Nathan Hale Homestead [CT]

Description

One of the first of thousands of patriots who would die in the war for American independence, Hale is Connecticut's official State Hero. He was born and spent most of the short life he courageously sacrificed on this 400-acre farm. Hale, a Yale-educated schoolteacher, was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Continental Army in 1775. A year later he volunteered to go behind British lines on Long Island to gather military intelligence desperately needed by General George Washington. The British captured Hale and, when they discovered he was a spy, executed him. He was 21. In 1776, Hale's father rebuilt the Homestead, which has changed little since. Its furnishings include collections amassed by pioneer Connecticut antiquarian George Dudley Seymour and several Hale family possessions.

The homestead offers exhibits and tours.

Fort Ticonderoga National Historic Landmark [NY]

Description

Fort Ticonderoga is located in upstate New York, and is famous for its pivotal roles in the French and Indian War and, more importantly, the Revolutionary War. However, the fort is much more than a restored military fortress. A typical visit to the fort will include rich and varied offerings including costumed interpreters, 30-minute guided tours, a world class museum, daily musket demonstrations, and self-guided tours of the Fort.

The site offers a detailed history of the fort, an events calendar, visitor information, and information regarding major events and educational programs. The site also offers a page for educators detailing Fort Ticonderoga's participation in National History Day, which is on February 27th.

Stephen Decatur House Museum [DC]

Description

The Stephen Decatur House is one of the oldest surviving homes in Washington, DC and one of only three remaining residential buildings in the country designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, who has been called the father of American architecture. The home was completed in 1818, and has been home to many prominent figures over the course of its history both due to its neoclassical architecture as well as its location across from the White House. The location offers visitors a glimpse into nearly 200 years of Washington history through a variety of permanent and special exhibits. Currently, the house is undergoing an extensive renovation, though exhibits continue to be open for visitors.

The website offers brief biographies of all house owners, a history of the Lafayette Square neighborhood; information on all special events and programs, including educational tours and other programs designed for schoolchildren; an online museum shop; and visitor information.

The house offers exhibits, tours, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational programs.

Conococheague Institute [PA]

Description

The Conococheague Institute serves as a center for developing and promoting an awareness of the natural history and cultural significance of the Conococheague region, and more broadly, the Appalachian frontier in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The Institute has a special focus on exploring the history of the clash of cultures in the backcountry and the conflicts here from the French and Indian War through the American Revolution.

The location offers visitors a variety of special events and educational programs, exhibits that illustrate the lives of early Central Pennsylvania Settlers, and provides a collection of primary and secondary books and other materials which explore the history of the region and the French and Indian War. The site offers genealogical information, an events calendar, an online gift shop, and general information about the institute.

Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park [AZ]

Description

The Yuma Quartermaster Depot was used to store and distribute supplies for all military posts in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas. Currently, five of the original buildings remain on the park grounds, and four contain exhibits which show visitors the military history of the site and the history of the irrigation construction in the Yuma area in the early 20th century. The park also has a visitor's center and gift shop.

The site offers visitor information, a history of the park, a photo gallery featuring 20 photographs of the park and its exhibits, a "for kids'' section with information on kid's programs, an events calendar, and information on other area attractions.

John Brown Farm State Historic Site [NY]

Description

The John Brown State Historic Site is comprised of John Brown's home and grave. Brown (1800-1859) advocated abolition through armed resistance. He is best known for the 1859 raid at Harper's Ferry, although he also led the 1856 Pottawatomie Massacre.

The site offers guided tours and reenactments, as well as a variety of outdoors activities, including hiking and cross-country skiing. The site only offers basic visitor and historic information.

Winchester Mystery House [CA]

Description

The Winchester Mystery House was built between 1884 and 1922 by Sarah Winchester, the noted Winchester Rifle heiress. The house is known both for its beautiful architecture and for its many unexplained oddities, which is the reason it is now known as the mystery house. Visitors to the home can explore 110 of its 160 rooms, view the many oddities, and marvel at the Victorian gardens. The house also is home to the Winchester Firearms Museum.

The house offers exhibits, period rooms, and gardens.

Staunton River Battlefield State Park [VA]

Description

At this historic site, a ragtag group of Confederate old men and young boys beat the odds and held off an assault by 5,000 Union cavalry soldiers on a bridge of strategic importance to General Lee’s army, then under siege in Petersburg.

The park offers visitors a visitor and gift shop, along with an environmental education center, and a variety of outdoors activities. The site offers basic visitor information, along with links to nearby attractions, a calendar of events, and a very brief history of the park.

Old Fort Jackson [GA]

Description

"Fort James Jackson, also known as Old Fort Jackson, has been a part of Coastal Georgia’s history for nearly two centuries. Named in honor of Georgia governor and Revolutionary War soldier James Jackson, the fort is the oldest standing brick fortification in the state." The Fort served as the headquarters for the Savannah River Defenses during the Civil War, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, visitors can tour the fully restored fortifications. The fort is also notable for its tradition of giving daily cannon firing demonstrations.

The site offers a photo gallery featuring 12 photographs of the fort, an events calendar, visitor information, brief historical information, and an online store.

Fort Adams [RI]

Description

Across Newport Harbor stands the largest coastal fortification in the United States. Visitors to this engineering and architectural masterpiece can see where the soldiers lived, enter the casemates, explore the tunnel system, and climb the bastions for breathtaking views. From 1824 to 1950, Fort Adams housed generations of our soldiers, today it still stands ready for exploration.

The site offers exhibits, tours, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).