Ripon Historical Society and Museum

Description

The Society owns two Ripon houses, including one with a barn. The older of the two is the Pedrick-Lawson House which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its unusual grout-block construction. Built in the 1850s, it is partially restored as it might have looked during the Civil War era. The barn is used for storage and exhibits including farm tools and equipment. A Victorian garden with markers identifying its various plants and flowers has been developed on the property. The newer of the two houses, the Pickard House, was built during the 1870s and has been remodeled and furnished to resemble a modest middle-class home in the early part of the 20th century. It contains the Society's archives, library, meeting room, and museum for both permanent and temporary exhibits. The museum collection includes Victorian and early-20th-century furniture and furnishings, men's and women's clothing, quilts and coverlets, tools and equipment for various trades and occupations, dishes and glassware, and works of art by Ripon artists. Special collections of such items as local business and professional records and artifacts, wedding dresses, children's toys, games and dolls, and war memorabilia are featured in our permanent and changing exhibits.

The houses offers exhibits and tours; the society offers research library access and educational and recreational programs.

Junction City Historical Society and House Museums [OR]

Description

The Society operates two house museums. The 1872 Lee House was home to Dr. Norman Lee, one of Junction City's first doctors. It was originally located in Lancaster and was moved to its present location in the late 1800s using logs and a team of horses; it now displays photos, furniture, tools, and clothing from Junction City's past. The 1871 Pitney House belonged to Mary Pitney (1891—1995), a school teacher, published poet, painter, world traveler, and humanitarian. Born and raised in this house, she lived the later years of her life here; today, it is being restored and features a room devoted to Danish historical artifacts from Junction City's first settlers, a cutaway of the home in the kitchen so visitors can see how buildings were constructed in that time period, and Mary's original furniture in the living room. Next door to the Pitney House is the first jail, built in 1873.

The houses offer exhibits, tours, and occasional recreational and educational events.

Beloit Historical Society, Hanchett-Bartlett Homestead, and Lincoln Center [WI]

Description

The Society operates two sites, the Hanchett-Bartlett Homestead and Lincoln Center. Lincoln Center is the home of the Robert and Elizabeth Solem Museum. Located on the site of the former Lincoln Junior High School, the Center's museum offers visitors exhibit areas which focus on a variety of local historical themes. The exhibit areas include the Beloit Gallery, Arthur Missner Veterans Gallery and Memorial, the Ted Perring Sports Hall of Fame, and the Beloit Hall of Fame. The Center also houses the Beloit Historical Society's offices, archives, community room, collection storage rooms, and the Luebke Family Memorial Library. The 1857 Hanchett-Bartlett Homestead houses period artifacts.

The sites offer exhibits, research library access, tours, and occasional educational and recreational events.

West Chicago Historical Society and Kruse House Museum

Description

The Society oversees the care of the Kruse House Museum. The Kruse House is a 1917 four-square home depicting the Fred Kruse family lifestyle. The house is furnished with period furnishings and collections including china, quilts, jewelry, toys, cut glass, and Chicago and Northwestern railroad history artifacts. The backyard boasts a period garden which has been restored and is being maintained by the West Chicago Garden Club. Each year the Kruse House has a special exhibit along with the ongoing household and railroad memorabilia. Recent exhibits include dolls, clocks, toys, musical instruments, wedding attire, dining customs, planes trains and automobiles, and quilts.

The museum offers exhibits.

Old Salem [NC]

Description

Old Salem includes four museums—the Historic Town of Salem, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), the Old Salem Children's Museum, and the Old Salem Toy Museum— which engage visitors in an educational historical experience about those who lived and worked in the early South.

The museums offer exhibits, tours, demonstrations, and other recreational and educational events (including living history events).

Wilderstein Historic Site [NY]

Description

Wilderstein is an independent nonprofit historic site, maintaining the 1888 Queen-Anne-style country house Wilderstein; its mission is to enrich people's lives by providing a relevant, engaging cultural destination; to protect, preserve, and restore the estate' architecture, landscape, and collections; and to interpret the site's history in compelling and innovative ways.

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

Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts [NJ]

Description

Formed in 1970 to save the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate from the wrecking ball, MAC now operates the 18-room restored mansion as Cape May's only Victorian house museum. MAC also restored and operates the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse where visitors can climb the 199 steps to the top for a view of the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Year-round, MAC offers a full schedule of tours and events, including trolley, boat, walking, and ghost tours; food and wine events; summertime family activities; Spring Festival in April and May; the Cape May Music Festival in May and June; Victorian Week in early October; Halloween activities in late October; and six weeks of Christmas tours and events.

The center and its properties offer exhibits, tours, and educational and recreational programs.

Camp Dennison Civil War Museum

Description

Camp Dennison, just outside of Cincinnati, was a military training camp and hospital camp during the Civil War. Today, visitors to Camp Dennison will find the 1804 Waldschmidt House Historical Museum and the Ohio Civil War Museum on site. The area offers information and insight into the Civil War and the happenings at Camp Dennison during this time period.

The museum offers tours, exhibits, and educational and recreational programs.