Mackinac State Historic Parks [MI]

Description

Mackinac State Historic Parks is the coalition of parks located on Mackinac Island. The Island is home to the Mackinac State Park, which covers roughly 70 percent of the island, Historic Downtown, which consists of five historic buildings and features costumed interpreters, Colonial Michlimackinac, a colonial fur trading outpost, the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, and Fort Mackinac, which was occupied by British soldiers in the 18th century and American soldiers in the 19th century.

The organization offers guided tours, field trip programs, outdoor activities in the state park, interpretive events, and occasional special events such as re-enactments. The website offers visitor information, histories of the five parks, event calendars, and several photo galleries.

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.

Fresno Historical Society [CA]

Description

The Fresno Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the history of Fresno, California, and of California's Central Valley, one of the five most fertile valleys in the world. The society also operates the Kearney Historic Site, which showcases the history of the valley through the home of Theo Kearney, a raisin mogul.

The society offers a lecture series, tours of the Kearney estate, field trip programs, and educational outreach programs. The website offers visitor information, a history of the society, a history of the Kearney Historic Site, and an events calendar.

Quincy House

Description

Built as a country estate in 1770, Quincy House was originally surrounded by fields and pasture overlooking Quincy Bay. Its architectural details, including a Chinese fretwork balustrade and classical portico, befit the status of the man who built it, the Revolutionary leader Colonel Josiah Quincy. For generations, the Quincys, like the Adamses, to whom they were related, played important roles in the social and political life of Massachusetts. The family produced three mayors of Boston and a president of Harvard. Much of the historical information pertaining to the house and family was documented in the early 1880s by Eliza Susan Quincy. She kept journals, inventoried the contents of the house, commissioned photographs of the interior, and persuaded relatives to return heirlooms so that the house could become a repository of Quincy family history.

The house offers tours and educational programs.

John Dickinson Plantation [DE]

Description

The John Dickinson Plantation was the home to John Dickinson, a Delaware member of the Continental Congress (who didn't sign the Declaration of Independence), Delaware Congress, Constitutional Convention, and Governor of Pennsylvania. He was known for his opposition to American Independence. His home serves as an excellent example of an 18th century plantation.

The site offers character-interpreted tours on a variety of topics designed to adhere to Delaware educational standards (K-12). Tour topics include daily life, slavery, colonial plantation workings, etc.

Gore Place [MA]

Description

Gore Place consists of the 1806 Federal-style home, estate, and farm of Massachusetts Governor and U.S. Senator Christopher Gore (1758-1827). Significant guests of the Gores included Secretary of State Daniel Webster and President James Monroe. The Gores' African American butler Robert Roberts wrote and published the The House Servant's Directory, a type of domestic servant's advice compilation, in 1827.

The site offers period rooms, guided mansion tours, self-guided tours of the grounds, sheep, goats, poultry, a 40-minute living history outreach presentation by "Robert Roberts," a 2-hour elementary school education program, student group tours of the mansion, 11 Girl Scout programs, activity backpacks for use on site, full moon tours, and Jane Austen tours. Full moon tours are not intended for children under six years of age. The Jane Austen tours interpret period rural life through the words of author, Jane Austen. The website offers a free curriculum program, descriptions of the ways in which various programs meet curriculum standards, and a list of suggested reading and viewing materials.

The Heritage Society [TX]

Description

The Heritage Society is a 10-acre museum consisting of nine historic structures. These structures date from 1823 to 1905, and were selected to present the history of Houston settlement and daily life. The 1847 Kellum-Noble House; circa 1850 Greek Revival Nichols-Rice-Cherry House; the 1868 San Felipe Cottage, built by German immigrants; 1868 mid-Victorian Pillot House; 1891 St. John Church, an Evangelical Lutheran place of worship; circa 1823 cabin, known as The Old Place; 1905 Staiti House; 1870 Yates House; and the circa 1860 Fourth Ward Cottage, a working class home, are located on site. The Yates House was built by Reverend Jack Yates, a freed African American man, religious leader, and advocate for African American education, only five years after emancipation.

The museum offers exhibits, 75-minute guided house tours, cell phone tours, group-rate guided tours for six or more students and/or Scouts, hands-on activities, outreach presentations, and library and archives access. School tours are curriculum-based. Access to the library and archival materials is by appointment only.

The Hermitage, Home of President Andrew Jackson [TN]

Description

The Hermitage is the rural home of former US President Andrew Jackson. The 1,000 acre property was purchased in 1804, and Andrew Jackson's Federal style home was finished in 1821. The home now stands as a historic house museum and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The home offers guided tours, field trip programs, and special events such as workshops and interpretive events. The website offers visitor information and a history of The Hermitage.

Sonoma State Historic Park [CA]

Description

The historic town of Sonoma is located in the heart of the beautiful wine country between Napa and Santa Rosa off Highway 12. Situated around a central plaza (the largest of its kind in California) filled with shops and restaurants, the city is home to Sonoma State Historic Park—site of the northernmost Franciscan Mission in California and birthplace of the California State Bear Flag. Unlike most parks with a plot of land and geographical boundaries, Sonoma State Historic Park is a series of historic attractions in several locations within the community. The park is comprised of six sites: the Mission San Francisco Solano; the Blue Wing Inn; the Sonoma Barracks; and the Toscano Hotel, as well as La Casa Grande and Lachryma Montis, the homes of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, Military Commander and Director of Colonization of the Northern Frontier.

The park offers exhibits and tours.

Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing [KY]

Description

Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing, is an example of a typical 19th century farm along the Ohio River. Today the site consists of the historic house, a detached 19th century kitchen, archeological excavations, and a kitchen garden. A Visitors' Center, museum shop, and cruise service are also offered.

The site offers an award-winning field trip program, Building Block of History, that can be adapted for any grade level and meets curriculum standards for many subject areas. The program includes a tour of the historic house, a chance to participate in the ongoing archeological dig on-site, and a hands-on activity where students can create their own archeological artifact. The site offers pre-visit activities for teachers to use in their classroom as well. Another option is the Life On the River program, which can also be adapted for any grade level.