Park Forest Historical Society and Museum [IL]

Description

The Park Forest Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Park Forest, IL. To that end, the society operates a museum and archival center. Park Forest was built as a community for soldiers returning from World War II; and, as such, was the first fully planned suburb to be developed after the war. The museum is located in an original townhouse, and is furnished to a 1948 through 1953 appearance. A portion of the home serves as a re-created school, since townhouses were used as such until permanent educational facilities could be built.

The society offers educational programs, lectures, and outreach speakers. The museum offers guided tours. The archives include circulating oral history transcriptions.

San Diego Maritime Museum [CA]

Description

The San Diego Maritime Museum presents one of the world's strongest collections of historic vessels. Highlights include an 1898 steam ferry, the Berkeley; a 1904 steam yacht, the Medea; a B-39 Soviet attack submarine; and the 1863 Star of India, the world's oldest active ship. Replicas include the HMS Surprise, an 18th-century Royal Navy Frigate used in the film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, and the Californian, a mid-1800s revenue cutter. Exhibits include the ages of sail and steam, the Navy, navigation and surveying, and the tuna industry.

The museum offers one- or two-hour historic cruises on the 1914 Pilot; overnight and day history role playing educational programs; science programs; an educational sailing program aboard the Californian; guided museum tours; exhibits; tours of the Star of India, HMS Surprise, B-39 Submarine, Berkeley, and the Medea; and world cruises led by historians. The website offers information for children; virtual tours of the Star of India, Berkeley, HMS Surprise, and Californian; and numerous videos. All tours require reservations.

River Road African American Museum [LA]

Description

The River Road African American Museum presents the history of the African American population along the Mississippi River. Exhibits discuss cuisine, jazz, African American doctors and inventors, Louisiana's Underground Railroad, education, and other topics.

The museum offers exhibits; tours; a guided museum and neighborhood tour; a school tour drawing heavily upon art, music, and history with an optional scavenger hunt and/or storyteller; and educational programs on the Underground Railroad and plants which men and women seeking their freedom may have used for nourishment and medicine.

Montgomery County Historical Society and Museums [IA]

Description

The Montgomery County Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Montgomery County, IA. To this end, the society operates a library, history center, and five historic structures. The 1853 and 1866 cabins, 1870 schoolhouse, and the general store and post office are furnished to period. The 1884 Nims barn presents information on agricultural history.

The society offers period rooms; exhibits on military history, local companies, agriculture, and the Masonic lodge; educational programs; a reference and archival collection available to the public at the History Center.

Barnum Museum [CT]

Description

The Barnum Museum presents the history of Bridgeport, Connecticut, particularly as related to the life of P. T. Barnum (1810-1891), the force behind one of the United States' primary circus enterprises. Exhibit topics include an Egyptian mummy, 19th-century Bridgeport life, the American tour of Swedish opera star Jenny Lind (1820-1887), and the life of Tom Thumb (died 1883). The museum also contains a 1,000-square-foot carved circus model and a reconstruction of one of Barnum's libraries, including the original furnishings.

The museum offers lectures, self-guided tours, guided tours, concerts, lectures, teacher workshops, a slide presentation, interactive educational programming in compliance with state educational standards, and an outreach slide presentation about the life of P. T. Barnum.

Farmington Historic Plantation [KY]

Description

The Farmington Historic Plantation, built between 1815 and 1816 as a working hemp plantation, was home to John (1772-1840) and Lucy Fry (1788-1874) Speed. Today, the Federal-style home is furnished to an 1830s appearance, the period of time when the plantation was at its peak prosperity; and the furnishing of the home was largely guided by Speed's 1940 home inventory. The number of slaves on site varied between 45 and 64 during the plantation's operation, while the average state slaveholder owned only 5 individuals. Reconstructed structures on the grounds include the summer kitchen and cook's quarters and a springhouse. The grounds also hold a blacksmith shop, never originally on the plantation. The plantation is relevant to slavery, the Civil War, period politics, gender roles, and John Speed's close friendship with Abraham Lincoln.

The plantation offers period rooms, periodic re-enactments offering living history interactions, educational programming in compliance with state educational standards, quill pen writing, a scavenger hunt, 19th-century games, and cornhusk doll making. The website offers pre-visit information packages for teachers. Educational programs are available to all students, including home school students.

Abram's Delight Museum [VA]

Description

The Abram's Delight Museum presents an example of life in the lower Shenandoah Valley prior to U.S. independence. The limestone residence known as Abram's Delight was built in 1754, the year in which the French and Indian War was instigated; and the current furnishings reflect the 18th century. The home also served as Winchester, Virginia's first Quaker meeting house. On-site, one can also find mill stones and a log cabin, which is more typical of early settlers' dwellings.

The museum offers period rooms.

Southampton Historical Museums and Research Center [NY]

Description

The Southampton Historical Museums and Research Center seeks to preserve and share the history of Southampton, New York. To this end, the center operates a number of historical properties, including a paint store; blacksmith shop; one-room schoolhouse; carriage barn; and the main building, a sea captain's home, dating to 1843. Topics covered include farming, whaling, and local history.

The center offers period rooms and exhibits.

The Greenbrier Historical Society and North House Museum [WV] Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/08/2008 - 13:36
Description

The Greenbrier Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of the Greenbrier area, West Virginia. To this end, the society operates the North House Museum and an archival collection. The archives contain documents dating as far back as the 1700s. The North House Museum, housed in an 1820 residence, presents life between the Revolutionary War and World War II.

The museum offers guided tours, tea and tour programs, historic district walking tours, a one-hour educational program on 1850s manners and games, archival access, and research assistance. A nominal fee is charged for archival access. Reservations are required for educational programs, the tea and tour combination, and walking tours.