Northwest Franklin County Historical Society and Historic Village and Museum [OH]

Description

The Society owns and maintains the Northwest Franklin County Historical Village and Museum. At the Village, visitors can walk into an 1850 period log cabin and see how people cooked, slept, washed, and entertained themselves; visit the 1890 Grandview School and imagine how it must have been to attend a one-room schoolhouse; visit the 1876 Colwell Church and admire the simple beauty of the worship area and altar; visit one of Hilliard's original train stations built in 1891 and step up to the Chesapeake & Ohio Caboose and see what life was for an early conductor; and walk into an 1870 barn and touch and explore the farm equipment of the period. At the 4,000-square-foot museum, visitors will see a blend of art and history exploring the growth of Northwest Franklin County.

The village and museum offer exhibits and tours; the society offers research library access.

Tod Engine Foundation [OH]

Description

The Tod Engine Foundation works towards the preservation of the history of the steel industry in Youngstown, Ohio. A big part of the foundation's focus is the preservation of the equipment used to manufacture steel. The Tod engine was a 260 ton rolling mill steam engine built in Youngstown that was central in one of the area's biggest steel plants. The foundation has recently completed the Tod Engine Heritage Park, a park in Youngstown housing the Tod engine and a small museum.

The heritage park offers exhibits regarding the steel industry and the Tod Engine. Volunteers can give visitors a sense of the importance of the Tod Engine. The website offers historical information regarding the steel industry and Tod Engine.

Villa Louis [WI]

Description

Villa Louis is the Victorian home of one of Wisconsin's most wealthy families. Today, visitors can explore the entire estate, from the mansion to the estate's outbuildings. In addition to the historic estate, the current park contains a museum that chronicles the history of the fur trade.

The estate offers guided tours, field trip plans which can be catered to different grades, and a visitor center that serves as a museum of the estate. The website offers an extensive virtual tour of the estate, visitor information, and a brief history of the estate.

Sherburne History Center

Description

The Center showcases the semipermanent exhibit "Life on the Edge," featuring the history of Sherburne County, as well as rotating exhibits; the outdoors Legacy Trail leads past local historic structures.

The center offers exhibits, tours, research library access, lectures, and educational and recreational events.

The Museum at Prophetstown [IN]

Description

The Museum at Prophetstown presents the history of Indiana's Wabash River Valley through the stories of a 1920s farmstead, a Native American settlement, and the prairie itself. The working farmstead includes a replica Sears Roebuck and Company Catalog farmhouse. The Shawnee brothers Tenskwautawaw and Tecumseh founded the 1808 Native American settlement in Prophetstown as capital of a new Native American Confederation. The settlement was attacked in 1811 by U.S. forces; and today displays replicas of the Council House, medicine lodge, "chief's" cabin, and granary.

The museum offers workshops; guided tours of the farmstead; period rooms; summer camps; and a program for boys from Cary County, allowing them to work with draft horses. The website offers listings of relevant state educational standards.

Licking County Historical Society [OH]

Description

The Licking County Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Licking County, Ohio. To this end, the society operates the Sherwood-Davidson Museum, located within a circa 1825 Federal-style structure and containing period rooms; the 1907 Webb House Museum, containing period rooms; the 1815 Greek Revival Buckingham Meeting House, which has hosted Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and James A. Garfield and now contains the society library; and the Robbins-Hunter Museum, located within an 1847 Greek Revival structure and containing decorative arts exhibits.

The society offers period rooms and exhibits.

Mount Pulaski Courthouse

Description

Mount Pulaski Courthouse was built in 1848 and served as the Logan County seat of government until 1855. Attorney Abraham Lincoln regularly argued cases in the second-floor courtroom, helping to establish his reputation as both an accomplished practitioner of the law and a gifted speaker.

The site offers tours and occasional educational and recreational events.

Traverse des Sioux Historic Site [MN]

Description

The Traverse des Sioux location was a meeting place and crossroads for centuries, and was frequented by American Indians and European fur traders and farmers. In 1850, with the passing of a treaty in 1851 the land at Traverse des Sioux became open to the public. Within a year, a booming town was located on the site, with a population of over 300. Less than two decades later, another town was chosen as the county seat, and nothing was left of Traverse des Sioux.

The Historic Site offers self guided tours and hiking. The website offers a brief history of the location and visitor information.

Bear Butte Education Center [SD]

Description

Bear Butte has a human history of more than 10,000 years. The site has long been considered sacred by select Native American groups, and the Lakota and Cheyenne still visit the site to worship. Aside from the mountain's significance to the Native American population, the landmark served as a guide for prospectors entering the Black Hills after Lt. Colonel George A. Custer's discovery of area gold deposits in 1874.

The center offers exhibits on the geology and history of the mountain, as well as the beliefs of the Northern Plains peoples—particularly the Cheyenne and Lakota. Note that a buffalo herd lives near the butte. Visitors are asked to keep their distance from the buffalo for their personal safety.

Angel Mounds State Historic Site [IN]

Description

From the Indiana State Museum website; "500 - 700 years ago, the area we now call Angel Mounds State Historic Site was a thriving Mississippian Indian town. Built between A.D. 1050 and 1400, the town was occupied by 1,000 plus inhabitants until its abandonment around 1450. Throughout that time, it was the largest settlement in Indiana. It served as the center of trade, government and religion for smaller satellite communities within a 70-mile radius."

The historic site offers individual and group tours, including tours catered to school-age children, and educational special events, including workshops and presentations. The website offers visitor information and a brief history of the historic site.