Washburne House

Description

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.

National First Ladies' Library and Historic Site

Description

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.

George Washington's Office Museum [VA]

Description

George Washington's Office Museum offers access to the temporary military office used by George Washington (1732-1799) between September 1755 and December 1756, during the construction of Fort Loudoun. The museum displays Washington's surveying tools, artifacts which he used prior to his involvement in actively forming the U.S. when he felt that he would pursue surveying as his career.

The museum offers exhibits.

Boscobel [NY]

Description

Boscobel is a historic Federal neoclassical-style home, built in 1808 for States Morris Dyckman (1755-1806) and his family. The interior contains period furnishings and decorative arts, as well as an art exhibition gallery. Collection highlights include a painting by Benjamin West (1738-1820), renowned artist of historical scenes. The visitor's center presents the home's restoration. During the Revolutionary War, Dyckman was a clerk for the British Army's Quartermaster Department.

The house offers guided tours of the interior, guided tours with a tea or luncheon, educational programs in accordance with state educational standards, and picnic areas. The website offers video tours and an online collections catalog.

Ulysses S. Grant Home

Description

The Italianate structure known as the U. S. Grant Home was built in 1859–60 as a residence by Alexander J. Jackson of Galena. When Ulysses S. Grant returned to the city in 1865 as a Civil War hero, he was presented the house as part of the city's celebration. All of the rooms are decorated and furnished to represent the mid-1860s. Many of the furnishings belonged to the Grant family.

The site offers exhibits, tours, and occasional recreational and educational events.

Plum Grove Historic Site [IA]

Description

Visitors to this can enjoy a guided tour of the home of Iowa's first Territorial Governor, Robert Lucas, and Friendly Lucas, his wife. The seven-room Greek Revival house was constructed of local red brick. The National Society of Colonial Dames of America furnished the home with authentic period pieces, representative of the 1844–53 period.

A second website for the site can be found here.

The site offers tours.

Corydon Capitol [IN]

Description

The Corydon Capitol commemorates the role of Corydon, Indiana as the second capital of the Indiana Territory and the first capital of the state of Indiana. The territorial capital was shifted from Vincennes to the more accessible Corydon in 1813. Key sights include the 1816 Federal-style capital building and the "Constitution Elm" under which much of the first Indiana state constitution was drafted in 1816. Corydon remained state capital until 1825, when the honor was transferred to Indianapolis.

The site offers guided tours, school group tours, educational programs, educational outreach programs, a historic district, a summer camp, and educational materials for checkout. Advance notice is required for outreach programs and materials for checkout.

Heyward-Washington House [SC]

Description

The Heyward-Washington House was built in 1772 by rice planter Daniel Heyward for his son Thomas Heyward, Junior (1746-1809), Revolutionary War soldier and signer of the Declaration of Independence. The residence was rented to George Washington for one week during 1791. Other structures on site include an 18th-century well, a 1740s kitchen building, and a carriage house. Collection highlights include the Holmes Bookcase, considered the finest example of furniture made in the U.S.

The site offers period rooms; gardens with heirloom plants; educational programs; outreach programs; and student tours with a general, Revolutionary War, African American history, or architectural focus.

Belair Mansion and Stables [MD]

Description

Belair Mansion, built in 1745 as a plantation home, was originally owned by Samuel Ogle, provincial Governor of Maryland. The plantation specialized in tobacco, and the residence itself was created in the Georgian style. The museum collections consist of objects similar to those owned by the Ogle and Woodward families, resident in the mansion between the 18th and 20th centuries. The stables were used to house thoroughbreds as early as 1747, and the stable contains artifacts related to transportation and horse racing.

The museum offers period rooms and stables. Appointments are required for all groups of 10 or more. The website offers a video tour and audio podcast tour of the mansion.

William J. Clinton Presidential Library [AK]

Description

The William J. Clinton Presidential Library is located in Little Rock, Arkansas, and chronicles the history of the Clinton presidency. The library and museum holdings at the Presidential Library are the largest within the Presidential Library system, and include of 75 million pages of paper documents, almost 2 million photographs and over 80,000 museum artifacts.

The Presidential Library offers research resources, exhibits on the Clinton presidency, interpretive tours, and special events. The website offers information regarding research resources, resources for teachers including curriculum guides, and an events calendar.