W.W. Mayo House [MN]

Description

The W.W. Mayo House was home to both the Mayo and Cosgrove families, who would go on to found the Mayo Clinic and Green Giant Food Company respectively. The home was hand-built by W.W. Mayo in 1859, and today is open as a fully restored historic house museum.

The home offers tours by costumed guides. The website offers a brief history of the home and visitor information.

Town Creek Indian Mound [NC]

Description

For more than a thousand years, Indians farmed on lands later known as North Carolina. Around A.D. 1200, a new cultural tradition arrived in the Pee Dee River Valley. Termed "Pee Dee" by archaeologists, it was part of a widespread tradition known as "South Appalachian Mississippian." These Native Americans established a political and ceremonial center at the Town Creek and Little Rivers. Here, visitors can now see a reconstructed ceremonial center, featuring a temple mound and major temple, minor temple, and burial hut.

The site offers a short film, exhibits, tours, and occasional recreational and educational events.

Winter Quarters State Historic Site [LA]

Description

Winter Quarters Plantation is one of the few true Southern-style plantations to survive the Civil War. The home was built in 1805, and eventually grew to over 2,000 acres, manned by 300 slaves. The home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and today serves as a historic house museum. The home is furnished with period furnishings, and contains copies of diaries and other personal records from the tenants.

The home offers tours, interpretive programs and events, and special tours for field trips. The website offers a history of the site, visitor information, links to nearby attractions, and a virtual tour.

Munster Historical Society [IN]

Description

The Munster Historical Society protects and preserves local history. The society also owns and operates the Kaske House Museum, which is open the first and third Saturday of every month.

The society offers individual or group tours of the Kaske House Museum year-round, along with other events including banquets and lectures. The website offers visitor information and a brief history of Munster.

Medina Historical Society and Museum [NY]

Description

The Medina Historical Society preserves the history of Western New York, especially the town of Medina. The society maintains a small museum in the society headquarters, which is open to the public year-round and by special appointment.

The society offers exhibits and special events throughout the year. The website offers photographs of Medina, society news, an events calendar, and online versions of the society newsletter.

Read House and Gardens [DE]

Description

The 1801 Read House, a mansion located on the Delaware River, is a fine example of the Federal architectural style. Most of the house is preserved in its original early 1800s state. However, some rooms have been redecorated in the style of the home during the 1920s.

The home offers visitors guided tours and exhibits year-round. Visitors can also explore the Read House Gardens, which are the oldest surviving gardens in New Castle. Group tours complete with costumed interpreters and demonstrations are available by appointment. The website offers a brief history of Read House as well as visitor information and an events calendar.

Enfield Shaker Museum [NH]

Description

The Enfield Shaker Museum is located in the "Great Stone Dwelling," the largest Shaker building in the world. Built in 1841, it served as a dwelling for Shakers until it was sold in 1927. Today, visitors can tour the building and its grounds for a view into Shaker life during the 19th century.

The museum offers exhibits, special programs, concerts, guided tours, and craft demonstrations, as well as a collection of Shaker furniture, tools, clothing, photographs, and agricultural implements. School tours may be customized for any grade level. The website offers visitor information, a history of the museum, a photo tour of the museum and surrounding village, and a calendar of events.

Fort Garland Museum / Pike's Stockade [CO]

Description

Fort Garland was once commanded by the legendary frontiersman Kit Carson. Established in 1858 in southern Colorado, Fort Garland, with its garrison of over 100 men, served to protect the earliest settlers in the San Luis Valley. Approximately 45 miles southwest of Fort Garland is Pike's Stockade on the Conejos River, where Zebulon Pike and his men camped during the cold winter of 1806 and 1807. The stockade was reconstructed from notes in Pike's journal.

The museum offers exhibits, tours, and educational programs.

Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House [OR]

Description

The Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House stands as a classic example of Queen Anne-style Victorian mansion of the late 19th century. The home is located on a hill overlooking Eugene, Oregon, and was built in 1888. Today, the house stands as a historic house museum, and is open year-round.

The house offers tours, special events including social functions and guest lectures, and exhibits on the history of Eugene and the families that lived in the house. The website offers seven photo albums featuring past events, an events calendar, a brief history of the house, visitor information, and online newsletters.

Blithewold Mansion and Gardens [RI]

Description

Blithewold is one of the finest garden estates in New England. Visitors' explorations of Blithewold will include a dozen different gardens, specimen trees, and a 45-room English-style manor house, all chronicling a rich social history of the lives of one family over a span of more than 100 years.

The site offers tours, exhibits, educational programs, workshops, and recreational and educational events.