Atlanta Preservation Center [GA]

Description

"The Atlanta Preservation Center is the agency for coordination, knowledge, research and advocacy for preservation in the city." The center was founded in 1980, and since has worked with the government, business, and community leaders to preserve over 175 residential and commercial buildings, neighborhoods, and park spaces. Currently, the center is focused on preserving the historic structures on the Beltline, a 22-mile loop of public parks, trails, and transportation. In addition, the center offers regularly scheduled walking tours and popular classroom programs on architecture and community planning.

The site offers background information on the center, information regarding the walking tours and educational programs offered by the center, information on current projects, and an events calendar.

New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route [NJ]

Description

The New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route is an auto trail stretching nearly 300 miles along new Jersey's shore and bays. Highlights along the trail include the nation's oldest operating lighthouse, the town where revolutionaries burned British tea, and the state's official tall ship. The trail also offers limitless opportunities for recreation, most notably fishing, hiking, boating, and canoeing.

The site offers links to destinations along the trail, a history of the trail, historical features about the New Jersey coast, and visitor information for the trail. In order to contact the trail by email, use the "contact us" link on the left side of the webpage.

John Muir National Historic Site [CA]

Description

"John Muir was many things, inventor, immigrant, botanist, glaciologist, writer, co-founder of the Sierra Club, fruit rancher. But it was John Muir's love of nature, and the preservation of it, that we can thank him for today." The John Muir National Historic Site takes visitors on a tour of John Muir's Life, from his powerful nature photography to his roles as a writer and preservationist. In addition, visitors can admire Muir's beautiful home and learn more about the Muir family.

The site offers basic historical and visitor information about the National Historic Site, but links to Museum Collections at the John Muir National Historic Site website, located at http://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/jomu/index.html. This site contains more detailed historical and bibliographical information of John Muir, as well as photo galleries of all current exhibits. In order to contact the National Historic Site by email, use the "contact us" link on the original webpage.

Inupiat Heritage Center [AK]

Description

The Inupiat Heritage Center presents the history and culture of the Inupiat people. Originally the only hunters of the bowhead whale, or Agviq, in the region, during the 19th century they came into contact with New England whalers. After this point, many Inupiat crewed on New Bedford vessels and/or traded with the commercial whalers.

The center offers exhibits, a traditional room, activities, tours, storytelling, lectures, dance performances, and Junior Ranger activities. The website offers a booklet of activities to be completed during school visits.

White Sands National Monument [NM]

Description

The White Sands National Monument is located in the heart of the Tularosa Basin and protects one of the world's national wonders, the white sand dunes of New Mexico. The dunes cover 275 square miles of desert, and are composed primarily of gypsum.

The monument offers hiking trails, a visitor center with exhibits and presentations, the White Sands Institute which offers classes and workshops, field trip programs, and outreach programs where park rangers come and give presentations at local schools. The website offers historical information regarding the park, visitor information, fact sheets for students, and nature and science articles. In order to contact the website via email, use the "contact us" link located on the left side of the webpage.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore [NC]

Description

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is located on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. The National Seashore is home to many attractions, from the sandy beaches and maritime forests to the three lighthouses on the islands and two park visitor's centers. The Cape Hatteras lighthouse is the tallest brick lighthouse in the world, and is the only one of the three lighthouses open for climbing. However, the other two lighthouses have much to offer as the keepers' quarters are open to visitors and both feature visitor's centers with exhibits and guided tours.

The park offers exhibits, tours, field trips, and special events through the two visitor's centers, as well as miles of trails and beach for outdoor enthusiasts. The website offers a history of the park, information about the park's ecology, lesson plans for teachers, field trip information, and general visitors information. In order to contact the park via email, use the "contact us" link located on the left side of the webpage.

Boston Harbor Islands Partnership [MA]

Description

The Boston Harbor Islands Partnership is an umbrella organization representing the public access islands of Boston Harbor. Islands suggested for U.S. history studies include Deer, Thompson, Spectacle, Georges, and Little Brewster Islands. Topics relevant to the islands include Native American and settler relations, the King Phillips War (1674-1676), seacoast and harbor defense, navigational and lighthouse history, and the industrialization of Boston.

The site offers Junior Ranger activities and a GPS-based self-guided tour. The website offers an interdisciplinary guide for teachers; lesson plans, which focus on civic action, maritime history, settlement, and the Native American experience; thematic information on Native American life, geology, the Civil War, the Revolutionary War, ecosystems, and science and technology; and a list of island suggestions according to educational theme. The partnership's other offerings include a video, for rent, on five local Native American tribes; the Harbor Connections educational program; and educator professional development programming.

San Juan Island National Historical Park [WA]

Description

San Juan Island National Historical Park preserves and protects nearly 1,800 acres on San Juan Island, including prairies, lagoons, forests, and mountains, and more than six miles of saltwater shoreline. Under the park's protective watch are seven historic structures dating to the 1860s and a rich archaeological resource of prehistorical and historical objects, as well as habitats rich with plants and animals. In addition, from 1859 through 1872, Great Britain and the United States jointly occupied San Juan Island while the water boundary between the two nations was settled. During this time, the "pig war," a dispute which nearly escalated to war, occurred. In 1872, Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany, given the right to choose ownership of the island, determined that it would become a U.S. possession, officially creating the boundary between the U.S. and Canada. San Juan Island National Historical Park tells the story of the island through the British and American camp sites, during the joint occupation and the years prior, inclusive of island prehistory.

The park offers exhibits, pig war traveling trunks and curriculum, self-guided walks, ranger-led talks and tours, reenactments, and demonstrations.