub of Rancho El Encino. Located in the San Fernando Valley, this California rancho includes the original nine-room de la Ossa Adobe, the two-story limestone Garnier building, a blacksmith shop, a natural spring, and a pond. Located along a significant travel route between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, the property passed through many hands between the 1840s and the early 20th century. Today, the park contains exhibits related to the agricultural enterprises of Rancho El Encino's various owners, including Mission Indian, Mexican Californio, French, and French Basque families.

The site offers exhibits, tours, and living history events.

Fort Benton [MT]

Description

Fort Benton is located on the banks of the Missouri River and served as a fur trading outpost. The fort was abandoned in the 1860s, and was occupied briefly by the U.S. military before it was finally abandoned for good in 1871. The fort has recently undergone an extensive renovation, and now serves as a museum of Montana history.

The fort offers exhibits, guided tours, and special events. The website offers visitor information and brief history of the fort.

Shinnecock National Cultural Center and Museum

Description

The Shinnecock National Cultural Center and Museum presents the history and modern culture of the Shinnecock, an Algonquin people. Permanent exhibits include bronze figures of Native Americans and murals, created by Shinnecock artist David Bunn Martine, depicting Shinnecock history.

The museum offers exhibits, private tours, interactive curriculum-based student tours, and educational outreach programs for students. Please make reservations at least two weeks in advance for private tours.

New Echota Historic Site [GA]

Description

New Echota was the site of the Cherokee capital established in 1825. New Echota was home to notable events such as the first Indian language newspaper office, a court case which carried to the Supreme Court, a treaty which relinquished Cherokee claims east of the Mississippi, and the assembly of the Cherokee for removal west on the Trail of Tears. Today, the former capital is open to visitors and features 12 original and reconstructed buildings, as well as a visitor center.

The historic site offers self-guided tours, exhibits and a short film in the visitor center, and a short nature trail. The website offers visitor information, a photo gallery, and a brief history of the New Echota.

Friends of Jefferson Patterson [MD]

Description

Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (JPPM) is the state archeological museum of Maryland and is located on 560 scenic acres along the Patuxent River in Calvert County, Maryland. JPPM is home to the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory, which houses over 8 million artifacts which are available for research, education, and exhibit purposes to students, scholars, museum curators, and educators. JPPM is also a vibrant center for education.

School groups learn about Native American and Colonial history and archaeology. Visitors enjoy workshops on pottery, basketry, carving or sewing, talks about the history of the Chesapeake Bay region, or exhibits “FAQ Archaeology” and "The War of 1812." Behind the scenes tours of the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory show how artifacts are treated and studied. Maryland educators can rent a 4th-grade travelling trunk on Eastern Woodland Indian Cultures. Downloadable teacher resources, including pre- and post-visit activities, are available on the museum's website.

Grand Village of Natchez Indians [MS]

Description

The 128-acre Grand Village of Natchez Indians was the key ceremonial site of the Natchez people between 1682 and 1729. At the end of this period, the Natchez attacked the French who had settled in their homeland, southwest Mississippi. The French secured such a decisive victory that the Natchez were permanently dispersed in 1729. The Natchez people had called southwest Mississippi their home from as early as approximately 700. The Natchez were farmers, hunters, and gatherers; and their society was organized into two moieties, with membership determined by matrilineal inheritance. The site includes a museum, a reconstructed Natchez dwelling, and three earthen mounds—the Great Sun's Mound, the Temple Mound, and the Abandoned Mound. The Temple Mound once supported a temple which housed the remains of Natchez leaders.

The village site offers exhibits, a reconstructed period dwelling, a nature trail, a children's hands-on area, group tours, and student educational programs. Reservations are required for group tours and educational programs.

Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site [ND]

Description

Known historically as "the Gateway to the Dakotas," Fort Abercrombie was the first permanent United States military fort established in what was to become North Dakota. It was also the only post in the area to be besieged by Dakota (Sioux) warriors for more than six weeks during the Dakota Conflict of 1862. During the Dakota Conflict, Minnesota Volunteer soldiers manned the fort when area settlers sought shelter there. The "regular" U.S. Army soldiers had been withdrawn during the Civil War and had been replaced by the Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. The fort was not protected by blockhouses or a palisade during the seige, but these defensive structures were constructed soon afterward. The fort guarded the oxcart trails of the later fur trade era, military supply wagon trains, stagecoach routes, and steamboat traffic on the Red River. It also was a supply base for two major gold-seeking expeditions across Dakota into Montana. Fort Abercrombie served as a hub for several major transportation routes through the northern plains.

The site offers exhibits.

Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center [NY]

Description

The Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center presents the history of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York. Museum permanent exhibits cover the Franklin Automobile; historic brewing; pottery manufacturing; the Underground Railroad; and county trades, transportation, architecture, settlement, and immigration. Collections include textiles, artwork, decorative arts, Native American artifacts, toys, and locally made commercial products.

The museum offers exhibits, research center access, research assistance, outreach presentations, and educational programs. Note that both research center usage and research assistance require payment. The website offers featured artifact information, a research library catalog, videos on topics of historical interest, children's activities, and an image database. The society also offers educator workshops.