Known historically as "the Gateway to the Dakotas," Fort Abercrombie was the first permanent United States military fort established in what was to become North Dakota. It was also the only post in the area to be besieged by Dakota (Sioux) warriors for more than six weeks during the Dakota Conflict of 1862. During the Dakota Conflict, Minnesota Volunteer soldiers manned the fort when area settlers sought shelter there. The "regular" U.S. Army soldiers had been withdrawn during the Civil War and had been replaced by the Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. The fort was not protected by blockhouses or a palisade during the seige, but these defensive structures were constructed soon afterward. The fort guarded the oxcart trails of the later fur trade era, military supply wagon trains, stagecoach routes, and steamboat traffic on the Red River. It also was a supply base for two major gold-seeking expeditions across Dakota into Montana. Fort Abercrombie served as a hub for several major transportation routes through the northern plains.

The site offers exhibits.

The Oliver H. Kelley Farm is a living history farm museum with heirloom crops and heritage animal breeds. Costumed interpreters depict life as it would have been between 1850 and 1876. Structures on-site include an Italianate farmhouse, the construction of which began in 1876; a root cellar; a chicken house; a machine shed; a barn; sheep, calf, and pig pens; and a corn crib. Heirloom gardens and a water pump are also accessible. The farm's original owner, Oliver Hudson Kelley (1826-1913), was a scientist-farmer and both founder and secretary of the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, the Grange, a farmers' rights association later known as the National Grange. Oliver Kelley lived on site between 1850 and 1876.

The farm offers hands-on activities, self-guided tours, guided tours, nature trails, and grade-appropriate educational programs. The website offers historic photographs and a suggested reading list.

The Studebaker National Museum presents the history of the Studebaker Corporation, an automobile manufacturer; and, in doing so, displays U.S. transportation history. The Studebaker brothers' blacksmith shop, founded in 1852, would eventually be reconfigured as the world's largest wagon manufacturer and the producer of both military and civilian vehicles. Collection highlights include a 19th-century Conestoga wagon; military vehicles from six wars; and the presidential carriages of Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, Abraham Lincoln, and William McKinley. Lincoln's carriage is the vehicle he used to travel to Ford's Theater the night of his assassination. The Studebaker Archives house more than 50,000 images, engineering drawings, and 500 motion picture titles comprising the corporate archives of the Studebaker Corporation, the Packard Motor Car Company, and local South Bend industries. The museum structure itself incorporates design elements of Studebaker dealerships of the 1920s and 1930s.

The museum offers exhibits, tours, archival access, and research assistance. Both archival access and research assistance require payment.

The 1843 Washburne House was for many years the home of Elihu B. Washburne, United States Congressman from 1853 to 1869. The restored home's first floor interprets an entry hall, parlor, sitting room, library, dining room, and kitchen with adjoining pantries. All are decorated and furnished to depict the lifestyle of a well-to-do midwestern professional. On the second floor are the master bedroom and a second bedroom.

The house offers tours.

The Martin-Boismenue House, a traditional one-story French Creole residence built ca. 1790, is considered one of the oldest surviving residences in Illinois.

The site offers tours.

The Museum has a range of permanent exhibits showcasing the historical heritage of the Macon County area from the 1830s to 1890s, with ever-changing exhibits highlighting different aspects of life in Decatur and Macon County throughout the years. The Prairie Village Complex includes an 1860s one-room schoolhouse and an 1850s log house, along with other period buildings and a 1922 railroad caboose.

The museum and village offer exhibits, tours, short films, research library access, and educational and recreational events.

The Ellwood House Museum presents the home of barbed wire magnate, Isaac L. Ellwood (1833-1910). Built in 1879, the Victorian mansion still contains its original furnishings. A visitor's center offers a number of exhibits, including a gallery displaying the history of barbed wire.

The museum offers period rooms, exhibits, and one-hour guided tours.

The Old Courthouse Museum presents the history of Washington County, WI. The museum contains a research library, restored circuit courtroom, and two floors of exhibits. The Romanesque Revival structure itself was designed by architect Henry C. Koch, and completed in 1889.

The museum offers traditional and interactive exhibits, a period room, outreach presentations, traveling trunks, and a research library.

The National First Ladies' Library is a national archive devoted to obtaining and sharing resources pertaining to the First Ladies of the United States of America. The historical site also presents information on other U.S. women of historical note. The First Ladies' National Historic Site is housed within the circa 1865 Saxton-McKinley House, family home of First Lady Ida McKinley; and presents relevant exhibits. The National First Ladies' Library is located within the 1895 City National Bank Building.

The site offers exhibits, educational programs, tours of both the historical site and library, and research library access. Reservations are required for tour groups of six or more. The website offers an extensive searchable listing of lesson plans, a timeline of major national events, and a virtual tour of the Saxton-McKinley House.

Historic Madison functions as a historic preservation organization. The organization has played a key role in the preservation, restoration, and development of Madison's 133-block historic district.The organization owns, operates and maintains 16 properties; four of the properties are open as museums and others are opened for special programs.

The properties maintained by Historic Madison are listed separately in the Historical Sites database.

The organization offers tours, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational events.