Oberlin Heritage Center [OH]

Description

The Oberlin Heritage Center consists of three historic sites—the 1866 Monroe House, 1884 Jewett House, and 1836 School House. The center's goal is to preserve and share the history of Oberlin, OH, including its role in abolitionism, the Underground Railroad, women's rights movements, temperance, education, and the aluminum industry. The Italianate Monroe House was home to General Giles W. Shurtleff, leader of the first African American Civil War regiment from Ohio. The School House has been restored to a pioneer era appearance. The school offered lessons to all students, regardless of wide-spread segregation, as early as 1836. The Jewett House was owned by chemistry professor Frank Fanning Jewett and his wife Frances Gulick Jewett. The couple published works on public health, and rented living space to Oberlin College students.

The center offers guided house tours, group tours, guided history walks, step-on guides for bus tours, and research center access. The research center is open by appointment only, and it offers oral histories in addition to archival materials. Tours are approximately 75 minutes long. Reservations must be made at least one month in advance for groups of 10 or more. History walks are available by reservation only. Audio amplifiers are available. The historic homes are partially wheelchair accessible. The website offers historical photographs; historic games, crafts, and recipes; 1800s children's stories; information on the intersection of the heritage center and state educational standards; and suggested class activities.

Wickersham State Historic Site [AK]

Description

The Wickersham State Historic Site preserves one of the residences, built in 1898, of James Wickersham (1857-1939). Wickersham served as a judge and Congressional delegate for Alaska; and is widely recognized as a key figure in Alaska's development. The home now presents period furnishings, artifacts, and photographs related to Wickersham and the Gold Rush.

The site offers exhibits.

Caldwell Heritage Museum [NC]

Description

The Caldwell Heritage Museum presents the history of Caldwell County, NC. Collections include medical, musical, and military artifacts, as well as historic cameras. Permanent exhibits detail county history from pre-colonial times to present day. Exhibit topics include local Native Americans, pioneers and the Revolutionary War, county formation, the Civil War, the fire department, railroads, furniture and industries, the military, children's lives, vernacular tools, local schools, and Davenport College. The museum is located within the final Davenport College structure. The college offered higher education opportunities to women between 1855 and 1933.

The museum offers exhibits and a reading and listening room. If local schools are closed, dismissed early, or have delayed openings due to weather, the museum schedule will be altered for the day.

Gem County Historical Society and Historical Village Museum [ID]

Description

The Gem County Historical Society of Gem County, ID operates the Historical Village Museum. The museum complex contains a museum of the history of Emmett, ID; the circa 1900 cottage of the fifth governor of Idaho (1901-1903), Frank W. Hunt; the Little Red Schoolhouse; the Bunkhouse; and the Blacksmith Shop. The Hunt cottage contains its original furnishings. The Bunkhouse presents information on indigenous animal species and the local cattle and sheep industries. Topics addressed in the local history museum include Native American life, irrigation, the fruit industry, settlers, trappers, and miners. Collection highlights include a "coyote gun" and a broom maker dating to the 1880s.

The society offers exhibits, period rooms, and presentations and tours for students.

Northern Indiana Historical Society and Center for History

Description

The Northern Indiana Historical Society operates the Center for History. The center consists of a Victorian mansion, a circa 1820 cottage, local and Notre Dame history exhibits, and a children's museum. The 1896 Romanesque Queen Anne mansion Copshaholm contains its original furnishings. The residence was home to J.D. Oliver, president of the Oliver Chilled Plow Works. The grounds hold of 2.5-acres of gardens, restored to their 1915 appearance.

The center offers exhibits, period rooms, guided tours of Copshaholm and the Worker's Home, student exhibit and house tours, summer camps, educational programs for students, and archive access. Neither Copshaholm nor the Worker's Home is wheelchair accessible. Appointments are recommended for archive access. The cottage is only open during annual educational events. The website offers an mp3 self-guided West Washington Street walking tour and a curriculum guide for Copshaholm.

The children's museum is currently closed for renovation.

Wylie House Museum [IN]

Description

The 1835 Federal and Georgian Wylie House was home to Andrew Wylie, the first president of Indiana University. The site has been restored to its appearance prior to 1860. Topics addressed include Bloomington, IN; Indiana University; and domestic life.

The museum offers exhibits, period rooms, guided tours, and educational programs for students. The museum is open March through November. The website offers virtual exhibits.

Vicksburg Historical Society and Historic Village[MI]

Description

The Vicksburg Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of the greater Vicksburg area, MI. To this end, the society operates a historic village museum, consisting of a caboose, print shop, 1904 depot, express office, farmhouse, barn, gazebo, schoolhouse, and township hall.

The society offers exhibits, period rooms, and demonstrations. The village is closed January through April. Visitation is by appointment only.

South River Museum--Old School Baptist Church [NJ]

Description

The South River Museum—Old School Baptist Church presents the history of South River, NJ. Exhibit topics include education, religion, everyday life, business, and local organizations and festivities. The area Baptist population erected the museum building in 1805 as a place of worship, and the church cemetery includes a memorial by sculptor John Frazee (born 1790).

The museum offers exhibits.

Hampton Historical Society [NH]

Description

The Hampton Historical Society of Hampton, NH is a local history organization with its own museum, the Tuck Museum. The Tuck Museum currently consists of many 20th century historical buildings including the Museum building, barn, beach cottage, schoolhouse, fire museum, well, and various monuments and markers. The collection contains period school equipment, antique fire-fighting tools, maps, photographs, painting, and other authentic local items.

The site offers group tours for school groups and customized educational programs for grades 1,2,3, and 8. Home-school activities are also available.

Nineteenth Century Willowbrook Village [ME]

Description

Nineteenth Century Willowbrook Village offers the opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in 19th-century daily life. Sights include two historic houses; two historic barns; a reproduction schoolhouse and bandstand; an 1894 carousel; an 1849 Concord stagecoach; a 1945 multi-wing aircraft; and blacksmith, broom maker, cooper, harness maker, printer, woodworker, wheelwright, canoe building, ice harvesting, bicycle shop, machine shop, maple-sugaring, and cobbler displays.

The village offers exhibits, period rooms, group tours, guided student tours, curriculum-based student programs, outreach programs for students, picnic tables, and a cafe. Student tours may be scheduled for May through October. Educational programs are only available in May and June. Approximately 50 percent of the site is wheelchair accessible.