Oregon Trail

Image
Logo, The Oregon Trail website
Annotation

This site was created by Idaho State University professors Mike Trinklein and Steve Boettcher as a companion to their PBS documentary, The Oregon Trail. The website describes the history of the Trail and the settlers who used it to migrate to the Oregon Territory beginning in the early 1840s. It is divided into five sections: general information about the history of the Oregon Trail; historic sites along the Trail; facts and statistics; full-text archive; and "Shop the Oregon Trail." The archive includes full texts of seven diaries, two letters, nine memoirs, and five period books about journeys along the Trail.

The site also contains roughly 30 video clips of historians discussing the history of the Trail and a virtual field trip of the Trail's top sites. There is an online teacher's guide that was designed as a companion to the documentary video, but its discussion topics and activities can be adapted for classroom use. The site is easy to navigate and has a keyword search feature.

At Home in the Heartland

Image
Logo, At Home in the Heartland Online
Annotation

Visitors can explore family life in Illinois from 1700 to the present in this site based on a 1992 museum exhibit. The site is divided into six time periods, each featuring biographical sketches providing "glimpses into the lifestyles and domestic situations of real people" at critical moments in Illinois and American history.

In addition, each period contains audio components; timelines; maps; examples of material culture; exercises comparing the lifestyles and experiences of various racial, ethnic, and economic groups; methodological explanations; and teaching aides such as grade-specific lesson plans, discussion ideas, classroom activities, and links to related sites.

Activities can be accessed at three levels of difficulty: Level I (grades 3-5), Level II (grades 6-9), and Level III (grades 10-12). A valuable resource for teachers interested in exposing students social history.

The Miller Place - Mount Sinai Historical Society [NY]

Description

The Miller Place - Mount Sinai Historical Society has two historical properties that can be toured in the summer or by appointment at other times of the year. The Miller House was built in 1720 on land bought by Andrew Miller Sr., an English immigrant who worked as a cooper, in 1670. The other property, the 1820 Daniel Hawkins House was home of the Hawkins family from Setauket and is located just east of the Miller house.

Tours are available upon appointment. There is no specific educational programming for school groups so the teacher will have to work with the museum to design a field trip.

Andover Historical Society [MA]

Description

The Andover Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Andover, Massachusetts, founded 1646. To this end, the society operates the 1819 Amos Blanchard House and Barn Museum which illustrates the life of an early 19th-century (1820-1850), middle-class family. The barn contains a variety of vernacular tools. According to the society site, tour topics include "politics, religion, women's roles, economics, banking, youth, education, household management, and agriculture." Extensive archival materials are available for research at the Caroline M. Underhill Research Center.

The society offers exhibits, period rooms, guided tours, educational programs, hands-on activities, and archival access.

Old Governor's Mansion [GA]

Description

The Old Governer's Mansion in Georgia is one of the nation's first examples of High Greek Revival architecture in the nation. The mansion was completed in 1839, and served as the mansion of the governor of Georgia until the Civil War. The building was placed on the national register of historic places in 1973, and currently stands as a historic house museum.

The mansion offers visitors guided tours, curator's tours, interpretive events, and occasional special events. The website offers lesson plans and field trip guides, visitor information, a history of the mansion, a virtual tour, and information regarding upcoming events.

Alexander Dickson House/Orange Co. Visitors Center [NC]

Description

The Alexander Dickson House and Orange Co. Visitors Center are both owned and operated by the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough. The Alliance is made up of seven members, and is dedicated to preserving the local history. The visitors center operates out of the Dickson House, and gives visitors a taste of historic Hillsborough. In addition, the location functions as a historic house museum, featuring an office used by Confederate General Johnston.

The site offers very basic visitor and historic information regarding the home. In addition, the site offers all of the resources of the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough, including a virtual walking tour and information about educational programs offered by the alliance.

Springfield Historical Society [PA]

Description

The Springfield Historical Society owns and operates the Springfield Heritage Museum, which houses an immense collection of vintage maps, memorabilia, historic photographs, deeds, legal documents, historic artifacts, and a "cornucopia" of Springfield Township school milestones and military mementos. In addition to the museum, the society works to preserved historic structures in and around Springfield Township.

The site offers visitor information for the museum, an online gift shop, historical information regarding Springfield Township, and an events calendar.

Mark Twain and the American Character, Part Two

Description

Professor David Foster analyzes Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, looking at what the novel, its characters, and the life of its author reveal about the "American character" and views of American ideals and life at the time of its writing.

This lecture continues from the lecture Mark Twain and the American Character, Part One.

For the lecture, follow the link below and scroll down to the second seminar under Wednesday, August 4.

An older version of this lecture can be found here.

Mark Twain and the American Character, Part One

Description

Professor David Foster analyzes Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, looking at what the novel, its characters, and the life of its author reveal about the "American character" and views of American ideals and life at the time of its writing.

For the lecture, follow the Website Title link and scroll down to the first seminar under Wednesday, August 4.

This lecture continues in Mark Twain and the American Character, Part Two.

An older version of this lecture can be found here.

Ames Florida Stork House [MN]

Description

The Ames Florida Stork House, open to visitors throughout the year, chronicles the history of three of Rockford's most prominent families, beginning in the mid-1800s.

The house currently functions as a historic house museum, and offers visitor tours, collections of 19th- and 20th-century furnishings and textiles, and a vintage clothing collection. The website offers basic visitor information, a brief history of the home, and a virtual tour.