Oral History Digital Collection

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Image for Oral History Digital Collection
Annotation

These full-text first-person narratives present the voices of more than 2,000 people from northeast Ohio discussing issues significant to the state and the nation. These oral histories, collected since 1974, focus on a range of topics such as ethnic culture, including African American, Greek, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Puerto Rican, Romanian, and Russian, and industry, such as steel, pottery, brick, coal, and railroads.

Others discuss labor relations, including women in labor unions, wars (World War II, Vietnam, Gulf War), college life (including the shootings by National Guard troops at Kent State in 1970), the Holocaust, and religion. Subject access is available through more than 200 topics listed alphabetically.

Boot Hill Museum [KS]

Description

The Museum preserves the history of Dodge City and the Old West. Its Front Street buildings are reconstructions, representing Dodge City in 1876 and exhibiting hundreds of original artifacts. The various exhibits throughout the museum depict life in early Dodge City, and include a collection of over 200 original guns, a working print shop, and an extensive collection of drugstore items.

The museum offers exhibits, living history demonstrations, historically-inspired variety show entertainment, stagecoach rides, and chuckwagon-style dinners.

French Lick/West Baden Springs

Description

Unprecedented in the nation, the grand hotels in French Lick and West Baden Springs—both listed in the National Register of Historic Places and located one mile apart in southern Indiana—offer a window on the grand hotel era of the early 20th century and the tradition of "taking the waters." Guests from Al Capone to FDR, Bing Crosby to Helen Keller, captains of industry and pampered socialites, came to imbibe the waters and take spa treatments, enjoy sports and entertainments, and test their luck in the casinos. Today, the restored French Lick and West Baden Springs Hotels still draw visitors for the same pursuits. Like Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, and Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, French Lick and West Baden Springs offer overnight accommodations in an atmosphere steeped in history.

The hotels offer tours.

Museum Center at 5ive Points [TN]

Description

The Museum Center at 5ive Points presents the sociocultural history of Southeast Tennessee's Ocoee District. The museum's permanent exhibit discusses local Cherokee and other Native American life, the Trail of Tears and settlement, antebellum life, industry and commerce, the World War I and II eras, and the 1996 Olympics. Seven fictional living history characters give the exhibits a personal tone.

The center offers exhibits, a summer art camp, thematic school tours, homeschool programs, traveling trunks, and 50-minute interactive outreach programs.
Reservations are required for groups of 12 or more.

Micanopy Historical Society Museum [FL]

Description

The Micanopy Historical Society Museum presents the history of Micanopy, FL. The museum is housed within a circa 1850 warehouse which once held lumber and agricultural tools. Exhibits address a local trading post, zoology, transportation, the post, general stores, naval pine resin derivatives, Seminole textiles, Seminole war chiefs, the Civil War, World War homefront life, and laundry technology. Highlights include a circa 1930 Coca-Cola sign, an ice box, a 1906 wedding gown, and a Sibley tent stove.

The museum offers exhibits.

Stranahan House [FL]

Description

The Stranahan House was originally built in 1901 as a trading post for the Seminole and area settlers. Shortly thereafter, the structure was used as a post office, town hall, and community center. Between 1906 and 1971, the site served as the residence of Frank and Ivy Stranahan. Frank was postmaster and a banker and businessman, while Ivy taught. The home has been restored to a 1913 through 1915 appearance, and is furnished accordingly.

The house offers period rooms, one-hour guided tours, educational programs for students, an outreach program for students, guided group tours, and guided Scout tours. Group tours are by advance notice. The website offers student activities.

Hugh Mercer Apothecary [VA]

Description

This 18th-century building was restored to house the Hugh Mercer Apothecary. Dr. Mercer served the citizens of Fredericksburg with medicines and treatments of the time. Leeches, lancets, snakeroot, and crab claws made up just some of the remedies. Dr. Mercer practiced medicine for 15 years in Fredericksburg. His patients included Mary Washington. Dr. Mercer left his practice to join the Revolutionary army and died as a Brigadier General at the Battle of Princeton.

The site offers tours.

Department of Transportation: Digital Special Collections

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Logo, DoT Library
Annotation

This archival site makes available public papers and government investigative and research reports concerning the history of transportation in the U.S. It contains Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and Department of Transportation railroad accident investigation reports from 1911 to 1994, with more than 4,000 reports, as well as aircraft accident reports from 1934 to 1965, with more than 790 reports. "Turner, Fairbank, and MacDonald" papers contains more than 540 public papers of Thomas H. MacDonald, H.S. Fairbank, and F.C. Turner of the Bureau of Public Roads and later the Federal Highway Administration. These include reports, speeches, development plans, and memoranda. Fairbank's papers cover the period 1920 to 1954, MacDonald's from 1919 to 1952, and Turner's from 1947 to 1971. Other documents include civil aeronautics manuals; Federal Aviation Administration research reports; historical Department of Transportation orders; U.S. Coast Guard navigation and inspection circulars from the 1960s to the present; and reports from the 1924, 1926, 1930, and 1934 National Conferences on Street and Highway Safety. Each collection of materials can be searched individually.

Andover Historical Society [MA]

Description

The Andover Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Andover, Massachusetts, founded 1646. To this end, the society operates the 1819 Amos Blanchard House and Barn Museum which illustrates the life of an early 19th-century (1820-1850), middle-class family. The barn contains a variety of vernacular tools. According to the society site, tour topics include "politics, religion, women's roles, economics, banking, youth, education, household management, and agriculture." Extensive archival materials are available for research at the Caroline M. Underhill Research Center.

The society offers exhibits, period rooms, guided tours, educational programs, hands-on activities, and archival access.

Fort King George Historic Site [GA]

Description

Fort King George is the oldest English fort remaining on Georgia's coast. The fort was in operation from 1721 until 1736, when it was abandoned. Later, in the 19th century, the location was used as a major export center for lumber. Today, visitors can explore the reconstructed Fort King George, as well as three sawmills and tabby ruins which showcase the history of the location as a lumber exporter. The site is also home to a museum.

The fort offers visitors guided tours, interpretive events, a brief historical film, and a variety of exhibits and special events. The website offers a link to the Georgia Teacher's Resource for Touring Historic Sites, specific lesson plans for touring Fort King George, a brief history of the fort, a 15-photo photograph gallery, an event calendar, and visitor information.